KING KONG

CAPSULE REVIEW –– The quintescential beauty and the beast flick. Even though most of the people who actually saw this film in the theater have long passed from the planet, there's something about this movie that still captures the imagination and refuses to let go. Even the effects, which are done mainly with stop-motion animation, are still pretty impressive, considering what they had to work with. I'm sure this was the JURASSIC PARK of it's time, something audiences had never seen before. Only in this man against beast story, the characters are people you come to know and love, not just lunch. You have to give Fay Wray a lot of credit. She embedded herself in movie history with a part that had her screaming her head off 60% of the time. Yet, she's never annoying, making you feel for her in this unfortunate situation. Kong may have a lot of muscle, but he's just a bit too hairy for my tastes. What makes this film so entrancing is the sensitivity he shows towards Wray. There's a heart and soul under all that fur. This flick has everything you could ask for: a beautiful leading lady, an intriguing story, exotic locations, heart-stopping battles between other worldly creatures, death and dismemberment, crass capitalism and true love. Skip the remakes. The story doesn't get told better than this.