SON OF KONG
US, 1933, 70 minutes, Black and white.
Robert Armstrong, Helen Mack.
Directed by Ernest Schoedsack.
King Kong was a classic of its time. With special effects that were in advance of their day, the film made great impact. Audiences enjoyed it for its adventure and its fantasy – the echoes of the world of Edgar Rice Burroughs and other writers. However, somehow or other, the screenplay and the presentation of Kong made such an impact that he went into the realm of American myth.
There are overtones of the Beauty and the Beast theme, especially with the fascination of Kong for Fay Wray. There is genuine pathos in audience interest in and identification with Kong and for his being used by the humans. The climax in New York on the top of the Empire State Building is famous and audiences grieved for the death of Kong. Dino de Laurentiis' remake in the seventies kept much of the same atmosphere and the mythic qualities. However. the surprise element had passed and the film, while very enjoyable in its way, was probably too grandiose compared with the original.
There were many derivatives over the decades especially in Japanese adventure science fiction films for family audiences. The original creators ventured into a sequel, Son of Kong. However, it was very short, used some of the same effects for audience delight but its plot and its treatment of Kong were rather trivial.
1. The impact and success of 'King Kong'? Its reputation popularity? Its blend of adventure ingredients, fantasy, myth? The necessity of a sequel? The impact of a sequel? Its tone in comparison with the original? Comparisons of quality?
2. Its use of the original in similarities of plot, the star, the taking up of the story? The sequel as a postscript to the original for audience entertainment in the thirties, for later?
3. The impact of the note and the special effects? Their attraction, their technical skill for the time?
4. The establishing of the setting: the court cases after the carnage and death of King Kong, the Captain and his killing the circus owner and needing to get out of the port, Denham and his being attracted by the story of treasure, Hilda and her being in the circus, the death of her father, suspicions of his murderer, stowing away? The characters and the situations established by the conventions of the South Sea Island adventure?
5. How well did the screenplay set up the nature of the voyage, getting everybody on board? The buildup of the mutiny, the takeover?
6. The presentation of the island, the unfriendly natives, the party going ashore and exploring?
7. The impact of the son of Kong, the humorous tone - how successful? The presentation of the prehistoric world and the various monsters threatening the humans, the fights with Baby Kong, Kong rescuing the humans? The effect on each of the characters? The ultimate death of the Son of Kong and the irony of his slaying the villain? The implied heroism in the presentation of Kong?
8. The necessary rescue as the tidying up of the plot?
9. The basic values presented of right and wrong, good and evil, adventure, romance?
