The KING KONG Retrospective: The Fall & Rise of Film's Founding Monster
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- čas přidán 2. 04. 2024
- A deep dive into the 90 year film history of King Kong, looking at his origins with Merian C Cooper, His kaiju detour to Japan, his 70s revival, Peter Jackson's massive remake, his time in the Monsterverse including Godzilla x Kong, and much more!
#kingkong
#monsterverse
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Sources:
www.filmbuffonline.com/FBOLNe...
wikizilla.org/wiki/King_Kong_...)
wikizilla.org/wiki/King_Kong_...
wikizilla.org/wiki/Son_of_Kong
www.imdb.com/title/tt0024216/
www.the-numbers.com/movie/Kin...
www.boxofficemojo.com/title/t...
www.boxofficemojo.com/title/t...
the-numbers.com/movie/King-Ko...
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www.theguardian.com/film/2009...
www.filmbuffonline.com/FBOLNe...
ultimateclassicrock.com/king-...
www.latimes.com/archives/la-x...
comicbook.com/movies/news/kin...
www.hollywoodreporter.com/mov...
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deadline.com/2024/03/godzilla... - Krátké a kreslené filmy
Happy Ape-ril! What's your favorite version of King Kong?
Who is your favorite Kaiju Godzilla or King Kong
Peter Jackson's King Kong is still my favorite Kong movie, Andy Serkis' performance is amazing. But I do still love the original and really enjoyed Kong Skull Island.
MonsterVerse King Kong is the best.
He's a modern-day 1930s pulp hero
The monsterverse version
Peter Jackson’s King Kong
As much as I am Team Godzilla, Kong still has major respect from, since without the original 1933 film, Godzilla might not have existed. I'm really glad the MV is giving him a story where he gets to be happy.
I adore Goji, but Monsterverse is really testing me. His personality is so good
The original Kong is the most iconic.
Jackson's Kong is the most simpathetic.
Monsterverse Kong is the most fun.
and what about De Laurentis Kong? 😂
@@FlashFirePrimeIt exists
@FlashFirePrime
Second best Kong film after the original.
The 76 Kong was by far the most sympathetic and the original was the most fun.
@@alexsandell8260 That's about right, yes.
I am glad they needed a T-Rex analogue and created Gorosaurus in King Kong Escapes, because the moment in Destroy All Monsters where he and Godzilla both look at each other like, "Hey, you're a giant lizard too!" is so great.
LET’S GO!! I love Godzilla, but I’ll always have a soft spot for Kong. The 2005 version was the first movie I saw in theaters. He’ll always be king in America!!
Edit: For some reason people are talking about the quality of Jackson’s movie down here when all I said was I watched it in theaters, lol
I feel bad for you. That flick was bad
@@aaronsitzes841 Cool story bro
I didn't like it either but it's the ultimate "love it or hate it" movie.
@@aaronsitzes8412005's King Kong is a gem! I don't know why you think it's bad?
@@tommyhatcher3399Why didn't you like it?
Indigenous tribes that still practice cannibalism:
• The Aghori in India.
• The Asmat from New Guinea.
• The Korowai West Papau in the western half of New Guinea Island.
• The Sentinelese in North Sentinel, an island off the eastern coast of India.
(All of them dark skinned).
Suffice to say, plenty of ancient cultures and civilizations performed human sacrifices (often on women, only), like the Aztecs, the Mayans, North American natives such as the Cahokia, and the Pawnee, the Dahomey in Africa, the Chinese, the Inca. Hell, even the burning of children seems to have occurred in Assyrian and Canaanite religions and at various times among the Israelites.
I’ve always found hilarious how modern thinking is claiming that depicting indigenous tribes in fiction is “racist”, when the reality of things is that those traits that are often depicted as “racists” seem accurate in certain cases. What’s so wrong to point them out in fiction? Like the case of King Kong; it is a giant ape, naturally, the indigenous tribe will worship his ass just by his size alone, the damn ape protects them, then you use the “human sacrifice” element and, yeah, most tribes in real life used to do that, it would be logical they would do it in this case. Big shock; the aboriginal offers women to their God. Like, is it really a big thing to portray these tribes in dark skin, and with monkey-like adjuncts? The horror element is Jackson’s influence, and yeah, is a horrific scenario. I don’t see the controversy; it almost seems like… sugarcoating? Is it really going to become the new norm to change history in order to avoid these realities? Like the great Ruggero Deodato said: “I make films that people call "horror" because I want to make films about real things that happen in the world, and most real things aren't very nice.”
Willis O'Brien NEVER approached Toho! It was producer John Beck who went directly to Toho, after every other studio rejected O'Brien's idea for "King Kong vs. Frankenstein". Toho agreed to do the film, with the condition that they remove the Frankenstein monster in favor of Godzilla. Beck agreed to the terms. It was he, not Toho, who blindsided Willis O'Brien.
King Kong vs Godzilla is the greatest movie ever made! Does citizen Kane have a giant ape stuffing a tree down a fire breathing lizard? Does The Godfather have a giant ape fighting a giant octopus? I rest my case!
I mean the monsterverse didnt have the tree choking so i guess your right
Holy fuck that quick clip of Kong TAS just unlocked an entire chuck of my childhood I completely forgot about.
TAS?
@@CZcams-tiedTAS=The Animated Series
Dude I was wondering when you’ll be covering King Kong, and you didn’t disappoint. As someone who loves Peter Jackson’s King Kong, fingers crossed that they re-release in theaters for its 25th anniversary next year.
20th anniversary mate… we’re not that old yet😂
@@spaceodds1985 oh snap you’re right😂. It was the Matrix’s 25th this year and that number was stuck in my head.
I used the dinosaur stampede for a piss break....... and it was STILL going on when I came back.
The 2005 film is a bloated self indulgent mess.
@@lyndoncmp5751 wild, nobody asked
I think after all the fight for the ownership rights. The Monsterverse version of Kong is really the most positively utilized version of Kong and it does make more Kong fans than the earlier versions except for probably the 2005 version which is still beautiful as well.
“…the most terrifying bug scene ever filmed.”
Someone hasn’t seen Barry Levinson’s The Bay.
I thought Human Centipede and it’s sequels were the most terrifying bug scenes.
If you're interested, there's extended lore Jackson wrote about his depiction of Skull Island in supplementary material surrounding his remake. Highlights include the following.
. Skull Island was a piece of the ancient supercontinent Gondwana that broke off and remained isolated during the KT Mass Extinction Event 66 million years ago, explaining the surviving dinosaurs and how they evolved into their descendants.
. The natives brought Kong's ancestors to Skull Island as guardians and the civilization they made originally lived in balance with the prehistoric nature surrounding them in harmony.
. Thousands of years before the movie, a series of earthquakes began causing the island to sink into the sea, forcing the wildlife to live in closer proximity to each other and start a hyper arms race for resources and territory, causing the animals to become extremely aggressive. This, as well as diseases, whittled the Kongs down over time to near extinction.
. These quakes also had a terrible effect on the natives, not only ending their civilization, but forcing them into more animalistic habits and behaviors just to survive. To give an idea of how desperate things were, the wall separating the remaining islanders (numbering in the low hundreds by 1933) on the shore was actually made near the heart of the island's mainland at its peak.
. Following Kong's death, numerous expeditions to Skull Island were lead which cataloged more species the Venture crew failed to encounter the first time around, and even brought back some of the wildlife. Trips to and from Skull Island were halted following the beginning of World War 2, but expeditions resumed following the war's closure. However, in 1948, the island was struck by an especially powerful earthquake, causing it to sink into the sea and be lost forever.
Fantastic insight. Thanks for sharing. I love the 2005 film.
It makes more sense as you see ruins of the ancient civilization dotted around the jungle of Skull Island in the movie and the video game.
The original King Kong was like the first kaiju movie so without it we wouldn’t have gotten any kaiju movies
If Godzilla Kong seriously just cost 134 million in production with out marketing, oh boy this movie could be really profitable since it means the break even point isn’t even 700 million
Lets just hope they keep the same budget so the quality is consistent
They said for the movie to be profitable it would need to make over 250 million, which it did, to be considered a massive success for them it would need to be over 380 million, which again it easily surpassed. This movie did extremely well, could be the best performing movie of the MS and I'm all for it, fun movie for everyone.
@@EthanClements-vx1xbit's not the budget that gives quality. It's proper time to execute the effects. Fast X is one of the most expensive movies of all time, so is Justice League 2017.
@@Antwannnn i get your point, my bad for not getting my point across right
@@EthanClements-vx1xb you're fine lol just letting you know
FINALLY! A King Kong Retrospective! Let's freaking go!
My favorite versions of Kong:
The 1933 film.
2005, by Peter Jackson, and the Legendary Kong.
No monsterverse version?
@@Anthrax32tfds Legendary Kong is the Monstervese version.
@@Anthrax32tfdsdid you not read the comment
A new Draper kaiju retrospective? We're in for another banger, lads.
Jackson's flim was my first introduction into King Kong, so I have to put his flim on number 1 since I grew up with it and loved it every since I saw it
The first giant monster movie I ever saw as a child was the original King Kong vs Godzilla. That's what introduced me to both giant monsters. And from there I've seen every Godzilla (Except Minus one) and ever Kong film. You can't beat the original 1933 classic.
Why did you keep saying King Kong (1973)? The movie came out in 1976.
Personally, I wish you got big jack films for this video because he’s the big King Kong guy and he would love to have done this with someone who is also a fan. But still, this was good.
I love both Kong and Godzilla, but Kong has a softer spot in my heart. ❤ Especially Jackson's King Kong, I love how sympathetic and tragic he is.
Thank you for giving King Kong 1976 the due it deserves. It is my favourite of all the Kong films and the only one outside of Kong Skull Island I own.
What a timeless story. Skull Island really has stuck out to me out of all the films, however i did have a Peter Jackson Kong themed birthday party when i was a kid so, thats gotta be my winner
That bug scene in 2005 KK is terrfrying also the bugs are based Weta, insects native to New Zealand!
I love King Kong! The original 1933 film is easily my favourite horror/monster movie and one of my top 3 favourite movies of all time. Peter Jackson's version will always hold a special place in my heart as it was the first Kong film I ever saw, I really like the design and effects work for the 1976 version, thanks to legendary make-up artist Rick Baker, and the Monsterverse version is the definition of a perfect reincarnation of a classic character.
Kong 76 has a special place in my heart, as I saw the extended "two-part event" version on TV as a child. And John Barry's score is the best of ANY Kong film.
another well done essay video. glad that you decided to give kong is own retrospective video, just at the right time too. while I'm more of a godzilla fan, i can enjoy king kong movies equally as much too.
Considering there are actual tribes who are black skinned and would eat you if they saw you right now, yeah it's a pretty realistic depiction.
Thanks for name-dropping Mighty Joe Young, a favorite film from my childhood.
I absolutely love Godzilla but I wouldn't have been introduced to him if it wasn't for Kong. I grew up watching both the 76 and Peter Jackson King Kong and have always viewed him as not only one of the best movie monsters bur one of the most sympathetic characters in film. I'm really happy the Monsterverse is expanding more on Kong as a character than ever before
Love your retrospective!
The first 1933 King Kong is what I fell in love with. Peter Jackson's 2005 film is a labor of love and I can appreciate that in his version.
Back in 1976, me and my buddies answered a background casting call in the LA San Fernando Valley for Jeff Bridges' Kong. We were in the grandstands for hours watching a h u g e King Kong move his arms. It takes a lot of human effort to make this mythical wonder come alive. Thank you to the various craftsmen over the years who give life to the adorable and monstrous King Kong we still see today.
I didn't know the license for Godzilla between Legendary and Toho was close to expiring during GvK and it got renewed. I hope we'll see more Godzilla-focused movies/shows in the Monsterverse tho
Great video.. King Kong is the reason I started my love for monsters, i was born in 1999 and the 2005 film started my journey. Kong is my goat and it’s crazy 90+ years later he’s still relevant and loved.
This just MADE MY DAY! Ive been watching your AMAZING Godzilla videos and now this pops up! You and Layton Eversaul are truly the best at what you do and as a fellow CZcamsr, I am a big fan!
As much as I love Godzilla, I love Kong, too. If he didn't pave the way, we might not have Godzilla.
Awesome, was hoping for this with such a great history to the character and how compelling the tale is. Do think "Son of Kong" underrated and nice job on the various changes.
@46:05--You accidentally repeat yourself here.
It's always fascinating to me to hear a more negative take on Jackson's Kong when it's one of my own favorite movies ever. It's (almost) all those exact reasons it's not for you that I love it so much. The melodrama and extended length really bring a scope and grandeur to the story I almost never see with that kind of production value. I'd describe it as a Golden Holywood Era vibe, something like Cleopatra or Ben-Hur. It's just tailor-made for my taste. It definitely isn't something I want for every movie, but indulging in something so rich and overwhelming is the exact kind of treat I crave every so often.
All that said, the depiction of the natives is genuinely next level "oh god holy shit I forgot how bad this is." I get the goal was to depict them as frightened, post-societal collapse scavengers, but Jackson's horror impulses and that infuriating slowmo thing he does (it's jarring in Return of the King too) really ruins anything that could have been sympathetic about them. If the story remained the same but they were just filmed in a more humanizing way, it might've fixed the entire issue. Who wouldn't react hostily if a sweaty Jack Black showed up and jabbered nonsense at your kid while shoving something in their face?
For me a big issue with the movie is the casting. Jack black was a terrible choice. He lacks the acting chops to play a charismatic huckster. He’s just too obviously insincere and contains to much of an undercurrent of anger. Adrien Brody is a fine actor but miscast here. He is too smoldering and melancholic when you need an outgoing swashbuckling type.
Every time soy talks about the "bad image of the natives", I laugh my ass off. A hundred years ago, people knew more about other civilizations than you do now, sitting at home in front of the phone, offended by your own bad knowledge of the world that does not correspond to surrounding reality.
@paulkenny105
Yep. I too feel Black and Brody are terribly miscast in 2005. Many other actors are superfluous and don't need to be in the film (Hanks, Bell etc). Thomas Kretschmann was underused and should have been the love interest for Watts.
So much wrong with the 2005 version.
I fucking love son of Kong and what an ending!
Great overview! I was hoping you'd make a Kong video for a while, so it's nice to see it finally made!
I'm pleasantly surprised you enjoy the '76 film as much as you do. I know it's not the most popular version of Kong, but I love it, and like you, it's in my top two favourite Kong movies.
I'm so friggin' happy we're living in this King Kong renaissance right now. While I love most monsters, Kong is by far my favourite, and it's crazy to me how much stuff there is surrounding him these days, from movies to TV shows, video games to comics. And none of them are retellings of the classic story (as much as I love the original tale, I want Kong to have a life of his own outside of it haha.) I'm really looking forward to whatever else is coming down the line, whether it's the MonsterVerse version, the Disney Plus series, or something else entirely. Long live the King, baby.
King Kong 1976 was more popular in its day, and for a considerable time afterwards, than any other King Kong film apart from the original. All the others were next to forgotten soon after they came out. Even 2005 didn't have any real lasting impact.
A bit late to this, but this was a really great retrospective on Kong and his history up till now. Truly worthy of one the original movie monsters. Keep up the great work, Matt!
Tarzan Boy playing in the back of the rankings was a fun touch
Always great seeing a new Matt Draper analysis vid, especially for something kaiju related. I know I'll be going and revisiting this one on occasion now just like all the others before. I hope sometime in the future you'll get to cover some of the non-Godzilla Toho kaiju movies. Some like Rodan or War of the Gargantuas I'd be really interested to hear your takes on.
All I gotta say is after this newest movie, they better start calling him KING Kong
Now that his story is pretty much over, in the next 10 years we'll probably be cheering when they bring him back with a grown up suko and shimo
Was waiting for Shinsuke Nakamura to come out to battle Kong there for a minute.
I'm kinda glad kong wasn't hollywood-ized like alot of the other icons, i'm happy kong never went to space, had a prequel movie or 8 seqels where they repeat the same thing over nad over again, kong is best in small doses.... or with godzilla, less kong is good
Okay, but I eould totally accept King Kong in space for the next Monsterverse movie.
I can't believe you got two large videos out so close to each other. Very impressive.
Matt, like all that you do, this is a great video. I have loved King Kong since my dad took me to see the OG at a revival house in Dallas, TX back in the early 70s. Recently, my dad, me, and my two sons went to see it together, and it was a pretty magical experience. We can't underestimate Ruth Rose's impact on the '33 script, which provided some kernels of satirization of masculinity and the insecurity of men. Fay Wray, while she screamed a lot, was a fairly strong character. The Toho films are fun, and they helped fill in the time until the first remake came about. I have affection for the '76 version, which was the first movie I saw after a year-long recovery from a serious eye injury. Even though the bright theater picture agitated my still recovering eye, six-year-old me was in heaven. As the years have gone by, I've really come to love it for the empathy displayed towards Kong, which is absent in the original--c'mon Carl, beauty didn't kill the beast, YOU did you imperialist motherfucker. King Kong Lives is, to me, a hilarious hoot! And c'mon, Linda Hamilton and Brian Kerwin have great chemistry. I love and appreciate Jackson's, but it's just too long. Kong of Skull Island is, to me, utterly fabulous, a smart and interesting takedown of Vietnam-era policy, and a boisterous return to the big fun of Skull Island. The first Kong v Godzilla is a lot of fun, and I can't wait to see the new one...with my kids and my dad. Thank you for discussing the depiction of the human residents of Skull Island. It's really important because not thinking about it is to accept these various depictions as being an acceptable way to portray human beings, time period be damned. I'd really like to see a story, probably a comic book, that actually characterizes Skull Islanders, so they can be seen as players and not props. They have to LIVE on Skull Island, man. I bet they have some interesting stories to tell. Thanks, Matt. Your content feels tailored to my interests and experience. I appreciate you.
I will admit, the music and stop-motion animation in the OG King Kong movie WERE great. But looking back on it all these years later, I can't help but notice many flaws in the movie.
For one thing, Kong is listed as a misunderstood monster; kind of like Frankenstein's creation. But in terms of the old movie, there's little evidence of him being as such. Whereas in later versions, such as Peter Jackson's remake, depicted Kong as an intelligent animal rather than a monster. Then, we come to the Monsterverse; where it's revealed there are scores of giant ape creatures like Kong.
Every one of these apes is smart, clever, resourceful and capable at fighting. Meanwhile, you see little signs of intelligence in the 1930s Kong. Also, contrary to popular belief; the humans in the old Kong film feel more uninteresting than the ones in the Monsterverse (as many people claim.) Thankfully, Peter Jackson gave a bit more depth for the likes of Carl Denham, Ann Darrow and even the Islanders themselves.
Gone are the bones in noses and stripped faces; the Jackson version looked more earthy and savage. In Kong: Skull Island, the Islanders (otherwise known as the Iwi) have painted themselves to blend in with their island's architecture; which not only makes sense but is also a rather clever idea.
In short, I haven't watched the old Kong since I was twelve or thirteen and after seeing all the improvements to effects, storytelling and characters; I have no plans on going back
Your loss
Oh yeah! Both 1933 and 2005 (but especially 1933) is the reason I became a film fan, I consumed the bonus features on the DVD. Truthfully I hope a movie about Merian C. Cooper and the making of the orignal film is made.
Great video as always! And excellent choice for the bumper music - Thomas Barrandon 🤘
Kong Skull Island is my favorite Kong movie. It did justice to the character.
If kong reappears in the monsterverse they should call him KING kong
@@EthanClements-vx1xb Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think I heard somewhere that the reason MV Kong hasn't officially been called Kong in any capacity is because Universal owns the unique rights to the title of "King Kong," so everybody else can only use Kong. That sounds like a plausible explanation.
@@hunterg.1300nope, King Kong as a character is in the public domain, they can call him King Kong they just don’t for some reason
I really love the human side of things and the theme of how war affects people. I feel like the video misrepresented it a bit
I think they can now. He’s basically king of the giant apes in hollow earth right?
As much as I enjoy Godzilla, Kong is King.
Kong's original 18 in. metal skeleton still exists today. It sits in the company owners office for Sideshow Collectibles.
I thought Bob Burns owned it.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Burns_III
@@AndyG13GLA he may own it now. I have a friend who worked for Sideshow about ten years back and it was in a glass case in his bosses office. Actually got to see it in person.
technically that gauntlet was just part of an actual powersuit for Kong. They only manage to make that prototype Gauntlet before that one guy in the room that has a brain asked the question "Why are we making an Already Powerful Titan even more powerful"?
Thanks for the amazing video Matt ❤
I love this. Matt Draper always uploads just when I need to waste an hour! King Kong Escapes is one of my favorite movies ever. So dumb. So great. But King Kong 2005 is easily the best of these movies when it comes to Kong. My list is:
11- Son Of Kong
10- King Kong Lives
9- King Kong Vs Godzilla (USA)
8- King Kong Vs Godzilla (Japanese)
7- King Kong ‘76
6- Godzilla vs Kong
5- King Kong Escapes
4- Kong: Skull Island
3- GXK: The New Empire
2- King Kong ‘33
1- King Kong ‘05
Kong is also able to be more expressive and have more personality than almost every other kaiju simply by his nature of being an ape. That is a huge advantage.
The 05 King Kong is still the best. I wish they did more with it
Not gonna lie. 2005 remains my favorite. The melodrama and doomed romance between the beauty and the beast just shakes me to my core
I've been waiting for you do a King Kong representative video for a long time now it was worth the wait.
Kong is a King for a reason amazing, also never thought I would hear Shinsuke Nakamuras theme in a video about King Kong 🤘
I love the showa sillyness of the current Monsterverse and the haunting ride that is Minus One, but it'd be amazing if we had something like Tartakovsky's Primal with Kong going gorward, focusing sorely on the monsters, barely any kind of dialogue yet bearing truly heartfelt stories without losing any kind of gonzo action...
And please bring Gamera back to the big screen!
Great job!!
YES! The original King Kong is actually my favorite film of all time. So I'm so excited for this.
Oh I was hoping you would talk about where the heck Mighty Joe Young came from😢
I didn’t know I wanted this today but it’s exactly what I needed.
I liked that you had Shinsuke Nakamura’s theme song in the background!
I love this video. Is that Shinsuke Nakamura's entrance theme?? 😂😂😂 Having seen the recent movie in the cinema yesterday, I have Kaiju fever. This was a great video to watch after the film. Josh from Panels to Pixels bought me here.
Love these retrospectives. I am wondering if you planning to cover post Universal in Dracula and Frankenstein?
Very well made video. Thank you. I've always thought the story of King Kong was timeless and profound. A cinema legend and a story whose lesson we shouldn't forget.
Godzilla first but King Kong is a great guy! Thanks for his story.
My favorite versions of Kong are the monster verse and Peter Jackson’s telling of the story to me it easily beats out the original as the best King Kong movie
There are rumors abound that Comcast(Parent company of Universal) may purchase Warner Bros...which, if those two entities hold separate rights or elements of King Kong rights....then Universal purchasing WB would at least consolidate some of the rights under one roof.
Man the Kong vs Godzilla footage with Shinsuke Nakamura’s theme song in the background was BADASS!
For as much as I enjoyed Skull Island especially visually and the concept behind Kongs design, as well as 2014 Godzilla, I've never gotten around to the cross over series.
I'm glad I'm not the only one that the 2003 bug scene still sits with.
I was so surprised that new Godzilla and Kong films turned out so good, they make me super emotional, I don't think I ever cried watching something new in the cinema. 😂 Love the new themes and twists - we all want more monsters in our monster-movies and we want them to have more character. Also we need to think more about nature and how to reconect with it and each other. Common, people, even kaijus are friends now!
Great video! I have to admit to a soft spot for King Kong Lives, primarily because I love any chance to watch Linda Hamilton on screen. But my personal favourite on-screen version of Kong is from Skull Island. That movie does an excellent job of both making Kong a giant mythological hero, but still an underdog who must struggle to claim and retain his title as King. That's also the only Monster Monsterverse film where I care about the majority of the human characters. I could go on about how that film is the best stand-alone movie of the Monsterverse too...
Thank you Matt!
I've always liked the original, the peter Jackson remake, and the Monsterverse of King Kong.
It's part of my childhood, along with Godzilla & Jurassic Park.
Awesome analysis the only thing I hardly disagree is you ranking, but is a personal thing for everyone....here is mine:
1-King Kong (2005): can't CARE LESS how long this film is, this is far superior in almost every part to his original no disrespect that movie is just terrible dated, a classic and stood the test of time as a classic fantasy adventure, but effects, acting is just not a film I can seat and watch....this one despite been long, I have seat and watch MULTIPLE TIMES and the story, acting and effects still holds up today, specially Andy Serkis performance as Kong, is easily my favorite Kong.
2-Godzilla vs Kong (2021): This is just too damn fun man, and Kong is at his best in the Monsterverse here, I love the story of Kong and Godzilla and each fight is a thing of beauty, despite the silly premise and some side quest shenanigans that makes zero sense, I can watch this on loop and never get tired.
3-King Kong (1933): Is a classic and the original and just on that front I can't put this one bellow 3rd place, still the story, the stop motion effects are good, not hold up so much in my opinion, but is a technique and animation style I always going to admired, and been shorter than the 2005 version I can see why many put this as still the better one, just not for me, but I respect this movie for is history contributions to cinema and KAIJU films, we might not have all of this if THE OG didn't claw so GXK could RUN.
4-Kong Skull Island: The introduction of the badass version of Kong, hell yes is a great time, maybe not too deep in themes, but fun as hell and still incredibly dazzle in the visual department, good performances and a badass Kong that can't be kill by planes or helicopters....gimme a HELL YEAH!!
5-Godzilla X Kong the New Empire: Not as good as it's predecessor, but that's as much bad I can say, this is equally as fun and badass when it comes to the monsters, and actually a deeper look at Kong as a character, he have a great story here, almost like MOSES, is really good stuff, and despite been supposedly cheaper than the first.....I can't see the drop in quality, these kaijus looks amazing and the fights are great.
6-King Kong (1976): I not as kind with this one, sorry, I kinda hate low key this movie, the effects EVEN back when I saw this for the first time as a kid in the 80's I think look terrible, the characters are not memorable, this version of Kong is kinda a creep (which not mind is not why I dislike this film), is just too depressive, boring and the themes just not fit Kong as well.
7-King Kong vs Godzilla (1962): Welp we agree on these, this film is too cheesy, but charming, again I have more respect that actually like this one, Kong looks TERRIBLE here, not sure who the hell design his suit, but was bad looking, but if not was for this film, welp the Monsterverse would not be a thing so for that, respect.
8,9 and 10- Son of Kong, King Kong Lives and King Kong escapes: Not gonna bother I have never watch these and never will, we all know are terrible films so choose and pick which one is 10, 9 or 8, to me is just YES all bad.
Next... Ultraman Showa, Heisei, New Gen., Reiwa, and the SJHU: Tokusatsu's Most Popular Giant Icon.
Love the use of Shinsuke Nakamura’s in the King Kong vs Godzilla segment
King Kong is the original movie monster that inspired an entire genre. He's the Only other Cinema Icon not named Godzilla. The only people that don't like Kong are a young(not all) Godzilla fanbase. I will never understand how anyone can't appreciate an Amerucan Icon. It's because Godzilla has an Equal in status,popularity and box office. It's so awesome to see Kong no longer stuck in remake hell. The first time I ever heard or saw Kong or Godzilla was the "62" classic w/ my twin brother. It was showed at a drive thru in the early 80's. This was before the internet and I remember buying this film on vhs and of course looking at the tv guide every week for years on feature creature.
There has been atleast 15 knockoff King Kong movies over several decades. In 1991, I remember Toho tried to purchase the rights for King Kong for a rematch w/ Godzilla. I remember the excitement because it was the battle of all battles. Toho couldn't afford the rights and did a poll from their list of b flick kaiju. It was such a letdown when Kong was replaced by Ghidorah for the 91 film. My point is people don't realize how special this new golden age w/ the Monsterverse. Having Godzilla & King Kong in a movie together is printing money. GxK is bringing out ALL generations of fans. Imagine being a Goji fan for 60 years and never to see Godzilla avenge his only loss(draw). All we ever knew was the unreleased sequel script & finding out that not only did Kong win but killed Goji. Thats crazy.
As silly as MV is I feel like the MV kong is one of the most respectful and best version of the monster. Especially with the handling of the tribe.
You should have added chapter titles and sections.
Definitely agree with the next monsterverse movie’s villain or villains being from space. Since kong fought an essentially evil version of himself it only makes sense for Godzilla to do the same. A legendary style space Godzilla would look so damn good
Ok I’m old now as the 33 Kong was the only one I knew as a kid. The film was iconic & probably like the Jurassic Park of its day for special effects shots.
The Toho Kong was a man in a suit & a terrible suit at that. It didn’t even have a face that moved. So although I saw this as a kid I knew it wasn’t THE Kong I was familiar with.
As a teenager I was excited for Kong 76 but like many De Laurentis films it was mostly hype. The animatronic wasn’t anywhere near ready, although Baker did the best he could to cover the broken promises. It was still a man in a suit.
Pretty much every Kong attempt until Jackson’s was just disappointing but he gave me a love letter to that original masterpiece. I’ll forgive him for the length & it’s obvious adoration for the source material - I’d have done the same thing for something I loved so much.
I see the new Monsterverse movies as a hybrid thing which almost reflects how I considered Toho’s Kong/Godzilla team up attempt. Sure it’s not a guy in a suit this time & more like the Peter Jackson / WETA technology on screen, but it’s not my Kong. It’s an alternative universe Kong. Fun, tasty to look at, but packed full of E Numbers & additives that don’t satisfy as much. I just don’t care that much for that Kong & frankly Kong should always be billed as KING of the monsters. It’s in his name for crying out loud, & without Kong there wouldn’t be a Godzilla.
Anyway, good work on the retrospective. Thoroughly enjoyed it, even if I have a different Top 10.
Nakamura's theme song in the background is top shelf. 👌
Godzilla is my all-time favorite, but he wouldn't exist without King Kong, with the former being a big inspiration for Godzilla. I'm just happy Legendary was able to break him out his tragic loop and finally have him live up to his title of being America's monster.
I've never seen the '33 King Kong but my most favorite version of Kong is the '05 version. It was my first exposure to the 8th Wonder.
Oh, you have got to see it. It's awesome. For many years during my childhood, it was the only Kong movie I HAD seen. I was 8 before '76 version even came out and I didn't get to see it until years later on VHS. I of course did get to see the two old Japanese movies with Kong, but the suits were so awful and the plots so preposterous that even as a child I had to wonder why they even bothered. Now in hindsight I love them for the Nostalgia.
If you didn't go back to watch the original, you must not have liked the remake very much.
Heading to Japan? Cue Shinsuke Nakamura’s theme 😂
Great video
The Peter Jackson King Kong Game is still so fun, and in some ways enhances the story more than the original film. I would highly recommend.
...and a couple months later in 1933, a long-necked dinosaurian creature was seen crossing the road near Loch Ness.
I really like Jackson Kong if a bit indulgent for sure. Great Anne.
The 2005 remake will forever be the best King Kong movie of all time in my eyes
It's behind 1933 and 1976 for me.
33 is the best, followed by the great 76 remake. Skull Island is pretty okay. The two since then aren't even worth watching and the Jackson one is a misfire.
I watched the 1976 version when I was a little kid and remember being super dissapointed. I watched the Godzilla vs Kong before that and it was alright. Then I saw the original and was absolutely furious that the other kongs were not as good. 2005, while too long, was a masterpiece in every other way. I would normally put it at number 3 after Skull Island cause it was too dragged out, but the extended lore and additional media push it to number 2. IfIt were shorter, it’d be number 1.