Although it is remembered as a classic "King Kong" has some very prominent issues that I can't overlook. First off, and most importantly the film plays so heavily into the idea that "women are helpless". The main character, Anne is very much so, a damsel in distress whose sole purpose is to be saved. Even the language in the film plays into this idea. I.e. one of the main crew members, the man who eventually falls in love with the Anne, speaks of women in the most sexist why. He says all they do is "get in the way" as well as something along the lines of "women don't belong anywhere else but inside a house". The film is very sexist and plays into the male female dynamic where women always need saving and a man to love them which is so often seen in mainstream movies now.

I am a huge fan of thrillers and the original KING KONG is one of the classic greats in my opinion. So much suspense and build up in this movie. And sure it may not have the greatest actors or special effects ever used but I feel like it didn't need to in order to still create the amazing suspense that it did and keep you on edge the whole time. Whenever I think of this movie I think about the truly incredible build up to the actual reveal of the gorilla himself. You're wondering whats going to be on the island and then you're wondering whats behind the wall and so on and its just a really well done build up. This reminds me of many of Alfred Hitchcock's movies since they always seemed to take their time with the build up to enhance that suspenseful feeling. Overall I feel this is one of the better and easily most classic KING KONG movies ever made and maybe even one of my favorite thrillers made especially for the time period and the effects they had to work with.

There have been several adaptations and remakes throughout the years, but it all started with this black and white Marvel. Plot for its time, is original and interesting. Events are well thought out and main characters including King Kong are fully fleshed out. There is a certain mindset that must be taken when watching this film. That mindset is that King Kong should be as real to you, as it is to all of the characters in this canonical world. Clay-mation is long process that can either be beautiful or terrible. This film is a case where all of the clay-mation characters are well animated, however they stick out like a sore thumb whether you like it or not. Keeping all that in mind, this is a film that will help build the foundation of what a film critic should be judging today's movies off of.

The movie that started it all for the giant monkey tramping through New York after being captured from his native island, the 1933 film is a classic with obvious problems way beyond the dated special effects. Still, I could see how at the time viewers were entranced by the exotic location and the tale of a giant monkey with special effect never seen before. The film begins with director Jack Denham (Robert Armstrong) discussing how to get a woman for his film to make it a romance and sell more with Captain Englehorn (Frank Reicher). He discovers Ann Darrow (Fay Wray) stealing a meal and proposes a deal to bring her along.Ann catches the eye of Jack Driscoll (Bruce Cabot) who falls for her quickly. They travel across the ocean to a hidden island where the native people also become obsessed with Ann. They sneak aboard the ship and capture her preparing to sacrifice her to the mysterious monster called Kong. The ceremony brings the stop-motion monkey who snatches Ann and runs often into the jungle pursued by the crew of the ship. The crew of white men encounters dinosaurs and dangers throughout the foliage. They quickly realize they are in over their heads.Check out more of this review and others at swilliky.com