Review of King Kong (1933) by Kevin N — 02 Nov 2010

As far as sheer entertainment, they simply don't make movies like this anymore. There is enough audacious adventure bursting from the reels of this early sound epic to support its monumental title and then some.

This wasn't an easy production; directors Schoedsack and Cooper earned their success by crafting a story that was willing to transform studio sets into island landscapes and take cinematic escapism to a whole new level.

A colorful cast is highlighted by Fay Wray- the greatest scream queen of them all- and includes great turns by Bruce Cabot and Robert Armstrong. The real star, however, is Kong himself, handcrafted by Willis O'Brien and his team; along with the giant ape, this crew revolutionized special effects forever with a whole variety of enormous beasts, and the spectacles are still effective today.

Sheer escapist bliss.