An oil company expedition disturbs the peace of a giant ape and brings him back to New York to exploit him.
Jeff Bridges
Jack F. Prescott
Jessica Lange
Dwan
Charles Grodin
Fred S. Wilson
John Randolph
Captain Ross
René Auberjonois
Roy Bagley
Julius Harris
Boan
Jack O'Halloran
Joe Perko
Ed Lauter
Carnahan
John Agar
City Official
Jorge Moreno
Garcia
Mario Gallo
Timmons
John Lone
Chinese Cook
Garry Walberg
Army General
Keny Long
Ape Masked Man
Sid Conrad
Petrox Chairman
George S. Whiteman
Army Helicopter Pilot
Wayne Heffley
Air Force General
Todd Baker
Shea Stadium Spectator
Corbin Bernsen
Reporter
Ray Buktenica
Naval Officer
Larry M. Byrd
Excited Fan
Peter Cullen
King Kong (voice)
S.C. Dacy
Newspaper Photographer
James Dunaway
Man in Audience
Ned Gill
Crushed Spectator
Donald F. Glut
Guy in Ampitheater
Walt Gorney
Subway Driver
Shawn McAllister
Police Sergeant
Eve McVeagh
Reporter
Larry Naschel
Victim
Ira S. Rosenstein
Logan
David Roya
Ship's Radio Operator
David Ulmer
Man Running in Terror
Kristephan Warren-Stevens
Kid with Afro on Bleachers
Brent Huff
Extra
Rick Baker
King Kong
Dennis Fimple
Sunfish
Director
John Guillermin
Idea
Merian C. Cooper
Idea
Edgar Wallace
Screenplay
James Ashmore Creelman
Screenplay
Ruth Rose
Screenplay
Lorenzo Semple Jr.
January 16, 2016
7
I had first seen the outstanding original of 'King Kong', still transcendent and captivating in its then-prescient use of special effects wizardry, then Sir Peter Jackson's recent remake, which was still extremely impressive. I had only heard horrible things about the 70's version, but I have come to admire Guillermin's films that I had watched, and look at that cast, so when I found the blu used, for a good price, I took a chance. It's definitely the runt of the litter, but is by no means a disaster. It's intriguing that they had originally wanted Joseph Sargent to direct with Peter Falk starring, and that Meryl Streep was considered for the role that eventually went to Jessica Lange. The changes they made to update Kong for the seventies were intriguing (as they wanted the script to be completely different from the Cooper/Schoedsack masterpiece), and I'm left curious, had Sir Peter Jackson chosen to make Kong a 21st-century schizoid apeman instead of doing a period piece, how that would have transpired. Even being Canadian, seeing the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center made me wistfully nostalgic. The only part of the film that was excruciating to watch was when Kong is made to perform for the American Bicentennial festivities, and at the ending, I was curious how Lange got down from the rooftop of one of the towers so fast. The answer probably lies on the cutting room floor, and the editing was probably rushed for release date, so no one must have noticed...
Status:
Released
Original Language:
English
Budget:
$23,000,000.00
Revenue:
$90,614,445.00