King Kong (1933)

Arguably the monster movie of all time, this Beauty and the Beast tale has mythic power thanks to Willis O'Brien's pioneering animation and its tragic story. It offers an early eco-message as Kong is exploited for gain.

The critic calls it a brilliantly structured adventure movie with a strong set-up on the island and effective rampage sequences in New York. They single out the stop-motion animation and character work on Kong as masterful.

The piece celebrates the restored 1933 film as the ultimate Beauty-and-the-Beast fable whose innocence and excitement still endure, praising the restored footage and the sheer fun of its serial-like pacing. It singles out the indelible Empire State Building climax.

Ebert calls the film a landmark adventure whose stop-motion effects remain impressive and whose story of greed unleashing the beast still resonates. He singles out the pioneering special effects work of Willis O’Brien for particular praise.

The piece positions the film as arguably the first to synthesize cinematic spectacle into a sustained thrill-ride feature that influenced countless later blockbusters. It praises the strategic withholding of Kong, the exciting stop-motion action sequences, Max Steiner’s score, and the poignant climax atop the Empire State Building.

The review calls the film a great piece of imagination produced in grand style and good taste, most capably acted and directed. It highlights the beauty-and-the-beast story with much sympathy for the beast and praises the production values, sets, locations, and performances, especially Fay Wray.

Hall describes the picture as a fantastic and compelling tale of a gigantic ape captured and brought to New York, praising its vivid jungle sequences and the performances of Fay Wray and Robert Armstrong. He highlights the thrilling climax atop the Empire State Building.

The film retains its power to move, excite and sadden thanks to Willis O'Brien's animation and Max Steiner's score. The masterstroke is delaying Kong's entrance so he emerges as the most fully realised character.

The review hails the picture as a gripping technical achievement that surpasses earlier efforts like The Lost World, crediting the sound effects, score and stop-motion work. It notes that audiences will marvel at how it was done despite some mechanical flaws.

The film delivers more thrills than any since the advent of sound and caters successfully for tastes ranging from excitement to amusement. It begins strongly as an adventure but devolves into comedy amid excessive spectacle, though the technical achievements of the ape and monsters are impressive.

The review finds the film excessive and grotesque yet diverting, likening its prehistoric creatures to a nightmare come to life. It notes the Beauty-and-the-Beast theme and feels a touch of sympathy for the defeated monster.

The critic ranks the film #1 and calls it a masterpiece that set the gold standard for monster movies. They single out its groundbreaking storytelling, flawless pacing, exploration of man's greed, and heart-wrenching finale for praise.

The 1933 King Kong is a charming production with spectacle that still holds up, particularly the stop-motion effects and the humanity in Kong's eyes. It remains a delightful kid fantasy adventure story more than seventy years later.

The critic calls the 1933 film still the big daddy of all monster movies despite its age and rough edges. They single out Willis O'Brien's special effects and the iconic set pieces involving Kong for praise, while noting hammy acting and slow early pacing.