Review of King Kong Is Back!: An Unauthorized Look at One Humongous Ape (Smart Pop series) (Paperback)

Well 2005 was truly the year of King Kong with Peter Jackson's wonderful remake of the classic 1933 epic.In King Kong is Back, part of Benbella Books' Smart Pop series, a score of luminaries share their thoughts on Kong in a wildly diverse array of essays spanning from the 1933 original, right up to Jackson's remake, and everything in between, including the Japanese Kong films.While perhaps a bit uneven in their tone and scope, these essays are at worst passionate and at best, often brilliantly considered.

Nick Mamatas and Paul Levinson share similar memories on growing up in New York in the 1970's when the running of King Kong on WOR was as much a tradition on Thanksgiving Day as the Macy's parade or Detroit Lions football. Don DeBrandt's piece tries to make the argument that the 1976 remake is actually better written and acted than the original, almost dismissing it as an airy fantasy.He makes the point that the remake was more socially conscious and more complex, pointing out that the search for Skull Island wasn't about making a film but rather finding oil.That may be, but people don't go to see Kong for social relevance, they go to be entertained.

Rick Klaw's essay "Thirty Three" delves in the colorful history of the two men who brought King Kong to the screen, Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack.These two have a backround that you'd think had to be written by Hollywood.Both served during WWII and both aided Poland in their fight for independence with Russia.Cooper was a pilot for the Polish Air Force and was made a squadron commander in 1920.He was shot down and captured by the Russians and held in a prison camp until he escaped along with two Polish prisoners and traversed 500 miles to freedom into Lativa.A remarkable history.

Another great essay is from Bob Eggleton who discusses the making of the 1933 film, focusing on stop-motion animation whiz Willis O' Brien, and a man whose name has been nearly lost to the sands of time, Marcel Delgado, who actually made the various Kong models used in the animation process, not to mention the various dinosaurs and other beasties.

Robert A. Metzger's "Dragons Teeth and Hobbits" supposes a true history to Skull Island, King Kong, dinosaurs, and a long lost forgotten race of little people thousands of years old.Metzger hypothesizes about not only Kong's origin, but the origin of the great wall.Seeing as how Kong easily climbed the Empire State Building, this wall would have posed little problem to him...so just who built it and why?Fascinating stuff!

Some of the essays are a little on the dry side but all in all its wonderfully done and a great book for any King Kong fan.

Reviewed by Tim Janson




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