Re: Kong Review: Jaw-droppingly Brilliant

[Phil Bigelow <bigelowp@juno.com>]

On Sun, 04 Dec 2005 15:14:28 -0800 (PST) "Jaime A. Headden"
<qilongia@yahoo.com> writes:

> This is storytelling at 
> it's best.


It was also one of the harshest sociopolitical criticisms of its time. 
Like many of the greatest movies of all time, King Kong was released
during the Great Depression ("Hmmm....looks like the established business
paradigm isn't foolproof") and during the rise of Fascism.  Curiously,
the creation of the America's Superman comic strip character also
occurred during this period, clearly in reaction to what was happening
across the pond.

The modern U.S. environmental movement also had its roots in the first
half of the 20th Century.  The release of the movie probably caused some
previously "buttoned-down" types to reevaluate their myopic trust in
long-held social morays.

I don't watch the original Kong as much as I used to.  It leaves me
depressed.  Which is, ironically, a wonderful tribute to the power of the
film.  I also see a few parallels with Dances with Wolves.  I still have
to get up and leave the room just before the wolf gets shot near the end
of the film.  Yet the scene where Kevin Kostner's character is being
beaten by U.S. cavalry solders doesn't affect me nearly as much.

Go figure.

<pb>
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