 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
King Kong (1976)
- Review Date: September 21, 2005
- PG
- Genre: Drama
- 1976
Common Sense Media says
Bad script and acting ruin a classic story.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that kids will see some sexually-charged scenes and violence. Scantily clad natives thrust suggestively during a ritual. We get a fleeting glimpse of breasts. Kong's in love with his female hostage and, as hard as it is to believe, some of their scenes together are erotically charged. Kong tears the jaw off a fake-looking giant snake. The shootout finale goes overboard on squirting blood.
What's the story?
An expedition to a mysterious fog-shrouded island turns up not fuel oil as Petrox emissary Fred Wilson (Charles Grodin) had hoped, but a giant ape, which only stowaway Jack Prescott (Jeff Bridges) had anticipated. The ape, who the natives call Kong, falls for the crew's only female, Dwan (Jessica Lange), and stomps off with her. Not wanting to leave the island empty-handed, Wilson comes up with a scheme to capture Kong and use him as a Petrox promotional gimmick. They capture him and ship Kong to New York, where he breaks loose, nabs Dwan again, and shimmies to the top of the World Trade Center for the inevitable final showdown.
Is it any good?
Stars Jeff Bridges and Jessica Lange do what they can to keep KING KONG afloat, but a hokey script and uneven effects nearly sink the boat they rode in on. The overblown love angle between Dwan and the giant monkey is laughable, with scenes of Kong leering at his little blonde handful, washing her in a waterfall, and blow-drying her with his hot simian breath. The scene in which Kong's giant unwieldy finger tries to peel her like a banana made the cover of TIME Magazine and helped make the movie a huge success. That Jessica Lange overcame this debut to become a serious actress is a testament to her strength.
By today's standards, the pacing and the effects are less than dramatic, certainly no match for Disney's Mighty Joe Young (another remake of a classic giant ape movie). Still, there's plenty here for young viewers to enjoy. They won't mind the tacky dialogue, or seeing Charles Grodin inexplicably cast as the unfunny villain who exploits Kong for money. Kids might even come away with an appreciation for the movie's vague environmental message, that rare animals should be treated sensitively, not paraded around in cages.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about monster movies. What's the fascination with seeing oversized, threatening monsters on screen? How is this one different from and the same as other monster movies you've seen? Is Kong scary -- or do you feel bad for him?
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AGE
UNBELIEVEABLY BAD
this movie ruined the 1933 classic IMO but then again, most remakes suck :(
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Kid, 10 years old
January 13, 2011
AGE
characters are thrown wrestled and shot but no one is killed
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Kid, 11 years old
March 20, 2011
AGE
Not Bad at all.
It wasn't that bad, in fact, I thought it was better than the 1933 classic. The only thing bad was all the blood coming out of Kong on the World Trade Center.
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AGE
the hidious middle child
This is one of the most pathetic remakes ever. Unlike the original or the most recent remake there are no exciting dinosaur battles except Kong wrestling with what amounts to a glorified garden hose. Also the hero's were some of the biggest morons ever.
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AGE
a disgrace to all king kong films
this movie should not be confused with the 1933 film or 2005 film whitch are "good"
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AGE
What the...
It was a good movie but every second it had fighting and it was under rated. You wouldn't want to take a little kid there. It still was a good movie!
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AGE
I lost six brain cells watching this!
This is the worst movie ever. there are no dinosaurs or even anything remotely action in it except the snake fight and the World Trade Center fight (which is a bit graphic, blood spurting everywhere!). There is some brief nudity in it and in the scene were kong and that blonde girl are by the waterfall, it seems like kong is molesting her, he's ripping off her clothes and smiling. I did not like this movie one bit. Do not watch however old you are.
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| Topics: | adventures, monsters, ghosts, and vampires, wild animals |
| Studio: | Universal Pictures |
| Director: | John Guillermin |
| Cast: | Charles Grodin, Jeff Bridges, Jessica Lange |
| Genre: | Drama |
| Run time: | 134 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | December 17, 1976 |
| DVD release date: | July 27, 1999 |
| MPAA rating: | PG |
| MPAA explanation: | Parental Guidance Suggested |
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