The Son of Kong (1933)

Director:

Ernest B. Schoedsack

Writer:

Ruth Rose (story)
(more)

Release Date:

22 December 1933 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Fantasy | Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

SEE! The cannibals! The earthquake! The sea serpent! The fighting monsters of ages past!

Plot:

The men who captured the giant ape King Kong, return to his island and find his equally gigantic, but far more friendly, son.

Plot Keywords:

King Kong | Mutiny | Island | Giant Ape | Seal

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Robert Armstrong	...	Carl Denham
Helen Mack	...	Helene Peterson
Frank Reicher	...	Captain Englehorn
John Marston	...	Captain Nils Helstrom
Victor Wong	...	Charlie, the Chinese Cook
Ed Brady	...	Bo'sun Red
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Cy Clegg	...	Sailor (uncredited)
Steve Clemente	...	Native Witch King (uncredited)
Harry Cornbleth	...	Sailor (uncredited)
Nathan Curry	...	Native (uncredited)
F. Garrety	...	Sailor (uncredited)
J. Goff	...	Sailor (uncredited)
Oscar 'Dutch' Hendrian	...	Dutch, a Sailor (uncredited)
Tex Higginson	...	Sailor (uncredited)
Noble Johnson	...	Native Chief (uncredited)
Lee Kohlmar	...	Mickey, 2nd Process Server (uncredited)
Ken Kuntz	...	Sailor (uncredited)
Ed Lanegan	...	Messenger (uncredited)
Jimmy Leon	...	Barkeeper (uncredited)
James B. Leong	...	Chinese Trader (uncredited)
Sam Levine	...	Fruit Peddler (uncredited)
Frank Mills	...	Sailor (uncredited)
Frank O'Connor	...	1st Process Server (uncredited)
Claude Payton	...	Sailor / Suspenders Peddler (uncredited)
Jack Richardson	...	Sailor (uncredited)
Ed Rochelle	...	Newsboy (uncredited)
Constantine Romanoff	...	Bill, a Sailor (uncredited)
Gene Rossi	...	Sailor (uncredited)
Gertrude Short	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Alice Stombs	...	(uncredited)
Leo Sulky	...	Extra (uncredited)
Gertrude Sutton	...	Servant Girl (uncredited)
Harry Tenbrook	...	Tommy, a Sailor (uncredited)
Kathrin Clare Ward	...	Mrs. Hudson, Landlady (uncredited)
Homer Watson	...	Sailor (uncredited)
Clarence Wilson	...	Peterson - Helene's Father (uncredited)
Fay Wray	...	Screaming voice (voice) (archive footage) (uncredited)

Directed by
Ernest B. Schoedsack

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Ruth Rose		scenario (uncredited)
Ruth Rose		story

Produced by
Merian C. Cooper	....	executive producer
Archie Marshek	....	associate producer
Ernest B. Schoedsack	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Max Steiner

Cinematography by
Edward Linden		(as Eddie Linden)
J.O. Taylor
Vernon L. Walker		(as Vernon Walker)

Film Editing by
Ted Cheesman

Set Decoration by
Alfred Herman		(settings) (as Al Herman)
Van Nest Polglase		(settings)
Thomas Little		(uncredited)

Costume Design by
Walter Plunkett		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Mel Berns	....	makeup supervisor (uncredited)

Production Management
C.J. White	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William Cody	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Walter Daniels	....	assistant director: additional scenes (uncredited)
Ivan Thomas	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Byron L. Crabbe	....	art technician
Mario Larrinaga	....	art technician
Gene Rossi	....	property master (uncredited)

Sound Department
Murray Spivack	....	sound effects
Earl A. Wolcott	....	sound recordist
Hal Bumbaugh	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Walter Elliott	....	associate sound effects (uncredited)
Jimmy Speak	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Bill Turner	....	sound recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Willis H. O'Brien	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Harry Redmond Jr.	....	special effects (uncredited)
Harry Redmond Sr.	....	special effects supervisor (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Juan Larrinaga	....	technical artist (uncredited)

Stunts
Cy Clegg	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jack Holbrook	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Ernest B. Schoedsack	....	camera operator
S.H. Barton	....	chief electrician (uncredited)
Pete Bernard	....	assistant grip (uncredited)
Tom Clement	....	grip (uncredited)
James Daly	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Linwood G. Dunn	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Edward Henderson	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Gaston Longet	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Eddie Pyle	....	camera operator (uncredited)
William Reinhold	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Clarence Slifer	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Clifford Stine	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Bert Willis	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Claire Cramer	....	wardrobe: women (uncredited)
Maxine Lockwood	....	wardrobe: women (uncredited)
Homer Watson	....	wardrobe: men (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Henry Berman	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Bernhard Kaun	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Max Steiner	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Max Steiner	....	conductor (uncredited)

Other crew
Marcel Delgado	....	technician (as Marcell Delgado)
Buzz Gibson	....	technician (as E.B. Gibson)
Willis H. O'Brien	....	chief technician (as Willis O'Brien)
Fred Reese	....	technician
Carroll L. Shepphird	....	technician (as Carroll Shepphird)
W.G. White	....	technician
C. Dodge Dunning	....	dunning process: photography supervisor (uncredited)
Carroll H. Dunning	....	dunning process: photography supervisor (uncredited)
Lawrence Green	....	double: Noble Johnson (uncredited)
Frank Williams	....	williams process: photography supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• RKO Radio Pictures

Distributors

• RKO Radio Pictures (1933) (USA) (theatrical)
• Bio-Kuva (1934) (Finland) (theatrical)
• C&C Television Corporation (1955) (USA) (TV)
• Fox Hills Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Nostalgia Merchant, The (????) (USA) (VHS)
• RKO Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• TV3 (1987) (Finland) (TV)
• Turner Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Turner Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2002) (Finland) (TV)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

70 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Victor System)

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario) | Iceland:L | Finland:K-16 | USA:Approved (PCA #1339)

Filming Locations:

Santa Catalina Island, Channel Islands, California, USA

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Trivia:

Recordings of Fay Wray's screams from King Kong (1933) were used in this movie.

Quotes:

Carl Denham:Say, that's no way to talk. "I wasn't very good. The show wasn't very good." Cut it out. You wanna tell evrybody how good you are. Throw out your chest. Brag about yourself.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Hollywood Stuntmakers: Episode #1.0" (1999)

Soundtrack:

The Billboard

Will daddy Kong be proud?

Brought out within the same year, the quickly handled sequel "The Son of Kong" would pale in comparison to its milestone original, but would remain enjoyably lightweight with a more prominent comic tone and consisting of a mildly robustness to the action. Too bad it just goes on to rush things, then actually thinking it out because the story isn't as compelling as it could have been. Little creativity shows, despite its stringy sub-plots. The story follows on from "King Kong", as promoter/producer Carl Denham finds himself in a lot of hot water for introducing Kong to New York. So to escape the lawsuits and reporters, he and the sea captain end heading out to sea. Although things change when they're told there's treasure on Skull Island, and before coming across this they encounter a miniature Kong.

After an amusing opening (Denham hiding out) it only goes on to feel like its slogging it out in an stretched out manner, until the lively nature picks up (when they reach Skull island --- which takes them quite awhile) and then it breezes by in no time. Kong's son doesn't have that menace and uncontrollable aggression like father… instead it has a child's temperament; curious, lovable and friendly. Due to that there's little in the way of dark moments and the suspense is faintly structured, with a more playful style winning out and these three stooges antics is even played up to the camera. *Shrug*. Nonetheless the interactions especially between Denham and baby Kong remains charming, if goofy. Even the wrestlemania between Kong and prehistoric beasties can be diverting, if lacking the punch. The likable Robert Armstrong, Frank Reicher and Victor Wong effortlessly reprise their roles. Helen Mack is okay as the female siren. Ernest B. Schoedsack's steadfast direction is measurably controlled due to obvious time/budget constrictions, but decent animation FX is used for Kong.