King Kong (1976)

Director:

John Guillermin

Writers:

Merian C. Cooper (idea) and
Edgar Wallace (idea) ...
(more)

Release Date:

17 December 1976 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Fantasy | Romance | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

The most exciting original motion picture event of all time.

Plot:

A petroleum exploration expedition comes to an isolated island and encounters a colossal giant gorilla.

Plot Keywords:

Island | King Kong | Gorilla | Oil | Ape

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Jeff Bridges	...	Jack Prescott
Charles Grodin	...	Fred Wilson
Jessica Lange	...	Dwan
John Randolph	...	Capt. Ross
Rene Auberjonois	...	Roy Bagley
Julius Harris	...	Boan
Jack O'Halloran	...	Joe Perko
Dennis Fimple	...	Sunfish
Ed Lauter	...	Carnahan
Jorge Moreno	...	Garcia
Mario Gallo	...	Timmons
John Lone	...	Chinese Cook
Garry Walberg	...	Army General
John Agar	...	City Official
Keny Long	...	Ape Masked Man
Sid Conrad	...	Petrox Chairman
George Whiteman	...	Army Helicopter Pilot
Wayne Heffley	...	Air Force General
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Forrest J Ackerman	...	Fleeing Extra in Crowd (uncredited)
Rick Baker	...	King Kong (uncredited)
Todd Baker	...	Shea Stadium Spectator (uncredited)
Corbin Bernsen	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Ray Buktenica	...	Naval Officer (uncredited)
Larry M. Byrd	...	Excited Fan (uncredited)
Peter Cullen	...	King Kong (voice) (uncredited)
S.C. Dacy	...	Newspaper Photographer (uncredited)
James Dunaway	...	Man in Audience (uncredited)
Donald F. Glut	...	Guy in Amphitheater (uncredited)
Walt Gorney	...	Subway Driver (uncredited)
Brent Huff	...	Extra (uncredited)
Shawn McAllister	...	Police Sergeant (uncredited)
Joe Piscopo	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Ira S. Rosenstein	...	Logan (uncredited)
David Roya	...	Ship's Radio Operator (uncredited)
David Ulmer	...	Man Running in Terror (uncredited)
Kristephan Warren-Stevens	...	Kid with Afro on Bleachers (uncredited)
Booker James Winter	...	BG Crowd (uncredited)
Billy Zoom	...	Man Running from Monkey (uncredited)

Directed by
John Guillermin

Writing credits
Merian C. Cooper		(idea) and
Edgar Wallace		(idea)
James Ashmore Creelman		(1933 screenplay) (as James Creelman) and
Ruth Rose		(1933 screenplay)
Lorenzo Semple Jr.		(screenplay)

Produced by
Dino De Laurentiis	....	producer
Federico De Laurentiis	....	executive producer
Christian Ferry	....	executive producer

Original Music by
John Barry

Cinematography by
Richard H. Kline		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Ralph E. Winters

Casting by
Joyce Selznick

Production Design by
Mario Chiari
Dale Hennesy

Art Direction by
Archie J. Bacon
David A. Constable
Robert Gundlach

Set Decoration by
John Franco Jr.

Costume Design by
Moss Mabry
Anthea Sylbert		(gowns and native costumes)

Makeup Department
Del Acevedo	....	makeup artist
Jo McCarthy	....	hair stylist
Michaeldino	....	hair designer: Kong
Rick Baker	....	makeup effects (uncredited)
Rob Bottin	....	makeup effects (uncredited)

Production Management
Terry Carr	....	production manager
Brian E. Frankish	....	unit production manager: Hawaii (as Brian Frankish)
George Goodman	....	unit production manager: New York
Jack Grossberg	....	in charge of production
Phil Tucker	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Nathan Haggard	....	assistant director: second unit (as Nate Haggard)
Pat Kehoe	....	second assistant director
William Kronick	....	second unit director
David McGiffert	....	assistant director
Kurt Neumann	....	assistant director

Art Department
Robert L. Clark	....	set painter (as Robert Clark)
Curtis 'Red' Hollingsworth	....	set painter
Mentor Huebner	....	illustrator
Jack M. Marino	....	property master (as Jack Marino)
Gary Martin	....	construction coordinator
David J. Negron	....	illustrator (as David Negron)
Ken Richey	....	greensman
William Cruse	....	set designer (uncredited)
William S. Maxwell III	....	leadman (uncredited)

Sound Department
James J. Klinger	....	sound effects editor
William L. McCaughey	....	sound re-recording mixer (as William McCaughey)
Jack Solomon	....	sound mixer
Harry W. Tetrick	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Rick Baker	....	special contributions: Kong
Don Chandler	....	sculptor: Kong
Joe Day	....	special effects
Carlo Rambaldi	....	designer/engineer/constructor: Kong
Glen Robinson	....	constructor: Kong
Glen Robinson	....	special effects
Eddie Surkin	....	mechanical coordinator: Kong
Terry W. King	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Andrew Miller	....	special effects (uncredited)
Wayne Rose	....	special effects crew (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Louis Lichtenfield	....	matte artist (as Lou Lichtenfield)
Barry Nolan	....	photographic effects assistant
Aldo Puccini	....	miniature coordinator
Frank Van der Veer	....	supervisor of photographic effects
Harold E. Wellman	....	additional photographic effects

Stunts
Bill Couch	....	stunt coordinator
Lightning Bear	....	stunts (uncredited)
Steven Burnett	....	stunts (uncredited)
Loyd Catlett	....	stunts (uncredited)
Roger Creed	....	stunts (uncredited)
Loren Janes	....	stunts (uncredited)
J. David Jones	....	aerial stunts (uncredited)
Gene LeBell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Julius LeFlore	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jim Lovelett	....	stunts (uncredited)
Kelly Nichols	....	stunt double: Jessica Lange (uncredited)
Beth Nufer	....	stunts (uncredited)
Diane Peterson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ray Saniger	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jesse Wayne	....	stunts (uncredited)
Sunny Woods	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Albert Bettcher	....	camera operator (as Al Bettcher)
Ed Carlin	....	gaffer
Robert Edesa	....	assistant camera
Elliott Marks	....	still photographer
Robert Sordal	....	key grip
Michael Burke	....	electrician (uncredited)
Doug Byers	....	electrician (uncredited)
Dave Friedman	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Calvin Maehl	....	gaffer: second unit (uncredited)
Owen Marsh	....	camera operator: second unit (uncredited)
Louis Niemeyer	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Jeffrey W. Petersen	....	rigger (uncredited)
Víctor Pérez	....	lighting technician (uncredited)
Michael J. Schwartz	....	electrician (uncredited)
Gary Stark	....	electrician (uncredited)
Dennis Young	....	grip (uncredited)
Ron Zarilla	....	second assistant camera: New York (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Arnie Lipin	....	wardrobe (as Arny Lipin)
G. Fern Weber	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Margo Anderson	....	assistant film editor
Robert Pergament	....	assistant editor

Music Department
John Barry	....	conductor
Kenneth Hall	....	music editor
Aaron Rochin	....	music re-recordist
Dan Wallin	....	score mixer
Albert Woodbury	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Joe Sawyers	....	transportation coordinator
Chris Haynes	....	driver (uncredited)
James Nordberg	....	driver: special effects department (uncredited)

Other crew
Gordon Armstrong	....	publicity coordinator
Bruce Bahrenburg	....	unit publicist
Jeffrey Chernov	....	messenger
Dino De Laurentiis	....	presenter
Charlotte Dreiman	....	production secretary
Doris Grau	....	script supervisor
Lori Imbler	....	production coordinator
Robert F. Kocourek	....	production auditor
Meryle Selinger	....	production accountant
Fred Sidewater	....	assistant to producer (as Fredric M. Sidewater)
Scott Thaler	....	messenger
Claude Thompson	....	native dance choreographer
Michael Winter	....	messenger
Frans J. Afman	....	financial services (uncredited)
Laurie Arnow-Epstein	....	construction accountant (uncredited)
Stephen A. Glanzrock	....	production assistant: New York (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Dino De Laurentiis Company

Distributors

• Prodis (1976) (France) (theatrical)
• Tobis (1976) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Paramount Pictures (1976) (USA) (theatrical)
• Roadshow Entertainment (1976) (Australia) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1978) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Paramount Home Video (1996) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• TF1 Vidéo (2000) (France) (DVD)
• Momentum Pictures Home Entertainment (2002) (UK) (DVD)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Gativideo (2006) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Gativideo (2006) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-release)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD) (HD-DVD)
• Adams Filmi (1977) (Finland) (theatrical)
• EMI Films (1976) (UK) (theatrical)
• Arcade Movie Company (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Leader Music (2010) (Argentina) (DVD) (as Leader Vision)
• MTC Video (1983) (Greece) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (19??) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Universal Pictures Finland Oy (2005) (Finland) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Finland Oy (2007) (Finland) (DVD) (HD DVD)
• Video Classics (19??) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Bulgari  Miss Lange's jewelry
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes
• Joyce Selznick & Associates  casting
• Nikon  still cameras
• Pacific Title and Art Studio  titles
• Sally Perle & Associates  extras casting

Also Known As:

Runtime:

134 min | USA:180 min (2 part television premiere version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M (cable rating) | Australia:PG (original rating) | Norway:11 | Norway:12 (original rating) | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:G (British Columbia/Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | Finland:K-12 (cut) (1977) | Finland:K-16 (uncut) (1998) | Argentina:13 | Iceland:L | Canada:14A (Ontario - 2005) | New Zealand:PG | Sweden:11 (new rating)

Filming Locations:

Biltmore Hotel - 506 S. Grand Avenue, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Dino De Laurentiis Company

Trivia:

Universal had originally planned to make a more faithful remake of King Kong (1933) to be entitled "The Legend of King Kong", which was going to be a period piece set in the 1930s. However, they backed out when this modern remake was announced.

Goofs:

Factual errors: According to the OSHA website Chloroform in higher doses than 10,000 ppm cardiovascular depression, with death resulting from ventricular fibrillation. In the film they dump huge huge drums of liquid chloroform in the pit that cause a thick vapor cloud, surely this must contain more than 10,000 ppm. Also according to the site it causes irritation of the mucous membranes, eyes, and skin, but none of this is shown to affect Kong at all. While it's not certain how long he was exposed to the chloroform it would be prolonged and according to the same site prolonged exposure causes paralysis, cardiac and respiratory failure, and death. And later when the people gather around the pit none of them show any effects of being exposed to chloroform.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Joe Perko:OK, Boan, how much you got here?
Boan:About eighteen hundred.
Joe Perko:Eighteen hundred? What's going on?
Boan:There's Bagley.
Joe Perko:Hey, Mr. Bagley! Something's haywire. They only loaded me enough pipe to push one test hole. Less than two thousand feet.
Roy Bagley:Yeah, that'll be enough.
Boan:Are you kidding? On Bagatan, we didn't come until we were past twenty-six thousand feet.
Roy Bagley:You take my word, fellas. This hole proves out within two thousand, or it's a write-off.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Kinky Kong (2006) (V)

Different approach to the 1933 Kong generally works well,even if it's definitely no classic like the original

The reputation of this 1976 version of King Kong seems to have improved since it's initial release. It's nowhere near as good as the 1933 version,but who would really expect it to be. That remains the greatest of giant monster movies and a milestone in film-making. However,taken on it's own,this one is not bad at all.

Rather than replicate the original,the filmmakers take a different approach. Some things work,some things don't,but kudos for trying. The updating of the characters for 70s sensibilities now seems as dated as the ones in the original movie,and Jessica Lange's heroine just comes across as an empty headed bimbo. The environmentalist message is still pertinent though,and the filmmakers stop short of labouring their issues.

Kong himself is a lot less fearsome,in fact the man-in-suit creature seems rather cuddly. Scenes when he attacks people almost seem out of place {and compare badly with similar sequences in the original}. Look out for the brief appearance of the robot Kong prop during the scene when he breaks out of his cage,it looks nothing like the Kong of the rest of the film. Special effects are generally good though. They are generally a lot less ambitious-no dinosaurs for one thing,except for one out-of-place giant snake-but they are usually quite good.

The film is a little sluggish,and seems to display little imagination at times-consider how dull the island looks in this version. However,the filmmakers were attempting a somewhat more realistic film. They also succeed in creating quite a a bit more pathos,especially at the end. John Barry's score is rarely mentioned as one of his best but it's really atmospheric,dramatic and sometimes moving. Despite some glaring flaws,this remake is certainly no disaster,and occasionally works well. Check it out,but see the older one first.