Konga (1961)

Dr.Decker comes back from Africa after a year, presumed dead. During that year, he came across a way of growing plants and animals to an enormous size. He brings back a baby chimpanzee to ... See full summary »

Director:

John Lemont

Writers:

Aben Kandel (original story), Herman Cohen (original story)

Stars:

Michael Gough, Margo Johns, Jess Conrad

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael Gough	...	Dr. Charles Decker
Margo Johns	...	Margaret
Jess Conrad	...	Bob Kenton
Claire Gordon	...	Sandra Banks
Austin Trevor	...	Dean Foster
Jack Watson	...	Superintendent Brown
George Pastell	...	Professor Tagore
Vanda Godsell	...	Bob's Mother
Stanley Morgan	...	Inspector Lawson
Grace Arnold	...	Miss Barnesdell
Leonard Sachs	...	Bob's Father
Nicholas Bennett	...	Daniel
Kim Tracy	...	Mary
Rupert Osborne	...	Eric
Waveney Lee	...	Janet

Storyline

Dr.Decker comes back from Africa after a year, presumed dead. During that year, he came across a way of growing plants and animals to an enormous size. He brings back a baby chimpanzee to test out his theory. As he has many enemies at home, he decides to use his chimp, 'Konga' to 'get rid of them'. Then Konga grows to gigantic proportions and reaks havoc all over the city of London!!

---

Plot Keywords:

simian fiction | kaiju | man eating plant | psychotronic film | chimpanzee | 

---

Taglines:

Not since "King Kong"...has the screen exploded with such mighty fury and spectacle!

---

Genres:

Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

---

Certificate:

Unrated

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jess Conrad was scheduled to sing a song in the film, but it was cut (he mentioned this in an interview on BBC's The One Show: Episode dated 24 May 2017 (2017), when a piece was done on the film).

---

Goofs

Dr Decker is wearing a black suit in close-up matte shots of him being carried by Konga, but in long shots his special effect doll is clearly dressed in a navy blue suit.

---

Quotes

Dr. Charles Decker: Konga! Put me down! Konga! Put me down!
[line repeats several more times]

---

Connections

Featured in Coming Up Roses (1986)

---

Soundtracks

Nocturne Op.15 in G
(uncredited)
Music by Frédéric Chopin
Arranged by Gerard Schurmann

User Reviews

A Guilty Pleasure!

This film is incredible in many ways. It has an outlandish story about a scientist who returns from Africa having been presumed lost who has found a botanical secret to growth in humans and other animals through injections of serums made from seedlings brought back from the jungle which he injects into a small chimp he also brings back from Africa that he uses as his primate guinea pig which after several injections(and murders of people standing in the scientist's way) grows to epic proportions and brings an end to his creator's dreams. Whew! It has one of the cruelest, unsympathetic protagonists in film, played with aplomb and panache by an overlooked Michael Gough. This man is on cruise control along his evil highway to glory and sexual satisfaction, at one point shooting his house cat at close range rather than have it possibly ruining his scientific discovery. Gough is incredible and his performance is worth a look at the film alone. The other actors are credible and the guy in the ape suit is believable till the last act. Wait till you see this King-Kong sized ape holding Gough and his assistant. When he throws the assistant to the ground, you can tell it is nothing more than a doll! Camp...camp and more camp!

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 March 1961 (UK)

Also Known As:

I Was a Teenage Gorilla

Filming Locations:

Croydon, London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alta Vista Productions, Anglo-Amalgamated Productions, Herman Cohen Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (photographed in) (Eastman Colour)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1