Son of Kong

Dir: Ernest B. Schoedsack

1933

***

Film making in the 1930's wasn't just big business, it was quick business. King Kong was big. Really big. When people began pouring into the cinemas to see it the studios and producers knew they needed to produce a sequel fast to capitalize on the huge wave of popularity that took everyone by surprise. Son of Kong was released just nine months after the original. It is fair to say it was rushed somewhat. Ruth Rose returned to write the screenplay but with a very different attitude than the first, stating that "If you can't make it bigger, make it funnier". Robert Armstrong returned to play Carl Denham once more and said in his later years that he preferred Song of Kong over the original because his character had more development but there is no getting away from the fact that it was a bizarre shadow of its former self. The first was the first great blockbuster and the first big horror film, Song of Kong is a melodramatic comedy. I quite liked it. I like it for everything that is wrong with it. I love the fact that they made such a ridiculous and nonsensical decision and ran with it. It lead the way for all those terrible sequels that we all love and hate. It is another first in the rule of thumb that dictates that every big blockbuster has an inferior sequel. It's another slice of movie history. It is very funny too. There are moments that made me laugh during the first film that were unintentionally funny. Song of Kong is full of those same moments that are pushed to the point where you can't help but laugh but because they are so awful, rather than funny. The moment Kong junior breaks the third wall and looks at the audience and shrugs is a particular favourite scene of mine. It is ridiculous and unnecessary and funny and brilliant for it.