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Post by Obadiah on Mar 14, 2017 0:48:25 GMT -6
King Kong (1976) I hadn't seen this movie forever, so I decided to watch it this past weekend. Though I found its message of corporate overreach weirdly compelling (Giovanni Ribisi in Avatar must have been channeling Charles Grodin from this movie), and hippie environmentalist sensibility somewhat misplaced (cheering Kong killing soldiers? Really?), I also found it just utterly UTTERLY ridiculous. It was so ridiculous that, aside from Kong just looking like a guy dressed up in an ape-suit, stupid shit happened like Dwan (Jessica Lang) survived a yacht explosion and storm at sea with perfect blow dried hair and makeup, and Kong actually stroked Dwan's dress top with his thumb in an attempt to see her bare chest. Plus, Jessica Lange's Dwan, on screen for much of the movie, was annoyingly innocent and goofy - screaming, fainting, and giggling all over the place. But, I decided to watch it a second time because of the morose tragic soundtrack, the cinematography, that fantastic bloody climax (70s movies had a lot more blood than nowadays), and, well, because special effects aside it is still pretty entertaining. I don't know if Jessica Lange and the movie creators did this purpose, but on the 2nd viewing Dwan's whimsical, almost instinctual, behavior turns her into the exact opposite of the giant brute Kong - rather than a damsel in distress, it is a portrayal of a sort of beautiful modern animal, or a human kitten. Dwan is a character with next to no plan, she just believes in horoscopes and fate, wants and needs stuff, and effortlessly charms her way through life. When the two of them are together, Kong and Dwan, its almost like two animals, acting on instinct, fascinated with each other, in some sort of fatally abusive relationship trying to save and control each other. That ending with Dwan screaming her head off for Jack as she finally becomes the star she always wanted to be in front of a dead bloody Kong, with Jack in the crowd afraid to steal her from the spot light was exceedingly disturbing.
But, just for laughs:
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