King Kong (film)

Director, Producer: Merian C Cooper

Type: Film
Length: 100 minutes

As Noted In: 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, Quintessence Editions
As Noted In: AFI's 100 Years 100 Movies-10th Anniversary - 400 ballot choices, 2007, American Film Institute
As Noted In: US National Film Registry, Library of Congress

The King Kong film came upon the world as a great surprise and a terrifying one. It shows a real sense of how to build a story, bring it about, and conclude it. Ray Bradbury

I consider [King Kong] to be the finest film of its kind ever made and when other people came along in later years, I said at them "For god sake, if you are going to do [a remake] in color or widescreen or whatever, get the original scrip. That's the script you use, don't change a word." Ray Bradbury

Theme Group: Golden Age of Hollywood

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King Kong (film)

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Places

Empire State Building, NYC, New York City "King Kong" is set in Midtown Manhattan, 1930s
Manhattan, New York City "King Kong" is set in Midtown Manhattan, 1930s

Timeline

Y/M/D		Association	Description	Place	Locale
1931/12/00	Edgar Wallace	Scriptwriter	Edgar Wallace is assigned work on the RKO "gorilla picture" (King Kong) for producer Merian C Cooper.
1933/03/02	Merian C Cooper	Director, Producer	In New York City, "King Kong" opens at Radio City Music Hall and the RKO Roxy across the street (razed). Crowds line up around the block to enjoy the film preceded by a stage show called Jungle Rhythms.	Radio City Music Hall	New York City
1933/03/05	David O Selznick	Producer	In King Kong's first 4 days at Radio City Music Hall and the RKO Roxy, all of the 10 shows a day are sold out. With tickets priced from $.35 to $.75, King Kong sets an attendance record for an indoor event, grossing $89,931 in 4 days.	Radio City Music Hall	New York City
1933/03/23	Merian C Cooper	Director	Kong cast and crew attend the "King Kong" Hollywood premiere at Grauman's Chinese Theater. In the forecourt, the 'big head bust' is displayed with palm trees. Inside, The Dance of the Sacred Ape is performed by a troupe of Black dancers.	Graumann's Chinese Theatre	Los Angeles
1933/04/00	Ray Harryhausen	Audience Member	In the forecourt of Grauman's, Ray Harryhausen admires the 15 ft 'big head bust'. Ray will be inspired to create stop-motion animation by watching "King Kong". His aunt, who worked for Sid Grauman's invalid mother, had been provided 3 tickets by Sid.	Graumann's Chinese Theatre	Los Angeles
1933/04/10			"King Kong" opens across the United States on 10 April 1933 and worldwide on Easter Day in London, England.
1933/05/00	Ray Bradbury	Audience Member	Using his movie ticket paycheck, Ray Bradbury sees "King King" at the Fox Tucson Theatre in downtown Tucson, Arizona.	Fox Tucson Theatre	Tucson

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Particulars for King Kong (film):
Narrative Arts	Adventure
Subject	Animal
Narrative Arts	Fantasy
Art Type	Film
Animal	Gorilla
Narrative Arts	Live Action
Narrative Arts	Narrative	an account of connected events