Citizen Kong

A 90th Anniversary Appreciation

By: Peter Brothers

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

Universally regarded as the ultimate adventure/fantasy film, 1933's King Kong continues to amaze audiences with its involving story, its compelling characters, its incredible special-effects, and its magnificent music.

Yet for some, there is also a deeper and darker side to Kong; a film and monster whose alleged allegories have fascinated students and scholars for nearly a century. For many, Kong means many things, from the noble savage defeated by modern civilization, from the plight of the Black man to the plight of the common man, to the ascending sexual freedom of a new kind of woman who became the ultimate object of desire and unwilling participant in a colossal commentary on "tough love."

Produced during the height of the Great Depression, the anxiety of that era manifested itself from the nation's economic fears into those of Kong's jungle. In Citizen Kong the author examines the movie's mystique, both as an enduring classic to the strong reaction it continues to inspire. The author discusses the origins of Kong, the story behind the movie's making, the controversy still surrounding its screenplay, an examination of Willis O'Brien's startling effects and a detailed examination of Max Steiner's legendary score. He also delves into the movie's many metaphorical meanings, all of which were heartedly (and heatedly) denied by the man who created Kong and a figure as fascinating as the movie he motivated: Merian C. Cooper.

Assisting the author in sharing their unique memories of the movie are a dozen essays written especially for Citizen Kong from such acclaimed authors as Charles Lee Jackson, II, Donald F. Glut, David Del Valle, and Frank J. Dello Stritto.

Published to acknowledge the movie's 90th Anniversary and filled with fascinating photographs, interesting insights and controversial commentaries written in the author's entertainingly-engaging style, Citizen Kong is a compelling read about one of the most beloved and significant films of 20th Century cinema.