He’s a colossal ape who’s been around for 91 years. He has challenged many beasts, including man himself, and has transitioned through many size and appearance changes since his inception. What hasn’t changed is that he is more than a beast and is misunderstood by humanity. In anticipation of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (out March 28), let’s examine the evolution of The Eighth Wonder of the World.
A MONOCHROMATIC INCEPTION
It is the year 1933. Before Godzilla and the world of Kaiju, there was Kong. King Kong was co-written, co-produced, co-directed and created by Merian C. Cooper and distributed by RKO Radio Pictures.
The plot starts in New York, in 1933, with filmmaker Carl Denham recruiting Ann Darrow as a leading actress in his new picture. Carl and his crew set out on the Venture, a tramp steamer, to Skull Island to shoot his film. It’s an uncharted island that is rumoured to be inhabited by a mysterious entity known as Kong. During the voyage, a romance forms between Ann and the ship’s first mate, Jack Driscoll.
After landing on the island, Ann is eventually kidnapped by the natives and offered as a ritual sacrifice to Kong. Carl and the crew interrupt the ceremony and are besieged by a variety of creatures and dinosaurs. Kong protects Ann by defeating the creatures, in particular a Tyrannosaurus Rex that tries to eat Ann. Carl and Jack, the only other survivors, successfully trap and subdue Kong.
They bring Kong back to New York to put him on display in chains for the public as ‘The Eighth Wonder of the World!’. Misinterpreting the flashes from the cameras as an attack. He escapes, grabs Ann, then proceeds to climb up the Empire State Building, believing he is protecting her from them. And so, begins a deadly assault by four biplanes that leads to Kong’s death, protecting Ann to the very end.
Fun fact, the final blow was delivered by King Kong’s directors! Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack cameoed as the pilot and gunner of that biplane respectively.
A sequel called The Son of Kong was released nine months later. This Kong was younger and smaller than his predecessor. It was a moderate success, unlike the original classic which was a smash hit. 1933’s King Kong is forever immortalised in the United States National Film Registry.
KING KONG VERSUS THE WORLD
The first Godzilla movie debuted in 1954, 21 years after King Kong. Soon afterwards, Toho Co., Ltd bought the licensing rights to make a Kong movie. What came next was the ultimate monster movie of 1962, King Kong vs. Godzilla.
Mr. Tako, who runs Pacific Pharmaceuticals, is frustrated with the low ratings of the shows that they have been sponsoring. To rectify this, he sends a crew to chase down a rumour of a monster in hopes of boosting their ratings. Kong is found on Faro Island, and captured by those who want to exploit his existence for prosperity and publicity. Meanwhile, a US submarine collides with an iceberg that happens to contain Godzilla. Godzilla awakens, destroys the submarine then immediately heads for Tokyo. Kong escapes his captors and begins to wreak havoc in Tokyo as well.
It would take a few bouts with Godzilla and Kong for Japanese forces to simply let them fight in hopes that the result would be their destruction. The climactic final battle at Mount Fuji would be the centrepiece of this film. Who won? Well, it depends on the viewer. Kong emerges from the battle seemly victorious, however, Godzilla’s body isn’t seen or found. Toho followed up with King Kong Escapes; a King Kong-only tale that would be the last Kong movie made by Toho.
King Kong would return to New York in 1976 and 2005 – both times as modernisations of the 1933 movie. Though King Kong 1976 was released and set in 1976 and included many contemporary (for the time) changes, the general plotline and ending remained faithful to the original. Peter Jackson’s King Kong in 2005 would be a more faithful remake of the original, with the story still being set in 1933, and modern visual effects to really help keep the vibes and aesthetics of the early 20th century intact. Peter Jackson’s King Kong was another massive hit and still stands on its own to this very day.
MONSTERVERSE MAYHEM
The Rebirth of King Kong in Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures’ MonsterVerse began in 2017’s King Kong: Skull Island. This time we catch up with the great ape in 1973. He’s a Titan, guardian of Skull Island, and the native people known as Iwi. He protects the island against Skullcrawlers, giant ferocious reptilians that have infested the island.
The head of Monarch, Bill Randa, leads a team of scientists and soldiers to Skull Island. The dropping of seismic charges by the team agitates Kong, and wakes up the Skullcrawlers. The Monarch team learns that Kong is just a teenager, the last of his kind, as the rest of his race was wiped out by the Skullcrawlers. The remaining survivors help Kong defeat the giant Skullcrawler, then manage to escape the island. This would not be the end of Monarch’s rocky relationship with Kong.
In Godzilla vs. Kong, Kong is stuck on Skull Island, now enclosed in a dome, and constantly monitored by Monarch. Jia is the last remaining Iwi native and Kong Expert Ilene Andrews’ adopted daughter. Kong is very protective of the duo, a testament to their strong bond. A rampaging Godzilla causes Monarch geologist Nathan Lind to convince Ilene and Monarch to release Kong, to serve as a guide to Hollow Earth, the home world of the Titans, where it is believed a power capable of keeping Titans in check is kept.
Whilst exploring Hollow Earth, they find the ancestral throne room of Kong and the mysterious power source in the shape of an ancient mythical axe empowered by ancient Godzilla dorsal plates. With this new weapon, he emerges to fight Godzilla and stop his rampage. After a few rounds, the source of Godzilla’s uncontrollable rampage is revealed to be Mechagodzilla, with the two giants teaming up to defeat a common enemy. Despite their differences and recent battles, they acknowledge each other with respect, with Godzilla leaving and returning to the ocean in peace. It ends with Monarch establishing an observation point in Hollow Earth with Kong in his new abode, ruler of Hollow Earth.
Kong faces his most daunting challenge yet in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. With Godzilla on his side this time, Kong must face the Scar King and his hordes. Revelations of the origins of Hollow Earth and the ancient Titan conflict that united humanity might be the key to defeating this threat. For humanity to survive, these new threats need to be conquered by Kong and Godzilla, together.
Kong has evolved over his 91-year history, and though he may have changed sizes, appearances, and origins. He is still the colossal ape that has fascinated people since his inception and should be respected and not feared. Kong has truly evolved into a Titan and humanity’s guardian.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire smashes exclusively into cinemas on March 28.
