In case you missed it, from February 5 to April 1 of this year we ran Simian Saturdays, a series of reviews that examined the movies (and other media) that focused on King Kong, the giant monkey that captured generations of monster fans’ hearts. It was part of our promotion for the latest addition to our Illustrated Classics library: the e-book-exclusive edition of the 1932 novelization of King Kong, which is on sale right now.
Written by Delos W. Lovelace, based on the story by Edgar Wallace and Merian C. Cooper and the screenplay by James A. Creelman and Ruth Rose, the SWC edition of King Kong features scenes that didn’t appear in the final cut of the film—including the notorious “spider pit” sequence in which Kong’s human pursuers are attacked by horrific arachnids and insects. What makes our version special is that it contains six exclusive, original black-and-white illustrations by comics artist Paul Tuma, whose pulp-influenced style has appeared in the pages of The Twilight Avenger, Flare, and Dan Turner: Hollywood Detective.
Not familiar with the beauty-and-the-beast story of Kong and his “love interest,” Ann Darrow (who was played in the 1933 original by the queen of the scream queens, Fay Wray)? Well, here’s our edition’s back-cover copy to bring you up-to-date:
Ann Darrow was a down-on-her-luck actress struggling to survive in Depression-era New York when she met moviemaker Carl Denham. He offered her the starring role in his latest film: a documentary about a long-lost island—and the godlike ape named Kong rumored to live there. Denham needed a beauty as a counterpart to the beast he hoped to find, and Ann was the answer to his prayers.
Mystery, romance, a chance to turn her life around, even the possibility of stardom—to Ann, it sounded like the adventure of a lifetime! But what she didn’t count on were the horrific dangers that awaited her on Skull Island—including the affections of a love-struck monster . . .
With Simian Saturdays having reached its end last weekend (for the time being), I thought today would be the perfect time to list the reviews that appeared in the series. If you missed anything the first time, here’s your opportunity to catch up!
February 18: King Kong: The original Merian C. Cooper–produced, Ernest B. Schoedsack–directed classic, starring Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong, and Bruce Cabot
February 25: King Kong: The Dino De Laurentiis–produced 1976 reboot, starring Jessica Lange, Jeff Bridges, and Charles Grodin
March 5: King Kong: Director Peter Jackson’s 2005 reboot, starring Naomi Watts, Adrien Brody, and Jack Black
March 11: Anthony Browne’s King Kong: A 1994 children’s book that adapted the original Kong, but with a twist!
March 18: Kong: Skull Island: The latest cinematic reboot of the franchise, starring Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, John Goodman, Samuel L. Jackson, and John C. Reilly
March 25: Giant Classic King Kong: A 1968 comic-book adaptation published by Gold Key Comics
April 1: King Kong: The Original RKO-General Motion Picture Classic: An audio-drama adaptation originally released in the 1960s and ’70s as an album
King Kong (the SWC edition) is available right now for download, so visit its product page for ordering information.
