That’s right, monster-movie fans, today is the U.S. premiere of Kong: Skull Island—Legendary Pictures’ big-budget reboot of the Kong mythos, starring Tom Hiddleston (Thor), Academy Award winner Brie Larson (Room, and star of Marvel’s upcoming Captain Marvel), Samuel L. Jackson (Marvel’s The Avengers), John C. Reilly (Guardians of the Galaxy), and John Goodman (10 Cloverfield Lane). Based on the trailers and advance reviews it looks pretty good…but how did Goodman sneak into that all–Marvel Films cast? 😉
But just because there’s a new king on the block, there’s no reason to overlook the first—and still the best—Kong of them all. And what better way to remember the original King Kong than by reading SWC’s latest addition to our Illustrated Classics line of books?
King Kong, currently available from the SWC webstore, is an e-book exclusive that reintroduces monster fans to the 1932 novelization of the original movie classic. 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, it includes 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. Our version features six 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 story of the king of the monsters and the woman with whom he falls in love, resulting in one of the strangest “beauty and the beast” stories of all time? Then allow me to present you with our edition’s back-cover copy:
Ann Darrow was a down-on-her-luck actress struggling to survive in Depression-era New York City 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 . . .
Originally published in 1932, this fast-paced novelization includes scenes that never appeared in the final version of the classic 1933 film—the most famous of them being the gruesome Skull Island “spider pit” sequence, in which hordes of monstrous arachnids attempt to devour Ann’s rescuers!
King Kong is available right now for download, so visit its product page for ordering information. It’ll give you something to read while you’re standing on line at your local movie theater!
