Dec 04 2008
Review: Son of Kong (1933)
Many films (sequels in particular), are often overshadowed by their predecessors. Others are overlooked due to similar films that were released later. One such movie that fits both descriptions is Son of Kong (1933).
Movie maker Carl Denham, the man responsible for bringing King Kong to New York in the classic (and prototypical) monster-on-the-loose film, King Kong (1933), is being sued by everyone who suffered at the hands of the beast a month before. Lives lost and property damage has made Denham a virtual moving target. Denham sneaks out of this apartment to meet Captain Englehorn, the captain of the boat chartered by Denham in the previous film. They embark on a business venture that involves delivering goods from port to port in the South Pacific.
Along the way, they pick up a performer, Hilda, who has fallen on the misfortune of having her father/manager die. A mutiny on the ship leaves Denham, Hilda, Englehorn, and a couple of others stranded on Skull Island, the former home of Kong. They encounter the natives, more dinosaurs, and the son of Kong.
Kong saves Denham and Hilda from a prehistoric bear and a serpent. When they stumble upon an ancient treasure, an earthquake begins to destroy the island, causing it to sink…..
Son of Kong suffered from what would presumably be rushed production and a story that was far less exciting than the original King Kong; the film runs very short at 69 minutes. The film was released the same year as King Kong and has never been commonly considered to achieve the same classic status. It has also been overshadowed by Mighty Joe Young (1949), another giant ape film released by RKO Pictures that features Robert Armstrong (the actor who portrays Carl Denham in the Kong movies), stop-motion animation (by Willis Obrien, creator of effects in the original Kong); Mighty Joe Young has been applauded by many fans for its driving story, and it features some of the early work of animation effects veteran Ray Harryhausen.
Despite these perceived shortcomings, Son of Kong has recently (for at least the past 30 years) been packaged with both King Kong and Mighty Joe Young on television, cable, and home video/DVD. When approached objectively – without comparing it to the more “exciting” ape movies – Son of Kong can stand well enough on its own as an important part of film history.
