Monster Zero x SciFi Japan - Archive Only

There are individual threads for the Kong films but I didn't see an all-encompassing topic to discuss the character at large... Kong has never been a franchise character exactly (with fewer films than Godzilla, Gamera, etc.), but he definitely permeates pop culture in a way that rivals or supersedes them.

I just finished reading the 1932 novelization of the original film by Delos W Lovelace, which just like the film it's based on is fun and brisk. It's interesting to see what was discarded in the final film and what was later picked up by Peter Jackson for his version of the story.

And now because they are cool, size charts -

I find this to be an incredibly easy vote.

1. King Kong '33 is, imo, possibly the single most perfect movie ever made. It's not my personal favorite movie of all time (though it's way up there), but it's easily the best Kong movie, and certainly one of the greatest and most influential movies ever made.

2. King Kong vs Godzilla - a spectacular outing for both monsters (despite the Kong suit) and the film that truly sparked Godzilla into an ongoing franchise. A real gem.

3. Kong: Skull Island - this movie rocks. It's easily the best reboot of Kong himself ever committed to film. For me, KKvG only beats it on account of Godzilla and the sheer historic, classic status of that film.

4. King Kong Escapes - I mean, it's immediately obvious why anyone would choose this head and shoulders over any of the remaining entries, right?

What about Mighty Joe?

To me, Mighty Joe is something like a spiritual sequel. Like how GDT's Pan's Labyrinth is a spiritual sequel to The Devil's Backbone. It's the same filmmakers returning to the themes and concepts but with an original film that's not a sequel or a remake.