I didn't say that YOU got your information from Wikipedia -- please read again. It's a general comment. Okay? If I wanted to say YOU, I would have typed that -- I'm not the kind that beats around the bush.
The fact of the matter was that the re-release of KING KONG helped to stimulate the monster-on-the-loose craze, but the huge successes of THE THING, EARTH STOOD STILL, THE WAR OF THE WORLDS, also had their impact -- leading to an explosion of science fiction and monster pictures. The re-release of KING KONG is an important part of the puzzle, but it is not the Alpha and the Omega.
While it's true that Kong became a horror icon, and a number of Kong pictures were planned, the fact of the matter is that they weren't made. The number of films actually made speak for themselves.
I'll look forward to your friend's book -- sounds good. One of the better books on the making of the original KING KONG was and of course, Orville Goldner's The Making of KING KONG. Goldner was one of the men on O'Bie's effects team, whom I had the pleasure of meeting at a science fiction convention in 1979 (he did an [b]excellent[/i]stage and slide presentation on the making of the film at that show).
Peace, Baby!
