(Merian C. Cooper, Ernest Schoedsack, US 1933, 100 min., 35mm)
A tragic love story of the most epic proportions, Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack’s film helped spark the larger-than-life monster movie tradition. Following a dangerous filmmaking expedition, megalomaniac director Carl Denham (Robert Armstrong) hauls home a prized souvenir: a massive ape named Kong. Eventually breaking loose, the beast scours the streets of New York looking for Denham’s beautiful lead (Fay Wray), hoisting her to the top of the Empire State Building when his love goes unrequited. Featuring spectacular stop-motion animation from the legendary Willis O’Brien, King Kong continues to captivate audiences eight decades after its initial release, and Max Steiner’s groundbreaking score was leaps ahead of similar films released at the time.
This series is supported by the Rochester Area Community Foundation.