Castle Vanian Halloween Special: Creature Features: King Kong (2005)

There aren’t as many King Kong movies as Godzilla movies – about half as many – but there are still a fair few. Why was the 2005 version the one that made the list?

Huh. I thought there were more. I would have thought there were more King Kong than Godzilla movies, for sure. 

The 2005 King Kong is certainly the most expensive and well made. Probably the longest too – although it doesn’t feel like it. Because of the pace it moves, it doesn’t feel like the 3+ hours it is.

It was a hard choice between this and Kong: Skull Island. I mean... that one had Samuel L. Jackson and Tom Hiddleston and was an excellent film. The 2005 is a much more complete story, though. Skull Island left it open for a sequel, but King Kong was self-contained, which I prefer.

Not gonna lie, King Kong is a slick movie. The filmography is absolutely breath-taking in places. Talk to me about the production quality.

No expense was spared. They set it about the time the original would have been made and there were a lot of nice nods to the stars that were around in that day. The authenticity with the costumes and the cars… that was a lot of work and a lot of money.

The CGI makes Kong impossibly believable. He’s so realistic. Do you think a movie can be too realistic?

It wasn’t just CGI. You had Andy Serkis in there as well, providing the movement, and he always adds a certain believability to any of the creatures he gives life to.

Of course there’s a danger in movies becoming too realistic. Kids today who’ve never seen the old man-in-a-suit movies can sit there and totally believe what they’re seeing if someone doesn’t talk to them about the difference between make-believe and reality. The better these movies get, the bigger the danger gets.

King Kong has a pretty massive cast. Adrien Brody is one of my least favourite actors but even he couldn't ruin this movie for me. I think Jack Black cancels him out, lol. What are your thoughts on the casting?

I think it’s one of the only films I liked Adrien Brody in. I guess it’s like any actor; if you know how to use them, they’ll work. I think he works in this because he’s not an action hero. He’s the Dustin Hoffman of the era, which is what the role called for.

Andy Serkis has become such a versatile actor. I suppose the first time most people became aware of him was as Gollum but he’s so much more than the characters he plays. Usually behind a mask, but always brilliant. I’m glad we got the chance to meet him because he was just the nicest guy to meet. Even though he's become a huge actor, he’s still so down to earth, honest, and kind.

Aside from Kong, the best character has to be Jack Black's Carl Denham. Everything is "in honour of!" He’s such a weasel. He lies to get what he wants and uses everyone and everything around him.

I’m not sure what my favourite moment in the film is. The fight with the dinosaurs, maybe? For epicness, anyway. For sheer “Aww!” value, probably the ice-skating bit. What’s your favourite moment?

There are two bits for me. The action is thick and fast. It’s escapist delight. The one moment I love is when Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts) starts dancing for Kong, when he tries to force her to dance. The second is, like you said, the ice scene. He’s so happy and he’s enjoying himself. It's a sweet moment.

Every King Kong film has been tinged with sadness. You know at the end he’s going die.

We talked before about what it would be like for someone in the 50s to see the 1998 Godzilla. King Kong goes back further than that. The first Kong movie was, what, ’33? What do you think it would be like for someone seeing that for the first time to watch this?

I remember speaking to my grandmother about the first time she saw King Kong back in the 30s and she said it was so realistic but now you watch it and it was so obviously a man in a suit but it was real to her. If she thought that was real, imagine what she would have thought of this! A heart attack and die quietly, I think.

Talk to me for a moment about the differences between the ’33 and the ’05 movies.

What you have to remember is that a film that would have amazed you thirty years ago is kind of lame now. The bar has been raised so high. You just can’t compare them.

I almost don’t want to bring it up because it made me cry so hard, but I do have to ask about that ending. One, what did you think of it and two, how did it compare to the ’33 version?

Honestly? I never gave a damn about the original ending. I was too young. The army got 'im, he died, the end. Okay.

Then the 1978 Jeff Bridges King Kong came out. That was a different story. That was the first movie to make me cry. I don't know if it was that he died so much as that heartbeat at the end. Something about that sound really got me.

With the 2005 one, you knew it was coming. It’s still heart wrenching, but you're expecting it. The big speech from Jack Black at the end is a little cringey but it was perfect for his character. I like that it was a standalone film.

That’s always the danger with Universal. They can’t leave well enough alone. If a movie hits, they’re like, “We’ll do another ten of those…” Very seldom are the sequels anywhere near as good as the original.

What about the new King Kong movies? You mentioned Kong: Skull Island...

The reboots are a different story. They take this clever old story and bring it bang up to date. They make it shiny and new and that’s a good thing.

Final words on King Kong? 

If you can sit through a 3+hr movie in the blink of an eye and, even better, go on a rollercoaster, you know you’ve got a winner.