How King Kong Revealed America's Fears | Monstrum

In this episode, we explore the legacy of the monumental 1933 film, King Kong, its groundbreaking special effects, and the complex racial and colonial undertones that continue to shape our understanding of this timeless classic.

Be sure and check back with us for our next episode, which will explore Kong in modern times!

For audio descriptions, go to Settings - Audio Track - English Descriptive.

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Written and Hosted by: Dr. Emily Zarka
Director: David Schulte
Executive Producer: Amanda Fox
Executive Producer: Dr. Emily Zarka
Producer: Thomas Fernandes
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Illustrator: Samuel Allan
Executive in Charge (PBS): Maribel Lopez
Director of Programming (PBS): Gabrielle Ewing
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Music: APM Music

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Bibliography

Brustein, Robert. “Notes from the Underground.: The New Republic, May 6, 1967, pp. 30.

Cárcel, Juan Antonio Roche. “The Myth of King Kong and the Religious Background That Nests in the Human Soul.” Religions, vol. 12, no. 3, 2021, pp. 1–34.

Erb, Cynthia. Tracking King Kong: A Hollywood Icon in World Culture. 2nd ed., Wayne State University Press, 2009.

Frazier, Valerie. “King Kong’s Reign Continues: ‘King Kong’ as a Sign of Shifting Racial Politics.” CLA Journal, vol. 51, issue. 2, pp. 186-205.

Henderson, Carol E. “‘King Kong Ain’t Got Sh On Me’: Allegories, Anxieties, and the Performance of Race in Mass Media.” Journal of Popular Culture, vol. 43, no. 6, 2010, pp. 1207–21.

Jylkka, Katja. “‘Witness the Plesiosaurus’: Geological Traces and the Loch Ness Monster Narrative.” Configurations, vol. 26, no. 2, 2018, pp. 207-234.

Morton, Ray. King Kong: The History of a Movie Icon From Fay Wray to Peter Jackson. Applause Theatre & Cinema Books, 2005.

Schleier, Merrill. The Empire State Building, Working-Class Masculinity, and ‘King Kong.’” Mosaic, vol. 41, no. 2, 2008, pp. 29–54.

Watkins, Rychetta. Black Power, Yellow Power, and the Making of Revolutionary Identities. University Press of Mississippi, 2012.

Xaba, Andile. “King Kong adaptations (1959-2017): Traversing culture and society.” Tydskrif vir geesteswetenskappe, vol. 60, no. 1, 2020, pp. 16–37.

[buhoahogado]

One of my favorite parts of Peter Jackon's 2005 remake is when Jack Black's Carl Denham makes the meta joke about wanting to cast Fay Wray in his film, only to discover she is working with RKO and Merian Cooper.

[christopherjustice]

When I was a kid, I thought the New York Giants were named after King Kong.

[douglasphillips]

A good monster reflects back at the audience. That's what makes King Kong the American kaiju

[leftcoaster]

The interesting part is most kids really felt sorry, and sympathized with Kong. At least the kids I knew.

[jasonblalock]

One thing I find odd about King Kong is how easily it can be read as an anti-colonialist film as well. Fundamentally, *everything that happens is Carl Denham's fault.* Even his famous "beauty killed the beast" line can come off like a deliberate attempt to dodge responsibility. He's the real bad guy of the film... but it's REALLY hard to tell whether the filmmakers realized/intended that.

[mypal]

It's a marvel to see the stop motion animation on classic movies like these. This was really life-like for the audiences who viewed that at the time!

[OrbitZombie]

Kong is one of my all time favorite movie "monsters". Because he's one of the greatest examples of a monster being more than just something scary to gawk at. He's a character of his own and a symbol. The best monsters are always more than just monsters.

[jackofallclaws]

Anyone else wanna see a Monstrum episode on Ghouls?

[JurassicLion]

I hope this leads to follow ups on Kongs successive films. Especially Kong Skull Island which takes Kong & places his commentary into the Vietnam War.

[angusmacdonald]

I was reading an article about a decade back about the creation of the National Parks system here in the USA. Teddy Roosevelt, of course, was the man who pushed for this, but what is often forgotten is *why* he pushed for it. Roosevelt, along with others, believed that modern man was becoming "weak" and "effeminate" and if males did not put themselves in situations of pure survival in a natural environment, the entire race would eventually die out. Thus the National Parks were places where men could "test their manhood" against raw nature.

One of the people who worked with Roosevelt, as a young intern, was one of the producers of this film (although I confess I forget which one). He and Roosevelt talked many times about the whole "noble savage" and "manly men going hunting" ideas, which at least in part inspired King Kong.

So ... a connection between King Kong and the US National Parks System ;-)

[andersonic]

At the end of the movie ("beauty killed the beast") Denham seems completely unaware or unconcerned that he caused the deaths of dozens of New Yorkers, two pilots, and this unique majestic creature. All needlessly killed because he dragged Kong to New York to display in a theater. But recklessly doing whatever it takes to make a buck is deeply American. At least Jack Black's Denham in 2005 had the decency to look horrified.

[mathieuleader]

King Homer was a faithful loving tribute to this movie

[colonelhammerhead]

I'm glad to see King Kong discussed more and more! I'm working on my own King Kong remake project named Legend of Kong; King of Skull Island. A visual novel I'm writing that I hope to make a 2d animated film out of it!

[marieroberts]

I have never heard of the gentleman that was credited with the stop motion for Kong...it was my understanding that this was another Ray Harryhausen triumph.

Thanks for setting me straight.

[colinleat]

I've watched various versions of Kong since I was a kid in the early 80's. Which ever version I watch, I ALWAYS cry for Kong. I hadn't considered the parallels you brought up though. Now it's going to be even MORE intense! Love Monstrum Dr.Z! 🖖😎🤘🇨🇦

[PlanetZoidstar]

I would agree that Kong leans on many of the problematic tropes of its genre that weren't criticised at the time, but I cannot see King Kong as a deliberate or malicious example of those tropes in action.

Kong is a tragic figure who is ultimately portrayed as sympathetic, he's a wild animal but he's not cruel or predatory. He loves Anne and acts in what he feels is her defense, he's not out to hurt her. When the T.Rex attacks he fights it to protect her, when he is lost and hunted in New York, he snatches her because he assumes she is as much in danger as he himself is. His death is treated as a sad and tragic end, not a triumph of man over monster.

If Gorillas were meant to be a cinematic metaphor of the wild African "savage", Kong is one you're meant to root for, but ultimately feel bad for since he cannot exist in the modern, Human world.

[blond-so]

I forgot how much I love the OG King Kong

[RarelyAChump]

It really feels like the grown version of a kid filming a video of their toys fighting each other

[Jayjay-qeum]

In the 1960s, Japanese studio Toho licensed the character from RKO and produced two films that featured the character, King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962) and King Kong Escapes (1967).

[renecorrea]

I would like all these chapters to be in the future seasons of Monstrum.
*Sea Serpents
*Leviathan
*The Headless Horseman ✅
*Phantom Vehicles
*Boogeyman
*Ghosts
*Possessed Dolls ✅
*Shadow People
*Undead
*Goblins
*Bigfoot ✅
*Man-Eating Plants ✅
*Creepy Clowns ✅
*Killer Robots
*Swamp Monsters
*The Mummy ✅️
*Living Scarecrows
*The Invisible Man
*Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde
*Merfolk
*Demons
*Living Skeletons
*Stingy Jack (Jack of The Lantern)
*Gnomes
*Sea Monsters that attacked Submarines
*Alien Abductions ✅
*Ogres
*Ghouls
*Lich
*Cyborgs ✅
*Witches
*Kaiju
*Cthulhu ✅
*The Rake
*Revenants
*Vampires
*Dagon
*Ogopogo
*Colossal Claude
*Spectral Carriages
*Kappa ✅
*Flatwoods Monster
*The Flying Dutchman
*El Charro Negro
*La Santa Compaña
*Davy Jones's Locker & the Undead Pirates
*Mutants
*Beast People of Dr. Moreau
*The Picture of Dorian Gray
*Haunted Houses
*Jiangshi
*Ahuizotl
*Gremlins