The Eighth Wonder of the World

I give you Kong, the eighth wonder of the world! For as long as I can remember, my family has watched this 1933 film every New Year's Eve. I think it is what made me fall in love with classic film and art deco. When I was little, the action scenes terrified me! Today it's just charming and nostalgic, and holds good memories of my childhood.

Since 2005, I have added another movie to this tradition: Peter Jackson's 2005 remake. I love this movie just as much, for different reasons. Even with the astounding cutting-edge visual effects and revamped storyline, somehow the charming innocent atmosphere of the original has been preserved. The friendship between Ann and Kong makes me cry even more. And the action scenes succeeded in scaring me just as much as the old film did when I was little (at least in the first couple viewings-- I've watched it at least 30 times!)

Best of all, though, is the magnificent rich Art Deco imagery. The production designers on the remake did an incredible job of recreating the era in which the original was made. I have rarely seen such an artistically inspiring film, or a period film that does such a fantastic job of transporting the viewer to another era. For this reason, I decided to make a post showcasing pictures from, or reminiscent of, both Kong movies. Despite being seventy years apart, somehow they don't seem like it. All the images share the same unique vibe.

 Sittin' on top of the world...

 I took this photo myself, at the Gateway Auto Museum in Colorado. Their "Hollywood Room" is full of such cars, and even features a King Kong poster in the entryway!

 Ah, that Pepsodent ad... distracts me every time.