HAPPY 90TH, SON OF KONG

I don't give a hoot what anyone says. Son of Kong is a great sequel, and its 90th anniversary (on Dec 22) is one to commemorate. 

Though rushed into production to capitalize on its predecessor's blockbuster status, Son of Kong, directed by Ernest B. Schoedsack, produced by Merian C. Cooper, scripted by Ruth Rose and scored by Max Steiner, plays like the initial chapter, but with humor and tenderness tweaking the peril. 

Like King Kong, Son of ... also holds a great cast, with Robert Armstrong returning as the guilt-ridden, Carl Denham, along with Frank Reicher as Captain Englehorn, Victor Wong as Charlie and Noble Johnson as Skull Island's Chief. Helen Mack plays Denham's girlfriend-to-be, Hilda (aka "Kid," who does a dandy job singing the catchy "Runaway Blues"), with Clarence Wilson as her ill-fated dad, Steve Clemente as the Witch Doctor, Henry Tenbrook as Tommy, Lee Kohlmar as Mickey, Ed Brady as Red and John Marston as the dastardly Nils Helstrom, whose sights are set on an island treasure.   

The stop-motion animation by Willis O'Brien and Buzz Gibson brims of nuance and character, more than holding its own with the original, even if the same ferocity is absent. Even so, the salty-furred Little Kong's fight sequences would make his dad proud. (My personal favorite occurs when he wrestles a cave bear.) 

I believe what makes Son of ... so endearing is its moral core, which demonstrates that selflessness and sacrifice are paramount paths to survival. In this respect, Son of ... twists the original's premise with a stroke of heartfelt redemption, leaving one sad yet satisfied by the story's end. 

(Re)watch Son of ... this December to (re)experience the warmth, pathos and power of a sequel that, though smaller in scope, delivers a huge punch.  

Collectible Time: LIFE's King Kong (The Movies, The Creature, The Message/90 Years)

LIFE continues to unleash commemorative editions on pop-cultural icons, and the latest celebrates that charismatic gargantua, King Kong (with dynamic, dual covers)! 

King Kong: The Movies, The Creature, The Message is written by Steve Rushin, who covers Kong's cinematic, 90-year stretch, commencing with the behemoth's earliest conceptualizations, right up to his Legendary Pictures, MonsterVerse rallies. 

Details overflow on how Merian C. Cooper, Ernest C. Shoedsack, Ruth Rose, Edgar Wallace, Max Steiner and Willis O'Brien ushered the mighty myth to the big screen in 1933, along with assiduous scoops on Dino De Laurentiis and John Guillermin's 1976, polarizing redux and Peter Jackson's 2005, computerized revitalization.  

The likes of Son of Kong, King Kong Lives, King Kong Escapes, King Kong vs Godzilla, Godzilla vs Kong, Kong: Skull Island ... the stage musical (and such variants as Mighty Joe Young and Konga) are also featured, sprinkled by nods to the character in such noted sources as Jurassic Park, Training Day, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Simpsons and Jim Croce's "Big Bad Leroy Brown." Sentimental memories and interesting quotes on Kong are shared by Cooper and Jackson, as well as Jessica Lang, Pauline Kael, Bob Newhart, George Foreman, Maurice Sendak and Quentin Tarantino; and a overview of Fay Wray's career offers comprehensive insight not found in most other sources. 

For extra depth, Rushin insinuates the likely reasons behind Kong's powerful and tragic endurance in the magazine's various portions and caps off the edition with "The Real King Kong," regarding a genuine specimen called Gigantopitecus, a creature many believe to be linked to the Abominable Snowman and Bigfoot. 

The text is adorned by sterling, black-and-white and color stills from Kong's movies (with behind-the-scenes clips from the 1933, 1976 and 2005 productions), in what constitutes a veritable, visual feast. 

LIFE's King Kong: The Movies, The Creature, The Message is available now at drugstores and supermarkets across the nation. Snatch a copy of this chest-thumping collectible (with either cover or both) before it's gone!

FILMFAX #159: A NEW FIVE-OUNCE TON OF INTELLIGENT FUN

 

Holy Cheesecake, Batman! Filmfax #159 is a Bat-tastic one, highlighted by a Yvonne Craig/Batgirl salute, featuring a racy rundown of the actress' stand-out episodes and all the melodramatic ups and downs that go along with her classic role. 

And get this! Issue #159 even presents the first part of an interview with Brett Halsey, star of such fan favorites as Return of the Fly; Twice Told Tales; the Atomic Submarine; Revenge of the Creature; Demonia; and High School Hellcats; plus there's an overview of reviews for Bela Lugosi's Dracula: the Play; unearthed Ed Wood fiction; Buck Rogers in print; Cold War scares; and the third chapter of Son of Kong's construction, including Willis O'Brien's woeful trials and tribulations, buffered by the movie's amazing, comic-strip publicity. 

Lots of bonus additives round out the issue, establishing Filmfax #159 as another grand, nostalgic gem. 

Purchase #159 at your nearby book shop, comic store or online hub. You're guaranteed a rapturous time!

FILMFAX #158: A NEW FIVE OUNCE TON OF INTELLIGENT FUN

 

Filmfax #158 presents a new, fulfilling compilation of far-out nostalgia, with special focus on the first wave of fantasy pulp fiction.

There's also a continued retrospective on Son of Kong; accompanied by essays on Buck Rogers, John Carradine, Conrad Brooks, Lon Chaney Jr., Marshall Efron, Mr. Wizard and more. 

Get your copy of Filmfax #158 today at your local bookshop, kiosk or favorite online vendor. You're guaranteed a wonderful read. 

FILMFAX #157: A NEW FIVE OUNCE TON OF INTELLIGENT FUN!!!

Filmfax #157 hits the racks with a alien-dedicated issue, and to commemorate it, a vibrant, "This Island Earth"/Metaluna Mutant cover. Wow!

Issue #157 also features such dynamic content as "The Making of Son of Kong"; Dana Gould spoofing Dr. Zaius; old-time robots and spaceships; Karl Zeman's "Fabulous World of Jules Verne"; Arthur Raderbaugh's futuristic visions; and a neato retrospective on good ol' "Space Patrol". 

On all counts, this is an ideal issue for all discerning, eclectic tastes.

Pick up a copy of Filmfax #157 today at your favorite bookstore, newsstand or online shop. And for the record, faithful Creepy Classics also has copies for sale:

https://creepyclassics.com/product.sc?productId=15473

BRAIN FREEZE #2: KAIJU WONDERMENT FROM MAIN ENTERPRISES

The kaiju genre contains its own specialized wonderment. Publisher Jim Main knows this, which is why for Brain Freeze #2, he recruited only those artists equipped to give the theme (and its towering celebrities) a respectful spin.  

For Brain Freeze #2, readers get Godzilla (in several incarnations), King Kong, Mothra, Ghidorah, King Caesar, Kiko, Minya, Baragon, Gorgo and the mighty Rodan (in a spectacular, family spread, no less): super-colossal creatures one and all, aimed to rekindle the imaginative spirit of one's youth and beyond. 

Brain Freeze #2's artists are Marc Haines; Brad Foster; Kevin Dale Duncan; Allen Freeman; Doc Boucher; John Lambert; Brian D. Leonard; Brian W. Foster; Scott McClung; Jack Bertram; Verl Holt Bond; Matt C. Ryan; Anthony C. Bray; Rick McCollum; Jacob Dubi; and Alan Groenig. Their passionate renderings make this issue a stylish gem to behold.  

Without question, if you love kaiju, this issue is for you: a significant, celebratory collectible from front to back. 

To obtain a copy of Brain Freeze #2, email Mr. Main at mainjim23@gmail.com.

You'll roar in kaiju triumph that you did.