‘The Eighth Wonder of the World!’ and ‘Paradise Lost’

During the Easter period in 1933, ‘King King’ received its premiere in London, before being released to the other cinemas outside London. Judging by the reviews, it received a ‘wow!’ reaction from the audiences in the UK.

It’s also interesting to note the reaction to the way the film was marketed. We can well imagine that the massive film poster of ‘Kong’ that adorned cinemas would have looked very dramatic in the evening, when illuminated by lights. Scary or what?!

That said, it’a terribly sad film, this modern reworking of ‘Beauty and the Beast’, and, on a personal level, we find it best to stop watching the film at the point when the ship leaves *Skull Island with its doomed prisoner – bringing the poor beast back to ‘civilisation’ (sic). After all, the film is ‘Paradise Lost’ for apes.

* Skull Island! Has there ever been a better-named island in literature for a place of foreboding to avoid?

Dover Express – Friday 11 August 1933

Image © Northcliffe Media Limited. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000330/19330811/133/0006

Tamworth Herald – Saturday 29 April 1933

Image © Northcliffe Media Limited. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000484/19330429/095/0007

Dundee Courier – Tuesday 14 November 1933

Image © D.C.Thomson & Co. Ltd. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000564/19331114/031/0003