King Kong / The Son of Kong

Beauty meets beast atop the Empire State Building in the original "King Kong," one of fantasy cinema's most beloved classics. A film crew's excursion to a remote island where prehistoric monsters still roam leads to the discovery of a 50-foot gorilla who takes a shine to the production's leading lady. Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong, Bruce Cabot, and "Kong, The Eighth Wonder of the World" star; special effects by Willis H. O'Brien. Then, made the same year as his Big Daddy, the lighter-toned adventure "Son of Kong" finds showman Carl Denham (Armstrong) returning to Skull Island in search of a hidden treasure. Once there, though, he and his allies encounter strange creatures and Kong's friendlier offspring, a 25-foot-tall albino ape. Helen Mack, Frank Reicher co-star. 173 min. total on two discs. Standard; Soundtrack: English; Subtitles: English, French, Spanish; audio commentary; theatrical trailer.