This is probably not the first time a reviewer has written a review of a movie before actually seeing it. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if it happened all too often. Now don't get me wrong, I have every intention of seeing Peter Jackson's King Kong. I bet you anything I'll like it too. Nay, love it.
It's just that before I see it, I have a thought about comparisons between the original--which I used to watch religiously on Thanksgiving Day for no apparent reason and which I've seen a gazillion times (I love it more every time I see it but now I'm running the risk of loosing my train of thought)--and what for all intents and purposes looks to be a fine and sturdy and heartfelt remake.
What I'm almost afraid of seeing in the new version, and what I believe I actually will see, is a gradually strengthening bond between Kong and his female human paramour. I think she will cry out and weep when the giant beast tumbles from the Empire State Building. I believe when the moment comes, Iwill cry.
And that is precisely what will make this new version weaker than the original far-less-sentimental and far-more-existential and dark film. In the original film, the only person who truly had compelling sympathy for the beast was...me. Fay Wray never once showed any connection to Kong and remained terrified, rightfully so, until the bitter end. The only witness to the menacing and misunderstood giant's feelings is...the viewer. And that is what will always remain the true testament to the longevity and power of the film.
Kong truly has feelings, emotions, and perhaps even love for Fay Wray's character. But, as is the case with so many of us in our small, wandering and sometimes aimless lives, our deepest feelings are hidden from the outside world. Such was the fate of Kong. The only actual witness to the depth of his character is the viewer of the film.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment