KING KONG (THE LEGEND REBORN)

year: 1976
cast: Jeff Bridges, Jessica Lange, Charles Grodin, Ed Lauter
rating: ***1/2

Directed by John Guillerman, the first half of this movie is great. A terrific set-up with the famous story changed so that an oil speculator (Charles Grodin) is seeking the island surrounded by fog as a possible teat for that gushy stuff that keeps cars running. Jeff Bridges plays a hippie stowaway on the ship and he knows the island has a big secret - but is not sure exactly what. And Jessica Lange is gorgeous as the monkey's moll/damsel in distress, and things flow very nicely. But the movie hits a wall when the Ape arrives. Things get bogged down by dated special effects and overall slow pacing, and the "relationship" between Lange and Kong is very corny.
at
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