Customer Reviews

King Kong

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm not sure what John Q Public's problems are, but he's taken a few too many cheap shots at what I think is a fine writer and a terrific novelization of the KING KONG movie. Sure, there are two key scenes missing from the novel, but they obviously were added to the film after Mr. Golden read the script and did his job. And what a job he did! He caputers the fun and adventure of the film and (like the film) never lets the energy flag. Great fun!

King Kong is one of those age old classics, one that haunts your imagination long after you watch it. Why else, do you think, that Peter Jackson became a film maker? Now, with his spectacular remake, it's age old wonder and majestique can now entertain a whole new generation of people who would have never bothered to watch such an out dated black and white film. As his film has come out, all sorts of movie memerobillia have come out to commemorate it's arrival. And for me, the most entertaining and true to the movie novel is this one.

Sticking almost word for word with the script, King Kong captures the true essence of the film, while taking a few artistic liberties to add more meaning and action to it. For instance, the swamp scene was added into the novel, creating more peril for our rescue party. Also, more point of views from the army were added back in New York. These did not detract, but added to the book's flavor. I most admire how it stuck to the basic plotline of the movie and almost word for wrod with the dialogue, while offering insight into the character's minds. It is a beautiful novelization, and I recommend it to any King Kong, cinematic, or Peter Jackson fan.

P.S.I'd especially recommend this paired with Island of the Skull, if you're wondering how this all started.

This book is a true masterpiece of modern film novels. It immediately captures the heart and mind of the reader with the characters exploits on the 1st page. Based on the 2005 film KING KONG this novelization tells of how a struggling vaudeville actress Ann Darrow journeys across the sea to the mysterious Skull Island to film a motion picture.

On the way she will fall in love, face many dangers and meet Kong, a massive prehistoric gorilla with whom she forms an uncanny connection. Christopher Golden masterfully tells us the story of the movie. The movie's screen play is captivatingly designed from the 1930s edition by Peter Jackson, Accademy Award-Winning Director of THE LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY. Filled with many great characters including Carl Denham an obssesive movie director to Ben Hayes, the first mate of the ship VENTURE, this is a book to be treasured for ages.

KONG IS KING!

THE BOOK KONG IS OKAY. USUALLY I LIKE A BOOK BETTER THAN A MOVIE. THIS BOOK WAS THE CARBON COBY OF THE MOVIE WHICH I WASN'T THRILLED WITH. I EXPECTED MORE ESPECIALLY AFTER LORD OF THE RINGS.

King Kong by: T.R.

The book King Kong was written by Christopher Golden who has also

written novels such as Stones Unturned and The Borderkind which is due to

come out in March 2007. King Kong takes place in both New York city and

on the uncharted Skull Island. This book is set in the time period of the

great depression (1929-1930). In New York it is easy to guess that the

time period is the great depression but on Skull Island it is not so

easy. On Skull Island it would be easy to assume that you were in the

past, specifically prehistoric times, simply because of the prehistoric

animals that inhabit it. However both New York and Skull Island are both

set in the same time period.

King Kong has many main characters. The main characters include

Ann Darrow, Carl Denham, Jack Driscoll, Bruce Baxter, and King Kong. Ann

Darrow is a down on her luck Vaudeville actress who is working hard

trying to make a living in New York. But Ann also has a more complicated

side to her, she wants to make money but she is not willing to

become "some floozy" to make the money she so desperately needs, which

is how she meets Carl Denham.Carl Denham is a spoiled movie producer who

is used to going on jungle experiences to make his films. Carl is a film

maker that cares only about producing the film and will stop at nothing

to achieve his goal. Carl is an adventurous entrtepreneur/film maker that

is often self centered. Jack Driscoll is an experienced playwrite that

has volunteered to write the script for Carls new movie. Jack is a very

serious no goofing-off guy, which is probally why he writes mostly

serious drama, but he is also a loyal friend which is why he gets stuck

going on Carls adventure that leads them to Skull Island. Bruce Baxter is

a matinee idol, but his carrer as one has been dwindling, so he turned to

Carl, hoping that Carls new movie would be just what his career neaded.

Bruce is an experienced actor, but he feals threatened when the movie

starts focusing on Ann and not completally on him. King Kong is a

gigantic gorilla thought to only exist in mythes. On Skull Island he is

like a king, lording over all the creatures and squashing any that oppose

him. King Kong is not completelly mean however, when the natives offer

Ann Darrow to him he falls in love with her and ultimately sacrafices his

life for her.

In King Kong there are also a lot of character that aren't main

characters but do contribute to the story. Some of these characters are

his film crew (Preston, Herb, and Mike), Carls financial investors, and

the crew of the Venture. Carl's film crew also share Carls obsessive

dream of film making but not to the same foolish extent as Carl. Preston

is Carls personal assistant, he is completely loyal to Carl and will do

just about anything he asks. Preston grew up rich and joined Carl because

of his love for the movies. Herb has been with Carl from the begining and

is Carls camera man and one of the few people that trusts Carl with his

life. Herb is also extremely loyal to Carl, he is "willing to hang from a

tree" if Carl requests it from him. Mike is the sound man. He has been

with Carl as long as Herb, but still doesn't completely trust Carl and

can often be heard mumbling things under his breath. Carls financial

Investors are the rich men that contribute money towards Carls films in

order to get something in return. They are extremely rich and appear to

not care at all about anyone but themselves. The crew of the Venture are

all outcasts in their own way. They have all been excluded from their

societys and taken to the sea.

In the story Ann Darrow finds herself in the midst of the

depression, with Vaudeville closed she tries to find an alternate way to

earn money. When Carl meets her she has just turned down a job offer,

taking this opportunity Carl offers her a leading role in his newest

movie. When Carl gets Ann and all his cargo on the Venture he sets off.

His boat leaves just as the cops, sent by his financial investors get

there. On the way to Skull Island Carl works on his film. Ann and Jack

are also falling in love with each other but neither want to admit it.

Unfortunately for Carl the captain of the Venture Captain Englehorn

recieves a radio transmission alerting them that Carl is wanted by the

police, Englehorn attempts to turn in Carl, but a freak fog storm causes

them to land on Skull Island any way. As Carl continues to make his film

on the shores of Skull Island Bruce Baxter notices that his role in the

film continues to lessen. Just as he voices his complaint an enornous

roar comes out of the jungle further in the island. When they go to

investigate they find a village inhabited by natives.

I recommed this book for any one that enjoys adventure books and

has plenty of time on their hands. Christopher Golden gives excellent

acterization and explaination in this story, which makes it an excellent

adventure story. However you would need plenty of time to read this book

because it has close to 400 words. Over all this is a really good book

for any tean to young adult.

Similar to the movie Kong doesn't appear for well into half of the book. For a book titled King Kong there wasn't enough King Kong in it. I actually enjoyed Kong Reborn more. Despite that there are a few extras the movie didn't have making this book a must read for any Kong enthusiast.

A great book of a great movie about a great story. From the mid 1930's to the early 2000's a story that will live on forever.

While the book itself is an enjoyable read if you look at it with today's values, it has completely destroyed the original story of King Kong. Although the story is set in the 1930s, it has definately been influenced by a contemporary view of society. Gone is the innocence of the 1930s. Carl Denham is a hateful character in this revision of the classic original, so much so that Captain Englehorn (who himself is more concerned about money than about his 'friend' Denham) attempts to strand him on Skull Island. Jack Driscoll, who is a snooty playwright instead of being the ship's first mate, has some sort of bond with Denham, but there is no way to see why. The way the characters are portrayed here, you don't feel any connection with any of them. There is no one that I want to see survive! It's hard even to feel sorry for Kong himself in this version. A 2 for the book as a stand-alone, but it goes into the minuses for killing what was so special about the King Kong story.

The reason I'm giving this such a high rating is because it follows the movie very closley. It has SO MANY QUOTES FROM THE MOVIE. Like when King Kong dies Carl says "It was beauty killed the beast." Those are the last lines in the book and in the movie.