King Kong (Modern Library Classics) (Paperback)

by Delos Lovelace (Adapter), Edgar Wallace (Author), Merian C. Cooper (Author), Greg Bear (Introduction)
Key Phrases: plug cut, beast god, King Kong, Edgar Wallace Merian, Cooper Delos (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Introduction by Greg Bear
Preface by Mark Cotta Vaz

The giant prehistoric gorilla King Kong is one of the most recognized images in our culture. So great is the mighty Kong’s hold on the popular imagination that his story–a gripping yarn of man versus nature, coupled with a fantastical update of the Beauty and the Beast legend–has been thrice made into a motion picture (most recently in 2005) and referenced endlessly in every medium, from books to prime-time sitcoms.

Beneath King Kong’s cultural significance, however, is a tense and surprisingly tender story. One cannot help but be frightened by Kong’s uncontrollable fury, be saddened over the giant’s capture, mistreatment, and exploitation by venal showmen, or sympathize with the beast’s ill-fated affection for the down-on-her-luck starlet Ann Darrow.

This Modern Library edition of a true colossus among adventure stories is reprinted from the original 1932 novelization of the movie script, and includes a Preface by Mark Cotta Vaz, the preeminent biographer of Merian C. Cooper, producer of the original 1933 classic film.

About the Author
Greg Bear is the author of more than twenty-five books, including Darwin’s Radio and Dead Lines. He has been awarded two Hugos and five Nebulas for his fiction.


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Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Modern Library (August 16, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 081297493X
• ISBN-13: 978-0812974935
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,051,250 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great!, September 30, 2005

By	Matthew Jacobsen "Jacobsen Bros." (Brookings, SD USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have always loved King Kong and this novelization of the film is wonderful. It captures the true essence of King Kong. Considering that King Kong was not origanially a book, the author did a great job with the book. Highly recomended book for those of you out there are huge King Kong fans like myself.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Pulp Style fun, November 10, 2005

By	Mark Stratton (Central Missouri) - See all my reviews

This couldn't have been one of the best works ever pulled from a screenplay, however it's still a fun read. The pages keep turning because you want to know, 'What happens next?'

Written in a pulpish style which means long on action and short on characterization, this astonishingly fast read kept me on the edge of my seat, even though I knew how it all ended. Reading about the missing spider footage leads me to agree that the scene stopped the film dead in its tracks and wasn't needed. It was a wise choice to delete it from the final version.

If you like novelizations of movies, this book should be great fun for you.

5.0 out of 5 stars The Original King Kong A Real Page Turner!, December 14, 2005

By	Pip - See all my reviews

I just finished reading the original "King Kong" novelization by Delos Lovelace, and I have to say it was very entertaining. Very similar to the 1933 film, the book takes the reader to Skull Island in the Southwest Pacific along with Carl Denham, Ann Darrow, and Jack Driscoll. Although Denham is looking to make a movie using Darrow as his starlet, they get more than they bargained for when they encounter Kong and the prehistoric inhabitants of the Skull Island jungle. Although some of the language in the book may seem somewhat dated, I thought the book was more entertaining than most of the books I've read recently. A real page turner as the phrase was originally intended. Probably influenced by Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Lost World," "King Kong" is a story that will hold your interest all the way through. I give it 5 stars. And now to see the 2005 remake...