I have absolutely loved "King Kong" since I first saw it as a boy. I remember owning an old paperback book about movie monsters. There were many pages dedicated to "King Kong", but just a couple of paragraphs and a single photo that spoke to its follow up, "Son Of Kong". It was exciting to know that there was another movie out there that expanded on the wonderful adventures on Skull Island.

As a kid growing up in a rural area, we had 3 channels that our old black and white TV could tune in. One of the stations would show a Science Fiction/Fantasy movie on Thursday afternoons, and man, did I love Thursday afternoons. I'd get off the school bus, run in the house and sit myself down in front of the TV. Many times, my Grandmother would be there to watch with me, in case something got a little too scary. The Thursday afternoon movie was where I first saw "The Fly", "The Blob" and of course, "King Kong". I recall wanting to see "Son Of Kong" in the worst way, but never being lucky enough to catch it.

As time passed, I lost interest in movie monsters for a while, replacing them with rock music, cars and girls. And it's funny now that I've been married with teenagers of my own, I've gotten back the time to recall old favorites and discover the never before-seens. A number of years ago, I purchased the "King Kong" Collector's Edition on DVD. This particular edition has a couple of intriguing extras, "Mighty Joe Young" and "Son Of Kong".

I recently remembered that old book with the photo of Baby Kong standing in the temple doorway and I dug up that "Son Of Kong" DVD. It took me 40 years after first reading of the movie to actually get around to watching it.

Carl Denham was a greedy, manipulative blowhard in the first Kong. The character has always been very unappealing, but to my surprise "Son Of Kong" redeems him. Somehow I felt sympathetic and the kindness that he showed to Helene and Baby Kong was endearing. Helene was a sweet character and gave the movie an even bigger heart. Baby Kong was a funny creation and I cannot believe the personality that Willis O'Brien brought to the Kongs.

The ending earthquake was sudden but I'll give it this, it was spectacular. I marveled at the detailed special effects. If the story had continued, there's no doubt that Denham and Helene would be headed for trouble, which they surely would narrowly escape. Denham has that way about him.

Albino Baby Kong.

The Son of Kong is directed by Ernest B. Schoedsack and written by Ruth Rose. It stars Robert Armstrong, Helen Mack, Frank Reicher, John Marston, Victor Wong and Edward Brady. Music is by Max Steiner and cinematography by Edward Linden.

The makers wisely realised that to try and emulate King Kong would be folly, especially as this sequel was hurried out within the same year. Instead a more fun approach was taken, and as a result it’s not half bad entertainment as it happens.

After the devastation caused to New York by King Kong, lawsuits are abound for Carl Denham (Armstrong). So when he gets the chance to go out on the ocean again with Captain Englehorn (Reicher), he grabs the chance. There’s no plans to go near Skull Island again, but a sequence of events will see them pitch up there, to be met by a myriad of creatures and The Son of Kong.

Little Kong is actually friendly, well to the humans he is because he is grateful to their help when he was stuck in quicksand. However, to other beasts of the island he is not so forgiving. For the first 33 minutes it’s all about setting up the action carnage later in the play, characters are introduced, their reasons for being out at sea and etc. Then we get to the island and off we go. Kong scraps with dinosaurs, a bear, lizards and mother nature! The castaways are in the mix as well of course, and naturally they are thrust into a perilous life and death situation.

And that’s it, barely 70 minutes have passed by and it’s nigh on impossible not to be smiling come the close. 7/10