The story of King Kong is one that has been covered by many films over the years, some of which even I have covered. A team hoping to seek profit lead an expedition to a remote island, and discover that it’s populated by creatures that time seems to have forgotten about, including a gigantic ape. When the crew finds out about him, they typically seek to capture him, and bring him to the United States, in hopes of capitalizing off of any business potential he may bring. It’s a tale as old as time itself, and John Guillermin’s 1976 take is no different. It keeps the story structure laid down by the original, shuffles the roles a slight bit, and even adds some commentary of his own. The message of the greed of mankind is still ever-present, if only more than usual in this one, thanks to the legendary Charles Grodin. Ironically enough, while this movie is the credited introduction for actress Jessica Lange, it also brings into question the cost of being a film star. Her character is an aspiring actress, craving fame, but when she finally finds it, it’s the last thing on Earth that she wants. It surprisingly has more layers to it’s screenplay than you would expect, and it handles them all very well. But the standout for this film is the effects. With each new advancement to special effects in films, it seems there’s always a Kong film to utilize them, whether by design or not. This particular version runs with suitmation and animatronics mostly, and it’s a fascinating display. Not every shot holds up, but it’s still a sight to behold, and makes the movie worth it. It may spread it’s story too thin across a big run time, but it has completed themes, and some fascinating effects, and it deserves at least one watch, even if it doesn’t hold up to some of the other iterations.