This is the kind of monster flick I would have loved as a kid – and I still enjoy it today. Nothing about the film has any quality, but there's a kind of enthusiasm in the telling of the story that is infectious, and some unintentionally funny moments that are quite endearing. At its best, the model-work resembles one of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's off days.
The story begins on an expansive but austere submarine. Everything's grey. Machines line the walls and have one or two lights that blink occasionally, but other than that the props department was clearly on its annual leave when most of the film was shot. There's a couple of American actors at the head of the cast, but you've never heard of them. One of them is an actor with the unlikely name of Rhodes Reason while the other is a fetching little thing called Linda Miller who was either a model in Japan or Jackie Gleason's daughter. Nobody seems to be sure, but everyone agrees that she's a cutie. Anyway Rhodes and Cute Linda must have attended the same acting school, because they are both equally awful. They play the commander of the sub and presumably his secretary, and you'd expect them to become romantically entangled at some point during the film but they don't. When Cute Linda isn't fighting off the attentions of the big furry fella, she's trying to catch the eye of the Oriental bosun or co-pilot or whatever the second-in-command is called on a submarine.
It's sad to report that Kong seems to have let himself go since his glory days back in the 30s. His coat is definitely looking a bit patchy and it's clear he hasn't cared for his teeth. He's let his acting skills slide as well. Mind you, it can't be easy maintaining standards on a remote island where your only company is a crazy old guy running around in a grass skirt and scaring off visitors. In fact, Kong reminded me of that monster that used to rampage through a cardboard city in that ad for Chewits back in the 70s. Anyway, like the rest of us, Kong takes a shine to Cute Linda, and it has to be said that, after initial doubts, Cute Linda doesn't seem too upset about the fact.
There's an evil villain involved, a kind of Asian Raymond Massey with bad teeth and poor planning skills. He builds a giant mechanical Kong to mine for Element X but forgets to shield MechaKong's circuits against radiation. What a doofus. And he thinks he's going to rule the world? Well, no, he doesn't actually – he's going to sell Kong to a cute Japanese chick so that she and her bosses can rule the world, so not only is he a doofus, he's a doofus with limited ambitions. His name is Dr Who, but I couldn't see any resemblance. Distant cousin, probably
The story begins on an expansive but austere submarine. Everything's grey. Machines line the walls and have one or two lights that blink occasionally, but other than that the props department was clearly on its annual leave when most of the film was shot. There's a couple of American actors at the head of the cast, but you've never heard of them. One of them is an actor with the unlikely name of Rhodes Reason while the other is a fetching little thing called Linda Miller who was either a model in Japan or Jackie Gleason's daughter. Nobody seems to be sure, but everyone agrees that she's a cutie. Anyway Rhodes and Cute Linda must have attended the same acting school, because they are both equally awful. They play the commander of the sub and presumably his secretary, and you'd expect them to become romantically entangled at some point during the film but they don't. When Cute Linda isn't fighting off the attentions of the big furry fella, she's trying to catch the eye of the Oriental bosun or co-pilot or whatever the second-in-command is called on a submarine.
It's sad to report that Kong seems to have let himself go since his glory days back in the 30s. His coat is definitely looking a bit patchy and it's clear he hasn't cared for his teeth. He's let his acting skills slide as well. Mind you, it can't be easy maintaining standards on a remote island where your only company is a crazy old guy running around in a grass skirt and scaring off visitors. In fact, Kong reminded me of that monster that used to rampage through a cardboard city in that ad for Chewits back in the 70s. Anyway, like the rest of us, Kong takes a shine to Cute Linda, and it has to be said that, after initial doubts, Cute Linda doesn't seem too upset about the fact.
There's an evil villain involved, a kind of Asian Raymond Massey with bad teeth and poor planning skills. He builds a giant mechanical Kong to mine for Element X but forgets to shield MechaKong's circuits against radiation. What a doofus. And he thinks he's going to rule the world? Well, no, he doesn't actually – he's going to sell Kong to a cute Japanese chick so that she and her bosses can rule the world, so not only is he a doofus, he's a doofus with limited ambitions. His name is Dr Who, but I couldn't see any resemblance. Distant cousin, probably