One vignette involves Miss Raines dressing up as a tart to attract the attention of a sleazy drummer. This leads to what he believes is a romantic encounter, one similar to other such encounters in hundreds of other movies. I like the way it's handled here, though, better than I usually do, for Raines doesn't become the tart to the point where we wonder if she isn't one, really; it's obvious from the get-go that she is disgusted by what she's doing, succeeding only because the man is focused on other things.
One reason Wells didn't like The Island of Lost Souls was a single line of dialogue equating Moreau with God. Here, that equation is central to the story, and it is ridiculous on its face. Man has trouble enough taming his animal instincts. How, exactly, could exacerbating that problem with animal DNA elevate him in any way?
This film tells us that it's okay to skip out of the country when facing criminal prosecution and extreme financial liability. That's what Denham does, who is on the hook for the many people Kong killed as well as the damage Kong caused in New York City. Would it make any difference if he planned to come back? But, so far as we can tell when he hops aboard Capt. Englehorn's ship, he doesn't. Not definitely anyway.
Sexism isn't always a bad thing. A world without sexism is a world without sex. But sometimes it's just annoying. Like here, where we expect to find a powerful woman (just look at the poster, let alone the character she's supposedly based on) and get instead an ordinary, confused girl whose mind is controlled by a man.
If you're a fan (I'm not) of John W. Campbell's idea (Campbell was the author of "Who Goes There?" and the long-time editor of Astounding Science Fiction) that mankind is inherently superior to other life forms, you may love this film, which just might contain the boldest expression of this idea in any movie, ever.
|
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
December 2016
Categories |