KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS FILMS. 4 EDITIoN war of 1946. as"state static. determining the visible field of the Publications narrative A third sequence, also crucial to the historical relation of film noir Script and nouvelle vague, stages a conversation between the sleuth and his boss. The latter is seen reading a newspaper clipping of 1940 recounting the story of a payroll heist from a Hackensack hat Hamer, Robert, and John Dighton, Kind Hearts and Coronets, New York, 1974. revised edition, 1984 mpany. The present tense in the insurance office dissolves into a long crane shot that visibly depicts what is being told in words on the sound track. Seen in silence, in the style of Joseph Mankiewicz's Books. silent flashbacks that pull an event out of time, the moving camera arches over the men staging the holdup and driving off in an exchange Tynan, Kenneth, Alec Guinness, New York, 1955 of mute gunfire. At one point, as it follows the vehicle exiting under Balcon, Michael, A Lifetime of Films, London, 1969 the open-work metal sign over the entry to the factory(spelling the Butler, Ivan, Cinema in Britain, New York, 19 Prentiss Hat Company), the camera registers the reflection of the Betts, Ernest, The Film Business: A History of British Cinema, New mirrored letters on the windshield. twice reversed to be read York. 1973 orrectly, visibly enough to draw the spectator's attention to the Barr, Charles, Ealing Studios, London, 1977, 1982, 1999. reflection of the crane, the camera, and its operator. The film-in-the Perry, George, Forever Ealing, London, 1981 film is glimpsed: invisible editing, it had for decades excluded the Hunter, Allan, Alec Guinness on Screen, London, 1982 camera from the image-track, is broken down; omnipresence of Kurdish, Laurence, Michael Balcon: The Pursuit of British Cinema, writing makes the deep focus flat and at once visible and legible; the New York, 1984. illusion of narrative synchrony is divided and flattened; attention is Taylor, John Russell, Alec Guinness: A Celebration, London, brought to deliberate camera movement that evokes a timeless 1984,1994 oblivion of memory. The sequence heralds techniques soon exploited Guinness, Alec, Blessings in Disguise, London, 1985 by Bresson, Resnais, and Godard Missler. Andreas. Alec guinness. Seine Filme. sein Leben Along with Citizen Kane and Sullivans Travels, The Killers ranks s one of the more"" films of the 1940s at the same time Von Gunden, Kenneth, Alec Guinness: The Films, Jefferson, North that it concretizes the essence of film noir. It uses Hemingway to Carolina. 1987. threshold a Baroque structure of surfaces, and its self-consciousness Brown, Geoff, Michael Balcon: Pursuit of Britain, New York, 1990 arches verbal and visual discourses over each other, leaving the effect Guinness, Alec, My Name Escapes Me: The Diary of a Retiring Actor, f a film looking at the very forms it is unfolding. Siodmak,'s work New York. 1998 occupies a central niche in the history of film theory, in film noir, and in the relations of cinema and literature -Tom Conley Schwerin, Jules, in Films in Review(New York), March 1950 Lockart, Freda Bruce, Interview with Robert Hamer, in Sight and Sound (London), October-December 1951 KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS Hill, Derek, " Man of Many Faces, in Films and Filming(London), Tynan, Kenneth, "Ealing: The Studio in Suburbia, in Films and Filming(London), November and December 1955. Mc Vay, Douglas, 'Alec Guinness, in Films and Filming(London), Director: Robert Hame May 1961 Houston, Penelope, "Survivor, in Sight and Sound (London), Production: Ealing Studios; black and white, 35mm; running time Winter 1962-63 6 minutes; length: 9529 feet. Released 1949. Filmed in england Stanbrook, Alan, in Films and Filming(London), April 196 Mazoyer, J, "" Noblesse oblige, in Image et Son(Paris), no 274, 1973 Producer: Michael Balcon; screenplay: Robert Hamer and John Barr, Charles, "Projecting Britain and the British Character: Ealing ighton, from the novel Israel Rank by Roy Horniman; photogra Studios, in Screen (London), Summer 1974. phy: Douglas Slocombe: editor: Peter Tanner; music: Wolf Hopkins, Charles, in Magill,'s Survey of Cinema 2, Englewood Cliffs New Jersey, 1980. Porter, Vincent, "The Context of Creativity: Ealing Studios and Cast: Dennis Price(Louis Mazzini/Mazzini's father): Joan Green- Hammer Films, and lan Green, Ealing: In the Comedy Frame wood (Sibella); Valerie Hobson(Edith): Alec Guinness (Ascoyne both in British Cinema History, edited by James Curran, and d' Ascoyne/Henry d'Ascoyne/Canon d'Ascoyne/Admiral d'Ascoyne/ incent Porter, London, 1983 General d'Ascoyne/Lady Agatha d'Ascoyne/Lord d'Ascoyne/Ethelbert/ Glassman, M, and J. Wolfe, ""The Studio with the Team Spirit le Old Duke ) Audrey Fildes(Mrs. Mazzini); John Penrose(Lionel) a Look at Ealing Comedies, in CineAction (Toronto), no. 9. Miles malleson(Hangman): Clive Morton(Prison governor) Summer 1987 Sontag, S, ""In Conclusionp'""in East-West Film Journal (Honolulu), Award: Venice Film Festival, Best Scenography, 1949 vol. 2. no. 1. 1987
KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS FILMS, 4th EDITION 634 war of 1946, as ‘‘state static,’’ determining the visible field of the narrative. A third sequence, also crucial to the historical relation of film noir and nouvelle vague, stages a conversation between the sleuth and his boss. The latter is seen reading a newspaper clipping of 1940 recounting the story of a payroll heist from a Hackensack hat company. The present tense in the insurance office dissolves into a long crane shot that visibly depicts what is being told in words on the sound track. Seen in silence, in the style of Joseph Mankiewicz’s silent flashbacks that pull an event out of time, the moving camera arches over the men staging the holdup and driving off in an exchange of mute gunfire. At one point, as it follows the vehicle exiting under the open-work metal sign over the entry to the factory (spelling the ‘‘Prentiss Hat Company’’), the camera registers the reflection of the mirrored letters on the windshield, twice reversed so as to be read correctly, visibly enough to draw the spectator’s attention to the reflection of the crane, the camera, and its operator. The film-in-the- film is glimpsed: invisible editing, it had for decades excluded the camera from the image-track, is broken down; omnipresence of writing makes the deep focus flat and at once visible and legible; the illusion of narrative synchrony is divided and flattened; attention is brought to deliberate camera movement that evokes a timeless oblivion of memory. The sequence heralds techniques soon exploited by Bresson, Resnais, and Godard. Along with Citizen Kane and Sullivan’s Travels, The Killers ranks as one of the more ‘‘theoretical’’ films of the 1940s at the same time that it concretizes the essence of film noir. It uses Hemingway to threshold a Baroque structure of surfaces, and its self-consciousness arches verbal and visual discourses over each other, leaving the effect of a film looking at the very forms it is unfolding. Siodmak’s work occupies a central niche in the history of film theory, in film noir, and in the relations of cinema and literature. —Tom Conley KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS UK, 1949 Director: Robert Hamer Production: Ealing Studios; black and white, 35mm; running time: 106 minutes; length: 9529 feet. Released 1949. Filmed in England. Producer: Michael Balcon; screenplay: Robert Hamer and John Dighton, from the novel Israel Rank by Roy Horniman; photography: Douglas Slocombe; editor: Peter Tanner; music: Wolfgang Mozart. Cast: Dennis Price (Louis Mazzini/Mazzini’s father); Joan Greenwood (Sibella); Valerie Hobson (Edith); Alec Guinness (Ascoyne d’Ascoyne/Henry d’Ascoyne/Canon d’Ascoyne/Admiral d’Ascoyne/ General d’Ascoyne/Lady Agatha d’Ascoyne/Lord d’Ascoyne/Ethelbert/ the Old Duke); Audrey Fildes (Mrs. Mazzini); John Penrose (Lionel); Miles Malleson (Hangman); Clive Morton (Prison governor). Award: Venice Film Festival, Best Scenography, 1949. Publications Script: Hamer, Robert, and John Dighton, Kind Hearts and Coronets, New York, 1974, revised edition, 1984. Books: Tynan, Kenneth, Alec Guinness, New York, 1955. Balcon, Michael, A Lifetime of Films, London, 1969. Butler, Ivan, Cinema in Britain, New York, 1973. Betts, Ernest, The Film Business: A History of British Cinema, New York, 1973. Barr, Charles, Ealing Studios, London, 1977, 1982, 1999. Perry, George, Forever Ealing, London, 1981. Hunter, Allan, Alec Guinness on Screen, London, 1982. Kurdish, Laurence, Michael Balcon: The Pursuit of British Cinema, New York, 1984. Taylor, John Russell, Alec Guinness: A Celebration, London, 1984, 1994. Guinness, Alec, Blessings in Disguise, London, 1985. Missler, Andreas, Alec Guinness: Seine Filme, sein Leben, Munich, 1987. Von Gunden, Kenneth, Alec Guinness: The Films, Jefferson, North Carolina, 1987. Brown, Geoff, Michael Balcon: Pursuit of Britain, New York, 1990. Guinness, Alec, My Name Escapes Me: The Diary of a Retiring Actor, New York, 1998. Articles: Schwerin, Jules, in Films in Review (New York), March 1950. Lockart, Freda Bruce, ‘‘Interview with Robert Hamer,’’ in Sight and Sound (London), October-December 1951. Hill, Derek, ‘‘Man of Many Faces,’’ in Films and Filming (London), February 1955. Tynan, Kenneth, ‘‘Ealing: The Studio in Suburbia,’’ in Films and Filming (London), November and December 1955. McVay, Douglas, ‘‘Alec Guinness,’’ in Films and Filming (London), May 1961. Houston, Penelope, ‘‘Survivor,’’ in Sight and Sound (London), Winter 1962–63. Stanbrook, Alan, in Films and Filming (London), April 1964. Mazoyer, J., ‘‘Noblesse oblige,’’ in Image et Son (Paris), no. 274, 1973. Barr, Charles, ‘‘Projecting Britain and the British Character: Ealing Studios,’’ in Screen (London), Summer 1974. Hopkins, Charles, in Magill’s Survey of Cinema 2, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1980. Porter, Vincent, ‘‘The Context of Creativity: Ealing Studios and Hammer Films,’’ and Ian Green, ‘‘Ealing: In the Comedy Frame,’’ both in British Cinema History, edited by James Curran, and Vincent Porter, London, 1983. Glassman, M., and J. Wolfe, ‘‘The Studio with the Team Spirit: a Look at Ealing Comedies,’’ in CineAction (Toronto), no. 9, Summer 1987. Sontag, S., ‘‘In Conclusionp’’ in East-West Film Journal (Honolulu), vol. 2, no. 1, 1987
FILMS. 4th EDItION KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS Kind Hearts and Coronets Palmer, James, " "Enunciation and Comedy: Kind Hearts and Coro- moral convention. Much of the humour is indeed verbal, elegantly nets, in Screen(Oxford), voL 30, no 1-2, Winter-Spring 1989. Wildean, carried by the hero's voice-over narration-yet always Andrew, Geoff, Ealing Touch, 'in Time Out ( London), no 1197, 28 aptly counterpointed by the visual effects. The shape of the film is July 1993 satisfyingly classic, a long flash-back. It opens with Louis Mazzini (Dennis Price)in prison, condemned to death for a murder of which he is innocent, composing his memoirs, in which he recounts all the murders of which he is guilty. His mother, a member of the proud Kind Hearts and Coronets is an Ealing Comedy in name only d' Ascoyne clan, had married an Italian singer; for this they disown True, it is a comedy, and it was produced by Michael Balcon's Ealing her, condemning her to poverty and eventual death. At her gray Studios. Even so, the film has little in common with its stablemates ouis vows vengeance, and gradually eliminates every d'Ascoyne Ealing comedies(with the exception of Mackendrick's)were cosy. (all played by Alec Guinness)between himself and the dukedom Kind Hearts is callous, even cruel. The humour of Ealing comedies as generally warm, cheerful, and folksy; Kind Hearts is cool, ironic ing the tone of cool irony throughout the film. Cool-but not cold; and witty. Sex, in Ealing comedies, was kept at a safe distance, and there is a pervasive undercurrent of I handled(if at all)with embarrassed jocularity; Kind Hearts includes motivating Louis in his systematic slaughter, and surfacing both in the scenes that carry a powerful erotic charge erotic passages with his mistress Sibella(Joan Greenwood), and in his Hamer stated his intentions as: Firstly, that of making a film not embittered outburst before shooting the duke, his final victim. The noticeably similar to any previously made in the English language. Duke, most repellent of the d'Ascoynes, has been decoyed by Louis Secondly, that of using this English language, which I love, in a more into one of his own mantraps; but Louis, too, is caught in his own trap varied and more interesting way. Thirdly, that of making a picture In revenging himself on the d' Ascoynes for their heartlessness, he has which paid no regard whatever to established, although not practised become as heartless, cold and calculating as they
FILMS, 4 KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS th EDITION 635 Kind Hearts and Coronets Palmer, James, ‘‘Enunciation and Comedy: Kind Hearts and Coronets,’’ in Screen (Oxford), vol. 30, no. 1–2, Winter-Spring 1989. Andrew, Geoff, ‘‘Ealing Touch,’’ in Time Out (London), no. 1197, 28 July 1993. *** Kind Hearts and Coronets is an Ealing Comedy in name only. True, it is a comedy, and it was produced by Michael Balcon’s Ealing Studios. Even so, the film has little in common with its stablemates. Ealing comedies (with the exception of Mackendrick’s) were cosy. Kind Hearts is callous, even cruel. The humour of Ealing comedies was generally warm, cheerful, and folksy; Kind Hearts is cool, ironic and witty. Sex, in Ealing comedies, was kept at a safe distance, and handled (if at all) with embarrassed jocularity; Kind Hearts includes scenes that carry a powerful erotic charge. Hamer stated his intentions as: ‘‘Firstly, that of making a film not noticeably similar to any previously made in the English language. Secondly, that of using this English language, which I love, in a more varied and more interesting way. Thirdly, that of making a picture which paid no regard whatever to established, although not practised, moral convention.’’ Much of the humour is indeed verbal, elegantly Wildean, carried by the hero’s voice-over narration—yet always aptly counterpointed by the visual effects. The shape of the film is satisfyingly classic, a long flash-back. It opens with Louis Mazzini (Dennis Price) in prison, condemned to death for a murder of which he is innocent, composing his memoirs, in which he recounts all the murders of which he is guilty. His mother, a member of the proud d’Ascoyne clan, had married an Italian singer; for this they disowned her, condemning her to poverty and eventual death. At her grave, Louis vows vengeance, and gradually eliminates every d’Ascoyne (all played by Alec Guinness) between himself and the dukedom. Louis’s narration serves as a unifying factor, effectively sustaining the tone of cool irony throughout the film. Cool—but not cold; there is a pervasive undercurrent of passion beneath the urbane wit, motivating Louis in his systematic slaughter, and surfacing both in the erotic passages with his mistress Sibella (Joan Greenwood), and in his embittered outburst before shooting the Duke, his final victim. The Duke, most repellent of the d’Ascoynes, has been decoyed by Louis into one of his own mantraps; but Louis, too, is caught in his own trap. In revenging himself on the d’Ascoynes for their heartlessness, he has become as heartless, cold and calculating as they
KING KONG FILMS. 4 EDITIoN But the film can readily be enjoyed without any such consideration Steinbrunner, Chris, and Burt Goldblatt, Cinema of the Fantastic, of its serious undertones. Kind Hearts is very funny, wickedly New York. 1972. ubversive, and probably the finest black comedy the British cinema Gubern, Roman, Homenaje a King Kong, Barcelona, 1974 has every produced. It is certainly Hamer's masterpiece, a highly Goldner, Orville, and George E. Turner, The Making of King Kong, successful fusion of his dominant influences: Wildean comedy, and New York. 1973 classic French cinema(notably, in this case, Sacha Guitry and the Gottesman, Ronald, and Harry M. Geduld, editors, The Girl in the lenoir of La regle du jeu). The film made Alec Guinness's interna- Hairy Paw. New York. 1976 tional reputation, and rapidly attained the status of a classic-which it Mathews.].H. Surrealism and American feature films. bos- has consistently maintained Such polished excellence makes it even ton.1979 more regrettable that Hamers masterpiece was also the last major Im of his sadly blighted career. Powers, Tom J, Movie Monsters, Minneapolis, 1989. Wray, Fay, On the Other Hand: A Life Story, New York, 1980 -Philip Kemp Erb, Cynthia, Tracking King Kong: A Hollywood Icon in World History, Detroit, 1998 Article KING KONG New York Times, 5 March 1933 USA,1933 Variety(New York), 7 March 1933 Troy, william, in Nation(New York), 22 March 1933 Directors: Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B Schoedsack Boone, Andrew R, in Popular Science Monthly(New York), 1933 Kennedy, X.J., "Who Killed King Kong, in Dissent(New York) Production: RKO Radio Pictures Inc: black and white, 35mm: unning time: 100 minutes. Released 2 March 1933, Radio City Mus Boulle, Jean, "Willis O'Brien; or, The Birth of a Film from Design to Hall and RKO Roxy Theatre, New York. Re-released 1938 with a few Still, "in Midi-Minuit Fantastique(Paris), October-November 1962 scenes censored. Filmed 1932-33 in RKO Studios and backlots, also Ollier, Claude, "a King in New York, in Cahiers du cinema San pedro Harbor and Shrine Auditorium. Los Angeles Cost: (Paris), May-June 1965 S670.000 Behlmer, Rudy, Merian C. Cooper, in Films in Review(New Producers: Merian C. Cooper and Emest B Schoedsack with David Peary, G,""Orphan in the Storm: Son of Kong, 'in FiIm Heritage O. Selznick as executive producer; screenplay: James Creelman and (Dayton, Ohio), winter 1973-74 Ruth Rose, from a story by Merian C. Cooper and Edgar Wallace Peoples, S A, in Films in Review(New York), January 1974 based on an idea conceived by Cooper; photography: Edward Osborne, A, "Father of Kong, "in Cinema Papers(Melbourne) July 1974 Linwood C. Dunn and william Ulm: editor: Ted Cheesman sound Peary, G,"A Speculation: The Historicity of King Kong, in Jump recordist: E A. Wolcott; sound effects: Murray Spivack: produc tion technicians: Mario Larrinaga and Byron L. Crabbe, art direc. Gow, Gordon, in Films and Filming (London), January 1975 k and walter Daniels: art direction supervi- Rosen, D N, "Race, Sex, and Rebellion. "in Jump Cut(Chicago) H. O'Brien; special effects: Harry Redmond Jr: williams Matte March-April 1975 supervision: Frank Williams: technical artwork: Juan Larrinaga, Mayne, Judith, "King Kong and the ldeology of the Spectacle, in Zachary Hoag, and Victor Delgado; projection process: Sydney Quarterly Review of Film Studies(Pleasantville, New York) Saunders: costume designer: Walter Plunkett; King Kong modellist: No.4.1976 Marcel Delgado Fieschi, J, "La Religion du monstre, ' in Cinematographe(Paris), April-May 1976. Cast: Fay Wray (Ann Darrow); Bruce Cabot (Jack Driscoll); Sam Maraval, P, "Trucages pro-filmiques et filmiques dans King Kong, Hardy(Weston); James Flavin(2nd mate): Victor Wong(Charley); in Cinematographe(Paris), April-May 1976. Paul Porcasi(Fruit vendor): Dick Curtis(Crewman): Robert Arm- Sabatier, J-M, in Image et Son(Paris ), September 1976 Carl Denham Markfield. Wallace, The Kong and I, in New York Times, 12 Johnson(Native chief: Steve Clemento(Witch king): Roscoe Ates December 1976 Leroy Mason(Theater patron) Dunn, L G, ""Creating Film Magic for the Original King Ko American Cinematographer (Los Angeles), January 1977 Jackson, F. " Doctor, I Have These Strange Dreams, in Take one Publications (Montreal), January 1977. The Making of the Original King Kong, in American Cinema- tographer Los Angeles), January 1977. Wellman, H, " King Kong-Then and Now, in American Cinema- McBride, Joseph, Persistence of Vision, Madison, Wisconsin, 1968 tographer (Los Angeles), January 1977 Gifford, Denis, Movie Monsters, New York, 1969 Garsault, A, and A. Marty, in Positif(Paris), February 1977. 36
KING KONG FILMS, 4th EDITION 636 But the film can readily be enjoyed without any such consideration of its serious undertones. Kind Hearts is very funny, wickedly subversive, and probably the finest black comedy the British cinema has every produced. It is certainly Hamer’s masterpiece, a highly successful fusion of his dominant influences: Wildean comedy, and classic French cinema (notably, in this case, Sacha Guitry and the Renoir of La règle du jeu). The film made Alec Guinness’s international reputation, and rapidly attained the status of a classic—which it has consistently maintained. Such polished excellence makes it even more regrettable that Hamer’s masterpiece was also the last major film of his sadly blighted career. —Philip Kemp KING KONG USA, 1933 Directors: Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack Production: RKO Radio Pictures Inc.; black and white, 35mm; running time: 100 minutes. Released 2 March 1933, Radio City Music Hall and RKO Roxy Theatre, New York. Re-released 1938 with a few scenes censored. Filmed 1932–33 in RKO Studios and backlots, also in San Pedro Harbor and Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles. Cost: $670,000. Producers: Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack with David O. Selznick as executive producer; screenplay: James Creelman and Ruth Rose, from a story by Merian C. Cooper and Edgar Wallace based on an idea conceived by Cooper; photography: Edward Linden, Vernon L. Walker, and J. O. Taylor; optical photography: Linwood C. Dunn and William Ulm; editor: Ted Cheesman; sound recordist: E. A. Wolcott; sound effects: Murray Spivack; production technicians: Mario Larrinaga and Byron L. Crabbe; art directors: Archie S. Marshek and Walter Daniels; art direction supervisor: Van Nest Polglase; music: Max Steiner; chief technician: Willis H. O’Brien; special effects: Harry Redmond Jr.; Williams Matte supervision: Frank Williams; technical artwork: Juan Larrinaga, Zachary Hoag, and Victor Delgado; projection process: Sydney Saunders; costume designer: Walter Plunkett; King Kong modellist: Marcel Delgado. Cast: Fay Wray (Ann Darrow); Bruce Cabot (Jack Driscoll); Sam Hardy (Weston); James Flavin (2nd mate); Victor Wong (Charley); Paul Porcasi (Fruit vendor); Dick Curtis (Crewman); Robert Armstrong (Carl Denham); Frank Reicher (Captain Englehorn); Noble Johnson (Native chief); Steve Clemento (Witch king); Roscoe Ates (Press photographer); Leroy Mason (Theater patron). Publications Books: McBride, Joseph, Persistence of Vision, Madison, Wisconsin, 1968. Gifford, Denis, Movie Monsters, New York, 1969. Steinbrunner, Chris, and Burt Goldblatt, Cinema of the Fantastic, New York, 1972. Gubern, Roman, Homenaje a King Kong, Barcelona, 1974. Goldner, Orville, and George E. Turner, The Making of King Kong, New York, 1973. Gottesman, Ronald, and Harry M. Geduld, editors, The Girl in the Hairy Paw, New York, 1976. Mathews, J. H., Surrealism and American Feature Films, Boston, 1979. Powers, Tom J., Movie Monsters, Minneapolis, 1989. Wray, Fay, On the Other Hand: A Life Story, New York, 1989. Erb, Cynthia, Tracking King Kong: A Hollywood Icon in World History, Detroit, 1998. Articles: New York Times, 5 March 1933. Variety (New York), 7 March 1933. Troy, William, in Nation (New York), 22 March 1933. Boone, Andrew R., in Popular Science Monthly (New York), 1933. Kennedy, X. J., ‘‘Who Killed King Kong,’’ in Dissent (New York), Spring 1960. Boullet, Jean, ‘‘Willis O’Brien; or, The Birth of a Film from Design to Still,’’ in Midi-Minuit Fantastique (Paris), October-November 1962. Ollier, Claude, ‘‘A King in New York,’’ in Cahiers du Cinéma (Paris), May-June 1965. Behlmer, Rudy, ‘‘Merian C. Cooper,’’ in Films in Review (New York), January 1966. Peary, G., ‘‘Orphan in the Storm: Son of Kong,’’ in Film Heritage (Dayton, Ohio), Winter 1973–74. Peoples, S. A., in Films in Review (New York), January 1974. Osborne, A., ‘‘Father of Kong,’’ in Cinema Papers (Melbourne), July 1974. Peary, G., ‘‘A Speculation: The Historicity of King Kong,’’ in Jump Cut (Chicago), November-December 1974. Gow, Gordon, in Films and Filming (London), January 1975. Rosen, D. N., ‘‘Race, Sex, and Rebellion,’’ in Jump Cut (Chicago), March-April 1975. Mayne, Judith, ‘‘King Kong and the Ideology of the Spectacle,’’ in Quarterly Review of Film Studies (Pleasantville, New York), No. 4, 1976. Fieschi, J., ‘‘La Religion du monstre,’’ in Cinématographe (Paris), April-May 1976. Maraval, P., ‘‘Trucages pro-filmiques et filmiques dans King Kong,’’ in Cinématographe (Paris), April-May 1976. Sabatier, J.-M., in Image et Son (Paris), September 1976. Markfield, Wallace, ‘‘The Kong and I,’’ in New York Times, 12 December 1976. Dunn, L. G., ‘‘Creating Film Magic for the Original King Kong,’’ in American Cinematographer (Los Angeles), January 1977. Jackson, F., ‘‘Doctor, I Have These Strange Dreams,’’ in Take One (Montreal), January 1977. ‘‘The Making of the Original King Kong,’’ in American Cinematographer (Los Angeles), January 1977. Wellman, H., ‘‘King Kong—Then and Now,’’ in American Cinematographer (Los Angeles), January 1977. Garsault, A., and A. Marty, in Positif (Paris), February 1977
FILMS. 4th EDItION KING KONG T画 产 King Kong Fiedel, R,""Sound Track: And the Beast Goes On, in American Girard, Martin, King Kong et la critique: 60 ans de relations, Film(Washington, D. C), March 1977 Sequences(Haute-Ville), no 164, May 1993. Broeske, Pat J, in Magill's Survey of Cinema 2, Englewood Cliffs ouw, A,"Laserdisc in opmars, in Score (Lelystad), no. 8 New Jersey, 1980. June 1993 O'Brien Issue"of Cinefex( Riverside, California), January 1982. Messias, Hans, 'Kong und Ann: eine Liebesgeschichte, in Film- Mandrell, P. R and George E. Turner, in American Cinematographer Dienst( Cologne), vol 47, no. 14, 6 July 1993 Berenstein, Rhona, "White Heroines and Hearts of Darkness: Race Strick, Philip, in Films and Filming(London), September 1986 Gender, and Disguise in 1930s Jungle Films, in Film History MacQueen, Scott,Old King Kong Gets Face Lift, in American (London), vol 6, no 3, Autumn 1994 Bansak, Edmund G. The Children of Kong in Scarlet Street Snead, J,"Spectatorship and Capture in King Kong: The Guilty (Glen Rock), no 23, 1996 Look, ' in Critical Quarterly, voL. 33, no. 1, 1991 Mcgurl, M, " "Making it Big: Picturing the Radio Age in King Kon THE Marks'Kongs60th Anni with Triple-whammy Release, in Critical inquiry, voL 22, no. 3, 1996 King Kong Soundtrack Released, in Classic Images(Muscatine), Clayton, J, King Kong: The Ultimate Fantasy, in Classic Images no. 273. March 1998 (Muscatine), no. 205, July 1992 ein, D.C., The Eighth Wonder, in Cinefex(Riverside), no. The Big Picture, in Boxoffice(Chicago), vol. 128, October 1992 Few films can compete with the longevity of King Kong. The film Harmetz, A, ""Kong and Wray: 60 Years of Love, in New York is as popular today, on television and in revival theaters, as it first Times, vol. 142, sec. 2, 28 February 1993 in its initial release in 1933. Ironically, the films contemporary
FILMS, 4 KING KONG th EDITION 637 King Kong Fiedel, R., ‘‘Sound Track: And the Beast Goes On,’’ in American Film (Washington, D.C.), March 1977. Broeske, Pat J., in Magill’s Survey of Cinema 2, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1980. ‘‘O’Brien Issue’’ of Cinefex (Riverside, California), January 1982. Mandrell, P. R., and George E. Turner, in American Cinematographer (Los Angeles), August 1983. Strick, Philip, in Films and Filming (London), September 1986. MacQueen, Scott, ‘‘Old King Kong Gets Face Lift,’’ in American Cinematographer (Hollywood), vol. 70, no. 1, January 1989. Snead, J., ‘‘Spectatorship and Capture in King Kong: The Guilty Look,’’ in Critical Quarterly, vol. 33, no. 1, 1991. ‘‘THE Marks ‘Kong’s’ 60th Anni with Triple-whammy Release,’’ in Variety (New York), vol. 347, 13 July 1992. Clayton, J., ‘‘King Kong: The Ultimate Fantasy,’’ in Classic Images (Muscatine), no. 205, July 1992. Fein, D.C., ‘‘The Eighth Wonder,’’ in Cinefex (Riverside), no. 51, August 1992. ‘‘The Big Picture,’’ in Boxoffice (Chicago), vol. 128, October 1992. Harmetz, A., ‘‘Kong and Wray: 60 Years of Love,’’ in New York Times, vol. 142, sec. 2, 28 February 1993. Girard, Martin, ‘‘King Kong et la critique: 60 ans de relations,’’ in Séquences (Haute-Ville), no. 164, May 1993. Pouw, A., ‘‘Laserdisc in opmars,’’ in Score (Lelystad), no. 87, June 1993. Messias, Hans, ‘‘Kong und Ann: eine Liebesgeschichte,’’ in FilmDienst (Cologne), vol. 47, no. 14, 6 July 1993. Berenstein, Rhona, ‘‘White Heroines and Hearts of Darkness: Race, Gender, and Disguise in 1930s Jungle Films,’’ in Film History (London), vol. 6, no. 3, Autumn 1994. Bansak, Edmund G., ‘‘The Children of Kong,’’ in Scarlet Street (Glen Rock), no. 23, 1996. Mcgurl, M., ‘‘Making it Big: Picturing the Radio Age in King Kong,’’ in Critical Inquiry, vol. 22, no. 3, 1996. ‘‘King Kong Soundtrack Released,’’ in Classic Images (Muscatine), no. 273, March 1998. *** Few films can compete with the longevity of King Kong. The film is as popular today, on television and in revival theaters, as it first was in its initial release in 1933. Ironically, the film’s contemporary
KINO-PRAVDA FILMS. 4 EDITIoN setting of 1933 has now made it a period piece, though the ideas and KINGS OF THE ROAD The story was conceived by producer/director Merian C. Cooper See IM lauf der zeit and inspired by his trips to Africa and Southeast Asia to shoot documentary films. Cooper imagined setting a primitive giant ape against the civilization of a modern New York City. This vision was KINO-PRAVDA eventually realized on the screen with the aid and collaboration of special visual effects artist and innovator, willis H. OBrien. The special visual techniques developed for King Kong were (Film-Truth) merous. One of the more important technical advances was the development of a safe(cellulose-acetate) rear-projection screen by USSR,1922-25 Sidney Saunders. Although earlier films had used a more primitive lass rear-projection screen (which, if accidently broken, could cause Director: Dziga vertov serious injuries to actors and crew), the cellulose-acetate screen allowed King Kong to be the first film to use large-scale rear Production: Black and white, 35mm, series of 23 newsreels-docu- projection. Another innovation was the invention and use of the mentaries, released over a period of 3 years; First issue released 21 optical printer by Vernon Walker and Linwood Dunn. The optical May 1922, the 23rd and last issue released 1925. Filmed in the printer presented a new way of combining optical mattes that was Soviet union superior to the old, and more complex, Dunning process. The enor- mous amount of matte work in the film(used to combine the special Photography: Mikhail Kaufman, I. Belyakov and A. Lemberg effects with the live action)would not have been feasible without the editor: Dziga Vertov: assistant editor: Yelizaveta Svilova; assistant lp of the printer. director: Ilya Kopalin Although stop-motion animation had been used previously in other films(such as O'Briens The Lost World in 1925), King Kong was the first feature film to use stop-motion to create a continuous Publications character. The model of King Kong was constructed by artist Marcel Delgado out of metal, rubber, cotton and rabbit fur, yet it was truly an books. actor. He could express emotions and react logically to the situation around him De la roche. catherine Thorold Dickinson. Soviet cinema The making of King Kong also presented a problem in the area of London. 1948: New sound effects. Kong had to sound believable, yet unlike any other Leyda, Jay, Kino: A History of the Russian and Soviet Film,Lon- creature on earth. The sound department at RKO, headed by Murray don,1960. Spivak, ran dozens of new and innovative experiments to create the Abramov, Nikolai, Dziga Vertov, Moscow, 1962: French edition right soundtrack. Kongs roar was a combination of lion and tiger Lyons, 1965 sounds slowed down and played backwards. The music is still another Vertov, Dziga, Aufsatze, Tageblicher, Skizzen, edited by Sergei xample of the films originality. Many films in the early 1930s used Drobaschenko. Berlin. 1967. classical music as background accompaniment. King Kong was one Boroko, V, Dziga Vertov, Moscow, 1967 of the first films for which an entire score was created. Composer Max Rotha, Paul, and others, Documentary Film, New York, 1968 weiner carefully plotted out each scene in the film so that he could Sitney, P. Adams, editor, Film Culture Reader, New York, 1970 synchronize his music with the action Sadoul, Georges, Dziga Vertov, Paris, 1971 The technical innovations found in King Kong are not the only Issar, M. Ali, Cinema Verite, East Lansing, Michigan, 1971 reasons for its success: every good film must start with a good story. Schnitzer, Luda, Jean Schnitzer, and Marcel Martin, Cinema in King Kong has a universal appeal, making it one of the most popular Revolution: The Heroic Era of the Soviet Film. New York, 1973 and well-known American films Rimberg, John, The Motion Picture in Linda j. obalil Cohen, Louis Harris, The Cultural-Political Traditions and Develop- ments of the Soviet Cinema 1917-1972, New York, 1974 Feldman, Seth R, Evolution of Style in the Early Works of Dziga KING LEAR Ellis, Jack C, A History of Film, Englewood Cliffs, New Jer- See Korol lir Feldman, Seth R, Daiga Vertov. A Guide to References and Resources, Boston. 1979 Marshall, Herbert, Masters of the Soviet Cinema: Crippled Creative KING OF CHILDREN Vertov, Dziga, Kino-Eye: The Writings, edited by Annette Michelson See haIzi waNg Berkeley, 1984. 638
KINO-PRAVDA FILMS, 4th EDITION 638 setting of 1933 has now made it a period piece, though the ideas and themes have never aged. The story was conceived by producer/director Merian C. Cooper and inspired by his trips to Africa and Southeast Asia to shoot documentary films. Cooper imagined setting a primitive giant ape against the civilization of a modern New York City. This vision was eventually realized on the screen with the aid and collaboration of special visual effects artist and innovator, Willis H. O’Brien. The special visual techniques developed for King Kong were numerous. One of the more important technical advances was the development of a safe (cellulose-acetate) rear-projection screen by Sidney Saunders. Although earlier films had used a more primitive glass rear-projection screen (which, if accidently broken, could cause serious injuries to actors and crew), the cellulose-acetate screen allowed King Kong to be the first film to use large-scale rear projection. Another innovation was the invention and use of the optical printer by Vernon Walker and Linwood Dunn. The optical printer presented a new way of combining optical mattes that was superior to the old, and more complex, Dunning process. The enormous amount of matte work in the film (used to combine the special effects with the live action) would not have been feasible without the help of the printer. Although stop-motion animation had been used previously in other films (such as O’Brien’s The Lost World in 1925), King Kong was the first feature film to use stop-motion to create a continuous character. The model of King Kong was constructed by artist Marcel Delgado out of metal, rubber, cotton and rabbit fur, yet it was truly an ‘‘actor.’’ He could express emotions and react logically to the situation around him. The making of King Kong also presented a problem in the area of sound effects. Kong had to sound believable, yet unlike any other creature on earth. The sound department at RKO, headed by Murray Spivak, ran dozens of new and innovative experiments to create the right soundtrack. Kong’s roar was a combination of lion and tiger sounds slowed down and played backwards. The music is still another example of the film’s originality. Many films in the early 1930s used classical music as background accompaniment. King Kong was one of the first films for which an entire score was created. Composer Max Steiner carefully plotted out each scene in the film so that he could synchronize his music with the action. The technical innovations found in King Kong are not the only reasons for its success; every good film must start with a good story. King Kong has a universal appeal, making it one of the most popular and well-known American films. —Linda J. Obalil KING LEAR See KOROL LIR KING OF CHILDREN See HAIZI WANG KINGS OF THE ROAD See IM LAUF DER ZEIT KINO-PRAVDA (Film-Truth) USSR, 1922–25 Director: Dziga Vertov Production:Black and white, 35mm, series of 23 newsreels-documentaries, released over a period of 3 years; First issue released 21 May 1922, the 23rd and last issue released 1925. Filmed in the Soviet Union. Photography: Mikhail Kaufman, I. Belyakov and A. Lemberg; editor: Dziga Vertov; assistant editor: Yelizaveta Svilova; assistant director: Ilya Kopalin. Publications Books: De La Roche, Catherine, and Thorold Dickinson, Soviet Cinema, London, 1948; New York, 1972. Leyda, Jay, Kino: A History of the Russian and Soviet Film, London, 1960. Abramov, Nikolai, Dziga Vertov, Moscow, 1962; French edition, Lyons, 1965. Vertov, Dziga, Aufsätze, Tagebücher, Skizzen, edited by Sergej Drobaschenko, Berlin, 1967. Borokov, V., Dziga Vertov, Moscow, 1967. Rotha, Paul, and others, Documentary Film, New York, 1968. Sitney, P. Adams, editor, Film Culture Reader, New York, 1970. Sadoul, Georges, Dziga Vertov, Paris, 1971. Issari, M. Ali, Cinema Vérité, East Lansing, Michigan, 1971. Schnitzer, Luda, Jean Schnitzer, and Marcel Martin, Cinema in Revolution: The Heroic Era of the Soviet Film, New York, 1973. Rimberg, John, The Motion Picture in the Soviet Union 1918–1952, New York, 1973. Cohen, Louis Harris, The Cultural-Political Traditions and Developments of the Soviet Cinema 1917–1972, New York, 1974. Feldman, Seth R., Evolution of Style in the Early Works of Dziga Vertov, New York, 1977. Ellis, Jack C., A History of Film, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1979. Feldman, Seth R., Dziga Vertov: A Guide to References and Resources, Boston, 1979. Marshall, Herbert, Masters of the Soviet Cinema: Crippled Creative Biographies, London, 1983. Vertov, Dziga, Kino-Eye: The Writings, edited by Annette Michelson, Berkeley, 1984