Monday, February 17, 2014

Beauty got a bad rap. Airplanes totally killed that beast.


The last line of King Kong (1933) has never made sense to me. Carl Denham, the man responsible for transplanting a gigantic gorilla from distant, obscure Skull Island to heavily populated New York City, has just watched airplanes shoot and kill the beast. Lives have been lost. Property has been destroyed. Thousands are suffering because of this man's irresponsible actions. And what does he have to say about the situation?

"It was beauty killed the beast."

Yeah, sure, Carl. Whatever you say. Cherchez la femme. That's your angle, right? Blame Ann Darrow (Fay Wray) for this fiasco. Not only have you trashed New York, Carl, you've learned absolutely nothing from this experience.