Director Jordan Vogt-Roberts’ is quoted as saying his Kong: Skull Island , released on March 10, is a throwback on the 1933 original. However, the movie with choppers against the sun, ‘70s music, Vietnam War soldiers and a driven United States Army Lieutenant Colonel (Samuel L. Jackson chewing the scenery in grand style) is reminiscent of Apocalypse Now . Max Borenstein, who wrote the first draft, named Francis Ford Coppola’s harrowing take on Heart of Darkness as an influence.
The end result is uneven with the makers not being able to come down firmly on the side of camp or serious, symbolic journey into the meaning of life and the rest of it. Apart from being the largest Kong and the hip soundtrack, Kong: Skull Island has nothing much going for it. And why was the Beauty excised from the story? Ann Darrow/ Dwan is an integral part of Kong’s universe and is quite literally the death of him fighting choppers from the top of skyscrapers.
The 1976 version made no bones about its commercial intent with Jessica Lange playing Dwan, an out-of-work actress who wins Kong’s heart to the extent that he washes her under a waterfall and dries her with his breath!
Peter Jackson’s 2005 loving remake was a signature treat. Set in 1933, the film boasted of a stellar cast of award-winning actors including Naomi Watts, Jack Black, Adrien Brody, and Andy Serkis. The set pieces featuring all manner of creepy crawlies and dinosaurs were gob-smacking.
The 2017 version is rather anaemic in comparison. Tom Hiddleston as noble former SAS man looks like he is auditioning for James Bond. He gamely pouts and purses his lips as the giant gorilla wreaks havoc on choppers and people alike. The skull crawlers look like they escaped from the Island of Doctor Moreau. Give me Brontosaurus, Scorpio-pedes or a toothy Piranhadon any day.
The only woman on the crew of explorers and weary Viet vets is Mason Weaver, a photo-journalist and peace activist. She bonds with Kong but in a Dian Fossey way. There seems to be subliminal connections going on — Sigourney Weaver played Fossey in Gorillas in the Mist.
Beauty and the Beast , a live action remake of Disney’s beloved animated musical from 1991, was released on March 17, a week after Kong: Skull Island . Harry Potter’s Hermione, Emma Watson, plays Belle while some of the best and brightest talents play supporting roles including Kevin Kline, Emma Thompson, Stanley Tucci, Luke Evans, Josh Gad, Ewan McGregor and Ian McKellen.
The film’s credentials as a feminist retelling are being hotly debated against the backdrop of Watson’s sartorial choices as well as her appearance on the cover of Vanity Fair. Beauty and the Beast plays safe to the extent of being boring. Subversive would have been to go the Shrek way where the Dragon from the tower falls in love with Donkey (the annoying talking sidekick) while a kiss breaks the spell in a delightfully wholesome way. The 2017 version has sterilised the characters, including the Beast and leans towards Stockholm syndrome rather than a retelling.
It would have been nice if Beauty and the Beast were to take on a Gaiman-esque hue. Alas and alack, it is the curse of unimaginative movie bosses who bleed our monsters dry and present them in vanilla tones.
