Discover the True, Tragic Ending of King Kong That’s Sadder Than the Movies!

A film crew shooting a safari on the enigmatic Kong Island encounters a gigantic ape, which they eventually capture. Brought back to New York to be showcased in a circus, the creature soon breaks free and rampages through the city…

Clearly, this is the story of King Kong, a cinematic milestone first released 91 years ago. Directed by Ernest B. Schoedsack and Merian C. Cooper, the film has entered the annals of cinema history, especially for its groundbreaking special effects created by the legendary Willis O’Brien, whose earlier work on The Lost World (1925) had already caused a stir.

Despite its achievements, King Kong was initially snubbed by the Academy Awards, which outraged David O’Selznick, the head of RKO studios at the time. He even petitioned the Academy to recognize the directors’ contributions, but to no avail.

Ignoring the various Japanese adaptations and sequels for the moment, King Kong’s narrative remains as powerful and poignant as ever, including the impressive version by Peter Jackson.

Still deeply in love with his female conquest, whom he handles with great care, and fiercely protective of her, King Kong is tragically killed by the military. One must have a heart of stone to not feel moved by the sad fate of this legendary creature, torn from its revered natural habitat on its island, only to end up as a chained spectacle for the rest of its days.

A Heartrending Epilogue

Shortly before the release of Peter Jackson’s film in 2005, a novel titled Kong: King of Skull Island by Joe Devito was published in the United States. Authorized by the Cooper Estate, which manages the legacy of the 1933 film, this new novel serves as both a prequel and sequel to the classic fantastical tale. It adds a deeply sad postscript not found in the movies…

After Kong was shot down by the military and died, his massive corpse was retrieved and turned into an exhibition at the Natural History Museum, with patrons paying top dollar to see his skeleton. A cruel and tragic irony: even in death, the world was not done with him—his remains don’t even get to rest.