You’re completely mistaken; he was their source of dread, a puzzle, and something wondrous. I had already been captivated and frightened by *Jaws* in 1976—I was just ten years old at the time. My parents, who are film enthusiasts, introduced me to the original *King Kong* from 1933, so when this version—in color—came out, I waited in line for two hours to see it. I was completely taken with it, telling everyone at school and on the playground how incredible an experience it had been. Those kinds of feelings stay with you; it’s a love of movies seen through the eyes of youth, and we shouldn't dismiss those times as being naive. Much later in life, rewatching this retelling of the Kong story feels like fighting to preserve that youthful enthusiasm. Now you can plainly see how substandard the special effects are, really just how much Dino De Laurentiis cut corners—through research it’s clear—to get this onto the screen. But at the same time, you can also recognize how mature a lot of it was. The movie is full of sexual suggestions and imagery. Take Jessica Lange's first scene, for example; she appears in a wet dress with very noticeable breasts. I didn't notice that when I was a ten-year-old boy... There are some relevant social issues explored within the story—discrimination, resource exploitation, etc.—and it’s certain that the characters presented reflect the intelligence of the 1970s. Even changing the helicopter attacks to replace airplanes in the final scene deserves recognition—though the now more striking backdrop of the World Trade Center towers adds to the impact—but it's difficult to ignore just how flawed the production is. So, even though we might still cry as the giant creature falls because of his affection for a woman and curse humanity for not leaving him on his island, this remains substandard filmmaking that nearly destroys cherished memories from 1976. 5/10

Source on TMDB