Don Glut wrote:
I think it was Ted who asked the questions, somethings to the effect of "if was an ape suit, why didn't we see it in any other movie, and why would RKO make a suit just for a couple shots?"

Could be, if it were a suit, maybe it was an existing suit that was rented from a costume house.


You have to remember too, that one of their big selling points for the film (and also I'm sure a big matter of pride) was that Cooper and O'Brien wanted it to be known that they had created the groundbreaking effects.  If they settled for a guy in a suit for one quick scene, shot at an extremely far distance, they sure as heck wouldn't publicize it.  A gorilla suit movie is exactly what they didn't want to be known for making.  But for the one far shot, that all you only see Kong in outline, a generic suit would work just fine..  If the footage was going to be rotoscoped over anyway, what would it matter much?  Could be that suit was seen in other films later. 

There was a time when I would have gone to the mat against anyone who would even suggest such a thing as a gorilla suit was used in this movie.  I sure don't want it to have been because it takes a little of the magic and wonderment away.  But those couple of weird shots that have always bothered me, and the passage of time, has taught me to keep an open mind about it.

Anyway, I'm glad I brought this up here.  It has been something that bugged me for a long time and I was starting to think I was the only one.  It is good to finally discover I'm not the only one and it has made for good conversation.

EL VAMPIRO image
Former TV Horror Host
and current Industry Insider
Hollywood / Transylvania / Parts Unknown

Staff Writer - www.TheHorrorDrunx.com

Last Edited By: Vampiro Mar 16 10 1:45 PM. Edited 1 times.