Fig 0 Theatrical Release poster(2016)

King Kong
King Kong is a 1933 American monster adventure film, directed and produced
by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack. This review will be looking at
the censorship of editorial edits of the film. To see the difference between the
remakes of the film and the difference of how it is portrayed in the original
film. Using sources of Film Forever that looks into the pre-code before the films
had more enforced censorship. Wired that looks into spider pit scene that was
removed from the film.
Analysing the removed film scenes and compering them to the remakes of the
film, also which scenes were removed from the remake of the film and why.

King Kong tells a story of an ambitious film director, going to an exotic island to
capture a mythical monster that said to exist there, for his next film. The
actress that he chosen gets kidnapped by the natives and later the King Kong.
And his crew go out there way to save her, when they do King Kong gets
captured and brought back to New York. Creating a chaos in the progress while
looking for the actress.
In 1933 a motion picture production code (Hays Code) was established as a
censorship guidelines for films of that time. Thought it was poorly managed
and it not become enforced till 1934. Before that time the films were restricted
by the local laws and the studio relation committee (SRC) thought it was mostly
ignored by the Hollywood filmmakers.

Fig 1 Black Scorpion

spider (2015)

The scene was loosely adapted from different write ups, the scene was meant
to be a horror scene. Including oversized lizards and spiders and other
creatures. For the screening of the film a San Bernardino test audience,
thought it was not well received as the audience left the theatre, there exist
many speculations on the specific reasons for its removal. Some believe it was
too violent, others think that the director removed because it added nothing to
the story.

Many have thought that the scene was lost till it was found due to remake of a
the film

‘’When Peter Jackson remade King Kong in 2005, he included a number of

short featurettes (on the 2-disc Special Edition DVD) that discuss the infamous
"lost spider pit sequence" from the original 1933 film’’ (Josh Cornell 2013)
 Fig 2
Film Sahneleri Scenes. (2018)

It also unclear why this scene was removed, some believe that it’s due to bird
not looking realistic enough. Or didn’t add anything to movie, just added more
time.

In conclusion over time the editorial practice for films changes over time, and
it’s not always clear why some scenes get removed while being better shot or
acted than what exist in the film.

Image Bibliography

Fig 0 Theatrical Release poster(2016) ( Web Image)

AT: https://seboitineranteblog.wordpress.com/2016/05/29/10-curiosidades-sobre-cinema/
(Accessed: 06/10/18)

Fig 1 Black Scorpion spider (2015) ( Web Image)

AT: http://martingrams.blogspot.com/2015/10/king-kong-famous-spider-pit-
sequence.html (Accessed: 06/10/18)

Fig 2 Film Sahneleri Scenes. (2018)

Film Sahneleri Scenes. (2018). King Kong 2005 Deleted Scene Moa Bird. [Online Video]. 5
March 2016. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTjPZenLXlU. [Accessed: 7
October 2018]
Bibliography

Mike.M(2015) Pre-Code: Hollywood before the censors

AT: https://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/sight-sound-magazine/features/deep-focus/pre-code-
hollywood (Accessed: 06/10/18)

Leahpanos.(2014) Studio trickery: Censored Scenes From King Kong (BBC, 1973) & Play For Today:
The After Dinner Joke (BBC, 14/02/78)

AT: http://blogs.reading.ac.uk/spaces-of-television/2014/02/15/studio-trickery-censored-scenes-
from-king-kong-bbc-1973-play-for-today-the-after-dinner-joke-bbc-140278ay/ (Accessed: 06/10/18)

John.B(2012) KING KONG'S LOST SPIDER PIT SCENE

AT: https://www.wired.com/2006/12/king-kongs-lost/ (Accessed: 06/10/18)