The many faces of King Kong

Every decade needs a new monster primate - in film, that is. "Kong: Skull Island," the latest movie in the hugely successful King Kong franchise, hits screens worldwide this week. But he hasn't always looked quite like this. We went back to 1933, where it all began...

King Kong's 1933 debut film caused quite a stir among cinema audiences with its flashy new special effects. Actress Fay Wray became the first victim to find herself trapped in the firm grasp of the giant ape. The film was a huge box office success, and a franchise was born.

In 1954, the Japanese monster Godzilla moved into the spotlight. The enormous and seemingly indestructible beast was said to be a representation of nuclear weapons, reflecting the terror experienced by Japan when the US dropped atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.

After two Hollywood installments, King Kong made his way to Japan. In "King Kong vs. Godzilla" (1962), he battled it out with the Japanese monster at the summit of Mount Fuji. King Kong's appearance gave a significant boost to the Godzilla franchise's box office figures.

Stanley Kubrick's 1964 film "Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb" was a reaction to the Cold War and the dangerous state of world politics. In the film, actor Slim Pickens played a soldier who is known to everybody as Major "King" Kong.

In the 60s, King Kong and other monster films became more eccentric and less sophisticated. Perhaps the best illustration of this is Japanese director Ishiro Honda's 1967 film "King Kong Escapes."

The 1976 movie "King Kong" saw the eponymous ape return to Hollywood, looking more conventional. This time it was the turn of actress Jessica Lange, making her professional film debut, to play the damsel in distress.

Not all King Kong films were lucky enough to hit the big time at the box office. Director John Guillermin's "King Kong Lives," the sequel to the 1976 movie, was a resounding flop - despite the introduction of a love interest for King Kong, in the shape of Lady Kong.

By 2005, Hollywood was much better prepared. With the help of computer technology, a large budget and a slick marketing operation, New Zealand director Peter Jackson drew the crowds back to the cinema for his action-packed King Kong reboot.

Fast forward to 2017 and King Kong is back for "Kong: Skull Island." Initial reviews for the film look good, with much praise for the action-packed plot and convincing special effects. More than 80 years after his film debut, it seems King Kong still has blockbuster appeal.