{"id":57329,"date":"2020-03-20T00:01:00","date_gmt":"2020-03-20T07:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cartoonresearch.com\/?p=57329"},"modified":"2020-03-20T08:58:17","modified_gmt":"2020-03-20T15:58:17","slug":"more-kong-behind-the-1998-warner-bros-animated-musical-feature","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cartoonresearch.com\/index.php\/more-kong-behind-the-1998-warner-bros-animated-musical-feature\/","title":{"rendered":"More Kong: Behind the 1998 Warner Bros. Animated Musical Feature"},"content":{"rendered":"\"\"\n

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SUSPENED ANIMATION #259<\/strong><\/u><\/p>\n

One of the most recognizable characters of all time, King Kong has appeared in several films produced by different studios as well as some animated projects over the decades. <\/p>\n

In 1952, Merian C. Cooper and Willis O\u2019Brien who were both responsible for the original 1933 RKO film considered doing a remake of the movie in Cinerama. The project, titled The Eighth Wonder<\/em>, never was made. A remake of the original film that did get made maybe shouldn\u2019t have been.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The Mighty Kong<\/em> (1998) is a seventy minute direct-to-video Warner Brothers animated musical adaptation written by William J. Keenan based on the 1933 movie. Kong doesn\u2019t actually appear until nearly forty-two minutes into the film. It was produced by Lana Productions and directed by Art Scott. <\/p>\n

After graduating from UCLA with a degree in art education, Scott began working as an in-betweener at the Mintz Studio and later the story department. He moved back to animation until he was laid off in 1939.<\/p>\n

At the Disney studio, he was an assistant animator to Dick Lundy on short films. He stayed at Disney through the strike of 1941, and afterward was assigned to produce navy training films. Scott worked on segments of Fantasia, Bambi<\/em> and Melody Time<\/em>, as well as short subjects including Mickey’s Delayed Date<\/em>. <\/p>\n

After Disney, he started his own company, Art Scott Productions, in 1947 producing cartoons based on music called MelloTunes<\/em>. He returned to Disney in 1955 as a storyman on The Mickey Mouse Club<\/em>. From Disney, Scott headed to Hanna-Barbera, doing storyboards for The Flintstones<\/em>. <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>During the off season he worked on industrial films for John Sutherland Productions. Later he became a director for the Beany and Cecil<\/em> television series. He went on to work for Larry Harmon Productions as a story man before returning to Hanna-Barbera as production manager. He worked for Hanna-Barbera for many years, moving up to associate producer. Scott passed away in May 1999 roughly a year after the release of The Mighty Kong<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The Kong<\/em> feature was animated overseas by South Korean animation studios including Anirom, Hahn Shin Corporation, Rainbow Animation Korea as well as Jade Animation in Hong Kong and meant primarily for children.<\/p>\n

Jade Animation is a Chinese studio founded in 1986 by Mr. Run Run Shaw. It was responsible for work for Disney including episodes of 101 Dalmatians: The Series, Hercules: The Animated Series, Lilo & Stitch: The Series, Aladdin, Bonkers, TaleSpin<\/em> and more.<\/p>\n

Despite the talent involved in the animated film, it has been harshly criticized although it is probably just harmlessly bad with an obvious limited budget hindering anything interesting. There is even one scene with live-action footage during the “Dolly of Popalliali” sequence where animated sea foam and seals are superimposed over real water.<\/p>\n

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The Sherman Brothers<\/p><\/div>Jodi Benson, the voice of Ariel in The Little Mermaid<\/em>, voices Ann Darrow – and Dudley Moore, in his last role, voices Carl Denham. Original songs were supplied by the legendary Sherman Brothers.<\/p>\n

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As Richard Sherman remembered, \u201cA few years back we worked with producers Lyn Henerson and Denis deVallance and musical director David Siebels on the Timberwood Tales<\/em> (1991) television series. It was a delightful experience, so we were quite happy when Lyn and Denis asked us to again join their creative team at L.A. Animation.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur job: musicalize the classic story of the great ape, King Kong. As we had done with The Jungle Book<\/em> (1967) we lightened up a rather dark tale with our songs. After all, the concept was to create, as the producers called it, a \u2018kid-friendly\u2019 animated musical version of the story.<\/p>\n

\u201cWorking with screenwriter William J. Keenan and director Art Scott, we helped develop the personalities of the leading characters, adding a bit of flamboyance to Carl Denham and a great deal of emotional strength to his leading lady Ann Darrow voiced by the talented Jodi Benson. Good company, indeed!<\/p>\n

\u201cThe film was released for a brief theatrical run in the summer of 1998, after which The Mighty Kong<\/em> found his way home on videotape.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The story is familiar:<\/p>\n

After cancelling his New York stage show Wild Animal Follies to pursue a film project, famous producer Carl Denham finds his lead actress Ann Darrow trying to steal an apple. He and his assistant Roscoe convince her that fame and fortune awaits her if she joins the company.<\/p>\n

\"\"On the ship Java Queen, Darrow encounters a cabin boy named Ricky and his monkey Chips. She also meets Jack Driscoll, a rough character who dislikes having a woman aboard the ship because he thinks she is a jinx. After six weeks at sea, the ship arrives at Skull Island. A hesitant crew is swayed to venture onto the island by Denham\u2019s offer of bonuses and their names in the film\u2019s credits. <\/p>\n

On the island they find the natives in the middle of a ceremony for their Monkey God. When they accidentally interrupt the ceremony, the natives become obssessed with Darrow. Driscoll protectively takes her back to the ship where in a song written by the Sherman Brothers, they declare their love:<\/p>\n

\u201cIt seems I\u2019ve known you all my life. I know it\u2019s crazy but it\u2019s true.
\n\u201cIn dream, I\u2019ve seen ou ev\u2019ry night. Though I\u2019m no dreamer, I\u2019ve dreamed of you.
\n\u201cIs this a fantasy, the way I feel? I\u2019m so at home with you, can it be real?
\n\u201cTwo strangers meet, and magically they know what\u2019s meant to be.
\n\u201cThey see their destiny. Oh, tell me that\u2019s it\u2019s true.
\n\u201cIn dreams, you\u2019ve known me, too. And loved me all your life as I love you.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The island natives kidnap Darrow that night from the ship. The crew later discover her tied to two posts being wheeled up a mountain where Kong takes her. <\/p>\n

This is followed by less than ten minutes where Kong defeats a Tyrannosaurus Rex and takes Darrow to his volcano lair where there is a waterfall scene where Darrow gets wet and he dries her off with his breath in a nod to a similar scene in the 1976 King Kong<\/em> film. Kong is also attacked by pterodactyls and giant snake (in another nod to the 1976 film). While Kong is occupied, Driscoll rescues Darrow. When Kong pursues them he is knocked out with gas bombs. <\/p>\n

\"\"Denham takes him back to New York to become the star of his latest stage show The Mighty Kong<\/em>. Denham soothes Darrow\u2019s discomfit by claiming the proceeds from the show will go to buying a thousand acres in south New Jersey for Kong to roam free. Darrow responds, \u201cHe can\u2019t survive in Jersey\u2026 nobody can!\u201d The flashes from the cameras upset Kong who breaks free.<\/p>\n

Driscoll and Darrow flee while Kong roams New York in seach of his love. He plays a makeshift round of golf in the streets and other hijinks like putting a car with amorous teenagers on the train tracks. <\/p>\n

The animation is so bad that Driscoll and Darrow walk rather than run when Kong escapes. Kong finds Darrow in her hotel room and grabs her. Kong climbs the Empire State Building where they are attacked by airplanes who have such bad aim that no bullets hit. Finally two blimps with a cargo net strung between them fly over Kong to capture him. While he is caught in the net, his weight causes him to rip the net and he plummets to the ground.<\/p>\n

While Denham says the famous line of beauty killing the beast, Kong\u2019s eyes open showing him to still be alive. <\/p>\n