Several years before Citizen Kane, King Kong set a standard for the cinematic experience, opting for spectacle and breakthrough special effects. If Kane is a seminal film from an all-around quality point of view, then Kong is a seminal film that built the stage for future blockbusters like Jurassic Park. King Kong is the great grandaddy of the modern summer tent-pole action/adventure blockbuster.
The special effects by Willis O'Brien were surprisingly sophisticated for 1933. He had shown off his work…