# So. The movie King Kong is about the black man, right? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 5, 2010, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-movie-king-kong-is-about-the-black-man-right/527840 "2010-02-05T20:13:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2010, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-movie-king-kong-is-about-the-black-man-right/527840/41 "2010-02-05T23:53:20Z")
> [@Malthus](#): > > Isn’t this somewhat subverted in the actual movie? After all, King Kong doesn’t violently _rape_ the “blonde”, he dies to protect her. > > His actual acts in the movie make him a poor ‘symbol’ of “animal” lust - rather, the dramatic theme is that of the contrast between his animal _appearance_ and the relative “nobility” of his acts. That’s what makes the first film so interesting–we, as the audience, are aware of his feelings for Ann, but she as a character never shows any appreciation for this protection and rescue. He always remains singularly a monster to her (and everyone else); it’s only Denham who seems to understand that the Beast’s curious commitment to her (I think affection is too strong a word) caused his downfall. Kong is a tragic hero since his “love” (as much as a monkey can express it) is misunderstood and maligned, even by the one he’s attached to. For me, part of what fails with the Jackson version is that they make this “relationship” too obvious. It’s to Naomi Watts’ credit that she makes this premise convincing, but it literalizes something that’s only opaque in the first, and what is originally complex and sublime (because Kong is still unquestionably a Beast) turns a little too derivative as a love story–to these eyes at least. ---
**Author:** ![Camus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ba8739/32.png) [@Camus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Camus)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-movie-king-kong-is-about-the-black-man-right/527840/42 "2010-02-06T00:02:40Z")
They explore this theme much more fully in _King Kong vs. Godzilla_, in which they even added red berry juice as an obvious metaphor for liquor and a giant octopus as a metaphor for Zionism. What? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-movie-king-kong-is-about-the-black-man-right/527840/43 "2010-02-06T00:08:30Z")
I always figuring it was a metaphor for the conflict between the rural and urban lifestyles. Kong represented rural life - he was the biggest thing around where he grew up but he lived in a area with small horizons. Fay Wray represented the lure of the city - she enticed Kong into leaving his hometown and going off to experience the excitement of big city life. But the city was too much for the simple country boy. He didn’t know how to handle himself and ended up dead. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-movie-king-kong-is-about-the-black-man-right/527840/44 "2010-02-06T01:35:57Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > The original film’s portrayal of the human Skull Islanders is certainly racist – most strikingly, they have what are obviously African-American actors portraying the people of an island in the Pacific, implying an assumption that all “natives” are more or less the same. But the Kong-as-a-black-man theme never struck me before. Nitpick: Skull Island is supposed to be somewhere in the Indian Ocean south and west of Malaysia. The use of African-American actors to portray the natives is (marginally) less racist in that the natives are supposed to be similar to the Andamanese, who would have been considered “black” by anyone other than anthropologists in the 1930s. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-movie-king-kong-is-about-the-black-man-right/527840/45 "2010-02-06T01:52:05Z")
I think King Kong is symbolic of man’s recent and newly conceived Darwisnism and that psychologically Kong is archetypical to the early birth pangs of the Theory of Evolution. It is a story of a cryptid animal that had only been known commonly in the "Civilized World for some 60 years, similarly young was the Theory of Evolution. It was a monster movie… not a racial polemic. Now, Blacula, that has an interesting theme. ---
**Author:** ![tattman40](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/db5fbb/32.png) [@tattman40](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tattman40)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-movie-king-kong-is-about-the-black-man-right/527840/46 "2010-02-06T02:54:16Z")
The original title was “Don King Kong”😛 ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-movie-king-kong-is-about-the-black-man-right/527840/47 "2010-02-06T03:44:22Z")
It’s worth noting that Merian C. Cooper, the driving creative force behind _ **King Kong** _–he had his hand in the writing, producing, and directing of the film–started out making what were essentially adventure documentaries. The character of Carl Denham is loosely based on Cooper (who would later go on to have even greater impact on American cinema through his longtime producing partnership with John Ford). Cooper would trundle camera crews around the globe capturing footage of exotic lands to amaze stateside audiences. Legend has it that the idea for _ **King Kong** _ grew out of a simple extrapolation fantasy of one of Cooper’s own adventures. _Wouldn’t it be keen if, instead of just filming your ordinary run of the mill crocodile or charging bull elephant, he discovered some heretofore unheard of, unthought of monster whose capture and unveiling would rattle the world?_ So again, his conscious intentions were pretty innocent; any cultural detritus you manage to shake loose from the celluloid was more likely a product of the time than of a specific agenda. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-movie-king-kong-is-about-the-black-man-right/527840/48 "2010-02-06T03:53:51Z")
[Terri Gross interviewed Quentin Tarantino last year](http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112286584), and he mentioned this reading of King Kong in the “blatantly obvious” category. > [@Tarantino](#): > > I mean, of course “King Kong” is a metaphor for the slave trade. I’m not saying the makers of “King Kong” meant it to be that way, but that’s what, that’s the movie that they made - whether they meant to make it or not. > > To me “King Kong” is a metaphor for America’s fear of the black male. And to me that’s obvious. All right? So I mean that was one of the first things I said when I was talking to a friend of mine after he saw Peter Jackson’s version of “King Kong.” And I said, you know, is the racial metaphors in there? Is the racial subtext in there? And he goes no. And I go, well then that’s just a story of a big monkey. > > (Soundbite of laughter) > > Mr. TARANTINO: What that about? But I’m still shocked at people, a lot of people don’t even look at it as that. So when the character says it in the movie, it’s like - there’s like - actually I’ve seen shock and then applause of people realizing it for the very first time that “King Kong” is a metaphor for the slave trade. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-movie-king-kong-is-about-the-black-man-right/527840/49 "2010-02-06T03:58:20Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > [Terri Gross interviewed Quentin Tarantino last year](http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112286584), and he mentioned this reading of King Kong in the “blatantly obvious” category. Wait. What does he mean by, “when the character says it in the movie”? Does a character say it in the movie?? ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-movie-king-kong-is-about-the-black-man-right/527840/50 "2010-02-06T04:08:22Z")
Personally, I interpret King Kong as a metaphor for the black European ruling class in Europe from 1500 to 1789 (as exemplified by Charles II Stuart, who was described as The Black boy, a tall black man and the swarthy Stuart). Having climbed to the pinnacle of civilization and creation of Empire (!), the swarthy ruling classes (Blue Blood is Black blood) were overthrown by their albino-bred white European underlings with the aid of modern technology (as represented by the biplanes). ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-movie-king-kong-is-about-the-black-man-right/527840/51 "2010-02-06T04:09:12Z")
A metaphor for the slave trade? If that’s the case what’s the symbolism of Ann Darrow’s character? Is Tarantino claiming that there was something about slavery that Africans found attractive? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-movie-king-kong-is-about-the-black-man-right/527840/52 "2010-02-06T04:09:39Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > Wait. What does he mean by, “when the character says it in the movie”? Does a character say it in the movie?? In the movie Inglorious Basterds, which is what he’s talking about. A bunch of German soldiers are sitting in a bar and playing “Who am I?”, which is where you have a card on your forehead with a name on it. You can’t see the card, but the other people can. So you have to ask them yes or no questions in order to figure out who you are. So the German soldier, after asking a bunch of questions, sums up what he knows about his card: Soldier: Who am I? I came to America. I came to America to benefit some one else. I used to live in a exotic area of the world. I came over in a boat. I came against my will. I was chained up. I was put on display. Who am I? Am I an enslaved negro? Everyone else: No. Soldier (With a smile on his face): Am I King Kong? And of course, he is. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-movie-king-kong-is-about-the-black-man-right/527840/53 "2010-02-06T04:12:04Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > In the movie Inglorious Basterds, which is what he’s talking about. > > A bunch of German soldiers are sitting in a bar and playing “Who am I?”, which is where you have a card on your forehead with a name on it. You can’t see the card, but the other people can. So you have to ask them yes or no questions in order to figure out who you are. > > So the German soldier, after asking a bunch of questions, sums up what he knows about his card: > > Soldier: Who am I? I came to America. I came to America to benefit some one else. I used to live in a exotic area of the world. I came over in a boat. I came against my will. I was chained up. I was put on display. Who am I? > > Am I an enslaved negro? > > Everyone else: No. > > Soldier (With a smile on his face): Am I King Kong? > > And of course, he is. Thanks! Now don’t say another word about that movie. I’m waiting to see it. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-movie-king-kong-is-about-the-black-man-right/527840/54 "2010-02-06T04:13:58Z")
Please don’t wait too long. It’s one of the awesomely joyous celebrations of the art of moviemaking ever made. Watch it lots. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-movie-king-kong-is-about-the-black-man-right/527840/55 "2010-02-06T04:17:29Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > I have never heard the theory. I have thought it was a little amusing that King Kong lives on an island with black native women and couldn’t care less but to eat them for dinner and terrorize. However the first time he sees a white woman he falls in love and goes all soft and pussy-whipped for her. Can you blame him? [![](https://abinitioadinfinitum.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/wray.jpg) ](https://abinitioadinfinitum.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/wray.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-movie-king-kong-is-about-the-black-man-right/527840/56 "2010-02-06T04:19:13Z")
I’ve heard this too. And if it means that to you, then that it what it means to you. Art can be interpreted many ways. And this interpretation particularly fits. For me King Kong, the original with Fay Wray in black and white, is one of the best monster movies ever made. The two remakes are awful in comparison, but not for lack of effort. They just did too much of a good thing. King Kong is a masterpiece. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-movie-king-kong-is-about-the-black-man-right/527840/57 "2010-02-06T04:59:59Z")
ala, the OP: No, but The Planet of The Apes is about our Primate brethern. Or was it about slaves? (I mean everyone wants a Monkey Butler, or a roomba, or a cylon sexslave.) ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-movie-king-kong-is-about-the-black-man-right/527840/58 "2010-02-06T05:24:13Z")
Monkubines! ---
**Author:** ![valleyofthedolls](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a4c791/32.png) [@valleyofthedolls](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/valleyofthedolls)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-movie-king-kong-is-about-the-black-man-right/527840/59 "2010-02-06T05:26:07Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > C and S wanted to make a film about a gorilla fighting Komodo dragons, but didn’t know how to do it – until they saw Willis O’Brien’s work on The Lost World and the unfinished movie **Creation**. I read somewhere that Cooper originally planned to do just that, get a gorilla, get a komodo dragon and film the two duking it out. If this is true, I’m glad they changed their minds. To keep this on topic, I’ve heard this theory before but I’ve never really bought it. Movies around this time weren’t exactly PC. If Cooper et. al wanted to make a movie about black men swooping in and stealing white women, they probably could have done so without repercussions let alone hide behind a giant ape allegory. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-movie-king-kong-is-about-the-black-man-right/527840/60 "2010-02-06T08:09:37Z")
What you see in art is usually yourself. I see Kong as frustrated sexuality. He gets this girl that is promised to him but then what. T-Rex comes up and tries to take her. Then some other bug. Then some Pterodactyls come along and try to take her. Then this new guy who got a 4.0 at Yardale comes along and really takes her. Then you chase after her and get arrested and put in chains and everyone laughs at you for even wanting that girl because she is so out of your league you must be joking. And no matter how mad you get or how high you climb they will come and tear you down for wanting the blond. And the sad truth is that the blond was never that into you dude. (nobody was ever stupid enough to remake this film, well, except for The Cider House Rules) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-movie-king-kong-is-about-the-black-man-right/527840.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-movie-king-kong-is-about-the-black-man-right/527840.md?page=4)