AFI 100 Years, 100 Movies: No. 79


Back in 1998, the American Film Institute unveiled its list of the 100 greatest films as voted on by members of the cinematic community. The year, I'm looking at the films on that list, re-ranked according to my preference. Check back Fridays and Saturdays throughout the year as we walk through this list of classic films.

Carl Denham: It's money and adventure and fame. It's the thrill of a lifetime and a long sea voyage that starts at six o'clock tomorrow morning.

King Kong (1933)
Original List Ranking: 43
Starring: Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong, and Bruce Cabot
Director: Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack
About: This is another classic monster movie. In fact, it's arguably more iconic than Frankenstein, which appeared a few films ago. This one, too, has been re-made many times. Some, including a more modern spin from Peter Jackson, tried to re-capture the story beats and sequences from this film. But it's an iconic take on the world and the characters. While it doesn't have the same look as modern films, it was something of a massive undertaking for the time. It remains a classic that's worthy of being revisited and praised. In fact, it moved up two spots in the 2007 redo of the list!

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