A*P*E (1976)
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“
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Ten Tons of Animal Fury Leaps from the Screen
NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH KING KONG |
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— English taglines |
A*P*E (킹콩의大逆襲 Kingkongui Daeyeokseub, lit. King Kong's Great Counterattack) is a 1976 special effects monster film co-produced by Kukje Movies and Lee Ming Film Company. The film was released to South Korean theaters on July 23, 1976 and to American theaters in October of the same year. It was created in order to cash in on Dino De Laurentiis' then-upcoming King Kong remake, and borrows several elements from the film's story.
Plot
Off of the coast of South Korea, a giant ape captured from Holland escapes an oil tanker and fights with a kaiju sized great white shark. After ripping the shark's jaw apart, the giant ape ends up getting to land and continues his rampage. It advances onto an oil field and throws barrels about before escaping into the Korean wilderness.
Meanwhile an actress named Marilyn Baker, and a journalist who also happens to be her boyfriend, named Tom get to the set of the new movie they are filming in South Korea. Reports of the giant ape reach the military but they just pass it off as a hoax. They then notice the giant footprints and come to the conclusion that it's a fake giant ape made by the production team for the movie. When phoned about the giant ape, which is seen roaming the countryside, a skeptical general mockingly asks if anyone asked him if his name is King Kong, acknowledging the similarities between this movie and King Kong.
Startling people as it passes through a farmland, the giant ape finds a giant python climbing a tree. it picks it up and throws it in the direction of the point of view. Stumbling upon the set of a period piece martial arts film, the scared actors brandish their prop weapons to attack the giant ape. Their attempts are futile and they only manage to anger the beast after shooting flamming arrows at it's face in another point of view shot. Angered, the ape continues his rampage in various locations, though leaves a group of children that break into a theme park playground unharmed after watching them. The U.S. military and Captain Kim, of the South Korean police become more convinced about the legitimacy of the reports but decide to keep it secret from the public, fearing panic if they let the truth out. However Tom tries to figure out the answers anyway.
Tom goes to the set of the film as Marilyn is filming a scene involving rape, when they cut, Tom explains to Marilyn that the reason he came is because he heard reports of a giant ape roaming the area, Marilyn can't tell if he's being serious but they kiss anyway. Meanwhile the ape is destroying entire villages and the military is forced to evacuate rural areas. The giant ape enters the filming location while a scene is being filmed and Marilyn accidentally runs into the ape's hands after running as part of a scene. The ape carries her into the mountains to continue it's rampage. The army gives orders to capture the giant ape alive. The ape destroys nearly all of the helicopters that were sent and gives the middle finger to the point of view. Tom rescues Marilyn while the ape is distracted. Captain Kim offers to let a shaken Marilyn stay with his family in Soeul. While staying with Kim's family, she calms down about her experience while entertaining Kim's children. However the ape manages to follow them to the city and after breaking several buildings to check inside, it manages to find and abduct Marilyn. She discovered however, that the giant primate is only fascinated with her and doesn't harm her. Enraged at the destruction, the South Korean government changes the orders to kill the ape and the American military lends aid in the hunt. The military corners the ape on a hilltop and attack as Marilyn manages to get back to Tom. After being fired upon by all angles the ape dies to its wounds, leaving Marilyn to ask why it had to be this way. Tom sadly laments that the giant ape was just too big for the small world of men.
Staff
- Main article: A*P*E/Credits.
Staff role on the left, staff member's name on the right.
- Directed by Paul Leder
- Written by Paul Leder, Reuben A. Leder
- Produced by K.M. Yeung, Paul Leder, Tony Francis, Reuben A. Leder, Yang Tseng-Hsiu
- Music by Bruce Mac Rae, Chung Min Sup
- Cinematography by Daniel L. Symmes, Tony Francis, Miriam R. Leder
- Production design by Lee Bong Sun
- Assistant directing by Miriam R. Leder, Choi Young Chul
- Special effects by Park Kwang Nam
Cast
Actor's name on the left, character played on the right.
- Rod Arrants as Tom Rose
- Joanna de Varona as Marilyn Baker
- Alex Nicol as Colonel Davis
- Lee Nak Hoon as Captain Kim
- Woo Yun Jung as Mrs. Kim
- Jerry Harke as Lieutenant Smith
- Larry Chandler as First Mate
- Walt Myers as Seaman
- J.J. Gould as Soldier in Jeep
- Charles Johnson as American Tourist
- Paul Leder as Dino
- Choi Sung Kwan as Film Producer
- Bob Kurcz as American Actor
- Jules Levey as Reporter
Appearances
Monsters
- A*P*E
- Giant Shark
- Monster Reptile
Gallery
- Main article: A*P*E/Gallery.
Alternate titles
- The New King Kong (Initial title)
- Super Ape (Initial title)
- Attack of the Giant Horny Gorilla (1982 American re-release title)
- Hideous Mutant (American home video title)
- King Kong's Great Counterattack (Literal Korean title; 킹콩의大逆襲)
- King Kong Returns (France; King Kong Revient)
- The Revolt of Kong (French home video title; La Révolte de Kong)
- The King Ape (Philippines)
- Super Kong (Portugal)
- New King Kong (Soviet Union; Новый Кинг Конг)
- The Gorilla Attacks (Spain; El Gorila Ataca)
- Super King Kong (Turkey; Süper King Kong)
Theatrical releases
- South Korea - July 23, 1976 [view poster]
- United States - October, 1976 [view poster]; 1982 (Re-release) [view poster]
- France - February 15, 1978 [view poster]
- Turkey - August 1979 [view poster]
- Portugal - September 29, 1982
Video releases
Image Entertainment DVD (2001)
- Region: 1
- Discs: 1
- Audio: English
Kino Lorber DVD/Blu-Ray (2017)
- Region: 1 (DVD) or A/1 (Blu-Ray)
- Discs: 1
- Audio: English
Videos
Trailers
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Trivia
- The film has been re-released several times and often under a different title. When re-released in 1982 by grindhouse the title was changed to Attack of the Giant Horny Gorilla.[1]
- Despite the subtitle loudly proclaiming it not to be a King Kong movie, as to avoid copyright issues, the film was advertised as a King Kong movie in non-English speaking countries. In South Korea it was advertises under the same regional title as King Kong Escapes.[2]
- The movie's effects budget was quite small at less than 1,500 USD and primary filming was completed in only 14 days. After finding the final product was too short and serious, Leder commissioned more scenes to be filmed in an intentionally campy light to pad out the film, including the infamous middle-fight shot. [2]
See also
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Comments
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