Meat-Eater

Meat-Eater Alternate names Meat Eater, Man-eater, Tyrannosaurus rex Species Dinosaur Played by Stop-motion First appearance Latest appearance King Kong (1932) King Kong (1933)

The Meat-Eater is a dinosaur monster that makes a brief appearance in the 1933 film King Kong, after appearing in the 1932 novelization based on its script.

Name

The Meat-Eater is never given a proper name in any medium, but is referred to as "the meat-eater" in the 1932 novelization as well as the film's script. Its name comes from the fact that it has a meat-based diet.

Design

The Meat-Eater bears the approximate design of what a Tyrannosaurus rex was thought to have looked like at the time of its release. Its skin is shown to be brown and covered in bumps in the colorized version of the film, however the novelization's dust jacket portrays it with smooth green skin and a a crest of spines running down its back. Its supple, serpentine, neck supports its head. its mouth is filled with sharp teeth, and it has two small, nearly useless arms that are described as only being useful for putting food into its mouth. Its strong hind legs allowed it to move around through a series of short hops.

History

King Kong (1933)

The Meat-Eater in King Kong (1933)

The Meat-Eater was among the prehistoric creatures living on Skull Island in 1933. As King Kong was travelling across Skull Island with his 'bride', Ann Darrow, he realized that the crew of the Venture were following him, and so he set Ann down atop a tree while he went to attack the expedition. While Kong was distracted by this, the Meat-Eater appeared from the jungle and began to menace Ann, intent on eating her. After hearing Ann's screams, Kong rushed to her aid, and began fighting the dinosaur. After a long and drawn-out battle, Kong snapped the Meat-Eater's jaws, incapacitating it, before continuing on his way with Ann. A short time later, Jack Driscoll encountered the Meat-Eater, still breathing but barely alive. As he watched, the dinosaur finally died.

Books

King Kong (1932)

After hopping out of the jungle, the Meat-Eater saw Ann Darrow in a tree while Kong was distracted by shaking the crew of the S.S. Venture off of a log bridging a chasm. After Ann screamed in terror, Kong threw the log into the pit and sprang on the Meat-Eater. The dinosaur quickly kicked Kong off with its incredible hind leg strength, but Kong was able to circumvent this by injuring one of its legs. Kong then easily overpowered the Meat-Eater and pried open its jaws, leaving them broken, and the creature dead.

Merian C. Cooper's King Kong

The Meat Eater discovered Darrow high up in a tree, and extended to its full height to examine her before Kong came running. Kong beat the beast back, and it snapped it tried to retaliate, but Kong pushed the beast over. The bulky Meat-Eater flailed about in an attempt to regain its footing while Kong roared in victory. The Meat-Eater roared back in defiance, and was nearly back on its feet before Kong began beating it again. The Meat Eater, once again, pushed Kong away with a kick before he returned and tried to attack its side again. The Meat-Eater however, turned around and stuck him with its tail. Kong grabbed the tail, and began to pound the Meat Eater’s hips mercilessly, causing one of its legs to give way and break under the weight. AS the Meat-Eater attempted to get up, Kong grabbed its skull from behind and beat the reptile’s head, shattering many of its teeth. The Meat-Eater attempted to thrash Kong off to the bitter end, when he snapped its jaws.

Kong: King of Skull Island

After Gaw and her vicious pack of Deathrunners slaughtered a mother and father kong and left their adolescent son for dead, a meat eater and its offspring scavenging for food came upon the carcass of the father kong and began to eat it. Mistaking the meat eater as being responsible for killing his parents, the young kong attacked the dinosaur. The meat eater managed to knock the young kong into a ravine by hitting him with its tail, then it and its offspring returned to their meal.

Gallery

King Kong (1933)

• 
• 

  Tyrannosaurus rex battling Kong

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

King Kong (1932)

• 

  The Meat-Eater on the back cover

• 

Merian C. Cooper's King Kong

• 

Kong: King of Skull Island

• 
•