With the talents of Molly Maginnis, costume designer for As Good As It Gets, and Hans Bjerno, camera technician for Basic Instinct, this movie was always going to be a hit. Add to that the presence of Kevin A.Canamar, the supervising set medic for Volcano, and Kelly Oxford, supervising foley editor for Mulan and you have a film that deserves attention.

However this incredible crew could only do so much-much was left to the actors, and the array of actors was incredible. Starting with Ray Harryhausen, who is uncredited as 'Man at Party'. You might remember him as 'Bar Patron' in Beverly Hills Cop III, or Flesh and Blood in which he played himself, but it doesn't stop there. In the same scene is the great Terry Moore, as 'Woman at Party'. You would certainly remember her starring role in Babes Ahoy. And with the pivotal role of 'Cabriolet Girl' going to Deborah Kellner, who was snubbed at last year's Oscars without a nomination for her role as 'Topless Woman' in A Night at the Roxbury, the movie succeeds on every possible level. See it, if only to be a part of movie history.

Oh yeah ... the plot. Mighty Joe Young is a barely recognisable King Kong homage which, although pandering more to the kids than the average horror movie buff, should keep all but the most mean spirited cynic entertained. Jill (Charlize Theron) makes a promise to her mother just before she is murdered that she will look after a baby gorilla as it grows up, protecting it from the ever-present threat of poachers that hunt in the area.

This classic 1933 monster movie is a re-telling of the Beauty and the Beast story. Under heavy secrecy, a film crew sails to an uncharted island in the Indian Ocean. No-one on board except the filmmaker knows their exact mission-but the ship is heavily laden with ammunition and there is talk of Kong, a monster or spirit that holds the island in 'the grip of deadly fear'. The movie producer is Carl Denham (Armstrong), famous for his up-close and personal films of dangerous animals. He has brought along Ann (Wray), a beautiful orphan girl, to act as the leading lady-and as bait.

Kong turns out to be a giant ape, inhabiting an island which evolution forgot. He takes a fancy to Ann and carries her off into the jungle, killing most of the crew who try to follow him and battling an array of prehistoric creatures. When the ship's armoury is brought into play, Kong is captured and shipped back to appear on Broadway, billed as 'The Eighth Wonder of the World'. Unimpressed with his lack of royalties, Kong escapes and rampages through New York, determined to wreak his revenge on his tormentors.

Although made over sixty years ago, the film uses stop-motion animation to terrifying effect. In addition, the giant ape with a soft spot for blondes wins our sympathy as he is dragged from his natural habitat and paraded on Broadway. Modern monster movies with their bloated special effects budgets may come and go, but King Kong remains a masterpiece.