Steiner: King Kong

March of Kong

     

Max Steiner's score to the 1933 "King Kong" was ground-breaking. Film scores were often temporary in the silent-film days. In the new age of sound, scores were off to a shaky start. "King Kong" didn't suffer from this. Steiner wrote a rich, strong score: jarring, triumphant, sad, and amazing. To be fair, the Moscow Symphony Orchestra can only do so much in their re-production. It doesn't sound exactly as it did when watching the movie, but that's due to the time difference of sound-recording capabilities. It isn't like certain other re-productions where notes are slowed or sped by the conductor's choice. William Stromberg has matched the original score production note for note. On top of this high praise, the score is a staggering six dollars. Six dollars! For six dollars you get one of the greatest scores from the old days. James Newton Howard has some big shoes to fill for the upcoming remake's score, because the original is phenomenal.