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Author Topic: Konga
Lee Mannering
Film God

Posts: 3216
From: The Projection Box
Registered: Nov 2006

- posted May 15, 2013 08:01 AM      Profile for Lee Mannering     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
KONGA 1961
200ft Super 8 colour sound
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Costing around $500,000 to be made Konga was a film which starred Michael Gough, Jess Conrad and the delightful Claire Gordon. The film is often branded a rip off of King Kong but actually has nothing to do with it as it is actually about a mad scientist who creates a giant ape from a chimp through a series of injections. The growing ape gets a surprise additional injection from a jealous woman in love with the scientist and gets even bigger, the ape that is. In time it runs rampant smashing up the house and you’ll have to get of the film to find out the ending. Disappointingly Jess Conrad has been cut from this nice little 200ftr but the editing does follow the key elements of the story and we get to see Konga do his stuff. As we expect from Ken Films the usual annoying voice over is present telling us what we can see on screen but this can be rectified by a spot of audio re-recording.

The print.
The super 8 print is sharp and with crisp sound coming in a delightful box with colourful artwork. Konga seems to have a healthy following amongst collectors and does seem to fetch quite high prices when a good copy becomes available. A popular and collectable 200ft film this which retains the storyline.

It was available in colour sound and also black and white.

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Link flickrhivemind.net/Tags/konga,movie/Interesting

[ May 16, 2013, 08:13 AM: Message edited by: Lee Mannering ]

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Douglas Meltzer
Moderator

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From: New York, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

- posted May 15, 2013 08:21 AM      Profile for Douglas Meltzer   Email Douglas Meltzer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
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Thanks Lee!

Doug

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I think there's room for just one more film.....

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Osi Osgood
Film God

Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005

- posted May 15, 2013 12:30 PM      Profile for Osi Osgood   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
One of those terrible films that's so terrible that it's good!

ThanX 4 the review!

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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "

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Lee Mannering
Film God

Posts: 3216
From: The Projection Box
Registered: Nov 2006

- posted May 15, 2013 12:37 PM      Profile for Lee Mannering     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I know what you mean Osi. It will be better when I have completed my Stereo sound re-mastering which will add that little extra to it.

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Osi Osgood
Film God

Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005

- posted May 15, 2013 12:58 PM      Profile for Osi Osgood   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
But oh, that doctor tries OH so hard! (and she was such a looker! It's no wonder that the doctor acts more beastly than Konga ever did!) [Smile]

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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "

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Hugh Thompson Scott
Film God

Posts: 3063
From: Gt. Clifton,Cumbria,England
Registered: Jan 2012

- posted May 15, 2013 01:14 PM      Profile for Hugh Thompson Scott   Email Hugh Thompson Scott       Edit/Delete Post 
Played by the late Michael Gough,who seemed to specialise in
evil/murdering types, and who in real life was a very gentle soul.
He did say his children were "ragged" at school with his line in
the film "Konga,put me down!" for years.

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Lee Mannering
Film God

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From: The Projection Box
Registered: Nov 2006

- posted May 15, 2013 02:42 PM      Profile for Lee Mannering     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
This is quite an interesting view..

http://youtu.be/ckmDW0zkmdA

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Hugh Thompson Scott
Film God

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From: Gt. Clifton,Cumbria,England
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- posted May 15, 2013 03:07 PM      Profile for Hugh Thompson Scott   Email Hugh Thompson Scott       Edit/Delete Post 
Is that the print from Bd- cine Lee?

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Lee Mannering
Film God

Posts: 3216
From: The Projection Box
Registered: Nov 2006

- posted May 16, 2013 03:04 AM      Profile for Lee Mannering     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Hi Hugh. Nope. Did just have a look and they sold that one as well, must have been the SpectaMation. Konga lives!
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Allan Broadfield
Master Film Handler

Posts: 452
From: Bromley, Kent
Registered: Nov 2010

- posted May 16, 2013 07:00 AM      Profile for Allan Broadfield   Author's Homepage   Email Allan Broadfield   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I must get a check on my constant reminiscing, but can't help remembering (again) my early years as a cinema projectionist. This time at the Forum Fulham road, and our larger than normal poster of 'Konga'. Most films became repetitious after a few days, but I remember this one pretty clearly. I don't recall big crowds, but there were certainly some laughs in unexpected places, especially the bit with poor old Mike Gough shouting helplessly in the hands of his simian pal.

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Lee Mannering
Film God

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From: The Projection Box
Registered: Nov 2006

- posted May 16, 2013 07:17 AM      Profile for Lee Mannering     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Really interesting your recollections Allan of projecting the film at the flicks. As I delve deeper into its history it turns out the ape suit used in the movie appeared in a number of films and was only on hire to the production team from George Barrows its owner come ape man which was particularly interesting to find out. I’m tempted to get an ape suit now ready for the BFCC and see they are readily available.
[Cool] [Cool]
On another tack there is much scope to include a monster fest at our UK conventions so hopefully someone will pick up the baton and put a programme of films together.

The Super 8 sound box
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Completely unaware of this until a few minutes ago but ironically Konga sees its British DVD release this month!
£7.25 Amazon.

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[ May 16, 2013, 08:26 AM: Message edited by: Lee Mannering ]

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Allan Broadfield
Master Film Handler

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From: Bromley, Kent
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- posted May 16, 2013 08:34 AM      Profile for Allan Broadfield   Author's Homepage   Email Allan Broadfield   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
You've raised my interest now, Lee. Just bought from Amazon as an 'MGM double bill' (NTSC) with 'Yonsary, monster from the deep', apparently a Korean horror, for £2.70. A bargain!

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Hugh Thompson Scott
Film God

Posts: 3063
From: Gt. Clifton,Cumbria,England
Registered: Jan 2012

- posted May 16, 2013 12:22 PM      Profile for Hugh Thompson Scott   Email Hugh Thompson Scott       Edit/Delete Post 
I'll hazard a guess it was the same suit in "Black Zoo", another
Herman Cohen quickie from Allied Artists with Michael Gough
again in fine form.If you're after gorilla suits Lee,hope you have better luck than TVs Victor Meldrew from "One Foot in the Grave",
he ended up with two of them, and all he wanted was an evening
suit!

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Lee Mannering
Film God

Posts: 3216
From: The Projection Box
Registered: Nov 2006

- posted May 17, 2013 03:05 AM      Profile for Lee Mannering     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
He know what you mean Hugh.

Publicity still of Jess Conrad with our hero and a Lambretta scooter.

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The delightful Claire Gordon
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Thomas Smith
Master Film Handler

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From: Barking, Essex, UK
Registered: Dec 2009

- posted May 17, 2013 05:03 PM      Profile for Thomas Smith     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Was this available from derann as a feature ?

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t.smith

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Hugh Thompson Scott
Film God

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From: Gt. Clifton,Cumbria,England
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- posted May 17, 2013 05:29 PM      Profile for Hugh Thompson Scott   Email Hugh Thompson Scott       Edit/Delete Post 
Not as far as I'm aware Thomas,unless someone knows better.
Derann did sell a few imported prints,so it might have been one
of them,but it doesn't ring any bells.Prints do crop up on 16mm.

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Lee Mannering
Film God

Posts: 3216
From: The Projection Box
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- posted May 18, 2013 04:02 AM      Profile for Lee Mannering     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Never made Super 8mm feature that I know of. [Frown]

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Allan Broadfield
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From: Bromley, Kent
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- posted May 29, 2013 12:05 AM      Profile for Allan Broadfield   Author's Homepage   Email Allan Broadfield   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
My £2.70 MGM double bill DVD from Amazon (previously mentioned in this column) featuring 'Yonsary, monster from the deep' and 'Konga' was excellent quality.If you like cheaply made man in monster suit films,'Yonsary' is definitely for you.

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Hugh Thompson Scott
Film God

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From: Gt. Clifton,Cumbria,England
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- posted May 29, 2013 01:13 AM      Profile for Hugh Thompson Scott   Email Hugh Thompson Scott       Edit/Delete Post 
There seems to be a following of films of men in rubber suits with
big tails, one time it would have meant a visit from the cops!

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Lee Mannering
Film God

Posts: 3216
From: The Projection Box
Registered: Nov 2006

- posted July 03, 2013 09:06 AM      Profile for Lee Mannering     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Well its done yay!
Finally finished the stereo audio re-mastering on Konga and it makes for quite a difference when projected. Don’t want to overdo the technical stuff but in-between splitting fades, adding additional effects where needed and a bit of trickery the stereo effect was quite nice in the final down mix to 8mm stripe. I pushed in a little db bass rumble for Konga’s calls and it all sounds rather good if I say it myself. Some of the voices I faded left and right when required and even Claire Gordon is coming out of both ears! So, Konga is not just on super 8, he is also in

‘Kongaphonic Stereo Sound’

bless him.

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Hugh Thompson Scott
Film God

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From: Gt. Clifton,Cumbria,England
Registered: Jan 2012

- posted July 03, 2013 10:35 AM      Profile for Hugh Thompson Scott   Email Hugh Thompson Scott       Edit/Delete Post 
Kongaratulations Lee on a job well done.

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Lee Mannering
Film God

Posts: 3216
From: The Projection Box
Registered: Nov 2006

- posted July 03, 2013 12:09 PM      Profile for Lee Mannering     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Thanks Hugh and probably the most rewarding film I have had a go at. Rebuilding or upgrading old sound tracks is another fun part of the hobby plus it is nice to squeeze the max from super 8 stereo sound stripe. Happy days!

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Lee Mannering
Film God

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From: The Projection Box
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- posted September 13, 2013 03:21 AM      Profile for Lee Mannering     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
The end of my Konga story..
At long last I got to meet Jess Conrad star of Konga and it was a memorable experience. Chatting to him I eventually produced my super 8 film box which he had never seen before and kindly signed the back of it for me which completes this particular collectors item. Funny the impact one super 8 film can have on you but it’s been great fun and the film is now tucked away in the archive.
Happy days!
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Adrian Winchester
Film God

Posts: 2941
From: Croydon, London, UK
Registered: Aug 2004

- posted September 15, 2013 07:50 AM      Profile for Adrian Winchester     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Excellent pic! It's nice for celebrities to know that some of us had the means to enjoy their work at home before the days of video!

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Adrian Winchester

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Brad Kimball
Phenomenal Film Handler

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From: Highland Mills, NY USA
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- posted January 02, 2014 08:08 PM      Profile for Brad Kimball   Email Brad Kimball   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I remember how I would search for weeks in the camera shops for this title and when I finally got it I was so disappointed. This was often the case with the KEN 200'ers for me. The box always turned out to be more exciting than what was on the reel. I always kept hope that my luck would change. It did with "Taste The Blood Of Dracula", "Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed" and "Planet Of The Apes", but that's it so far.

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