8mm Forum: Konga

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Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on May 15, 2013, 08:01 AM:

KONGA 1961
200ft Super 8 colour sound

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.

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

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

Posted by Douglas Meltzer (Member # 28) on May 15, 2013, 08:21 AM:

Thanks Lee!

Doug

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on May 15, 2013, 12:30 PM:

One of those terrible films that's so terrible that it's good!

ThanX 4 the review!

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on May 15, 2013, 12:37 PM:

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.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on May 15, 2013, 12:58 PM:

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]

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on May 15, 2013, 01:14 PM:

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.

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on May 15, 2013, 02:42 PM:

This is quite an interesting view..

http://youtu.be/ckmDW0zkmdA

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on May 15, 2013, 03:07 PM:

Is that the print from Bd- cine Lee?

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on May 16, 2013, 03:04 AM:

Hi Hugh. Nope. Did just have a look and they sold that one as well, must have been the SpectaMation. Konga lives!

Posted by Allan Broadfield (Member # 2298) on May 16, 2013, 07:00 AM:

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.

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on May 16, 2013, 07:17 AM:

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]

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

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

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

Posted by Allan Broadfield (Member # 2298) on May 16, 2013, 08:34 AM:

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!

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on May 16, 2013, 12:22 PM:

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!

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on May 17, 2013, 03:05 AM:

He know what you mean Hugh.

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

The delightful Claire Gordon

Posted by Thomas Smith (Member # 1889) on May 17, 2013, 05:03 PM:

Was this available from derann as a feature ?

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on May 17, 2013, 05:29 PM:

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.

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on May 18, 2013, 04:02 AM:

Never made Super 8mm feature that I know of. [Frown]

Posted by Allan Broadfield (Member # 2298) on May 29, 2013, 12:05 AM:

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.

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on May 29, 2013, 01:13 AM:

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!

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on July 03, 2013, 09:06 AM:

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.

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on July 03, 2013, 10:35 AM:

Kongaratulations Lee on a job well done.

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on July 03, 2013, 12:09 PM:

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!

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on September 13, 2013, 03:21 AM:

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!

Posted by Adrian Winchester (Member # 248) on September 15, 2013, 07:50 AM:

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!

Posted by Brad Kimball (Member # 5) on January 02, 2014, 08:08 PM:

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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