KING KONG (1976) Soundtrack Score Suite (John Barry)

[Ways2BWicked]

I'm a fan of all 3 KK films but I have to say that King Kong 1976 is my absolute guilty pleasure. It is okay but it introduced to us to Jessica Lange, a bearded Jeff Bridges, and a very memorable John Barry soundtrack. Need I say more?

[Ways2BWicked]

This is fantastic, thanks!

[zooshipcaptain]

I am a very big fan of Jerry Goldsmith, but I must admit that John Barry's Kong is probably the oldest fantastic/S-F masterpiece of the movie history ( because at this time, the Jerry's soundtracks were less melodious ).

[Cropsy25]

im a big fan of all 3 films but the 76 version may just be my favorite, i know they do things a little differently but theres just something about it and the musical scores in this films are by far the best of the 3.

[Bimmicus]

No one cry when the shark die... but when Konk die, people gonna cry.

[themegafred1]

THE BEST KONG'S FILM....EVER...SORRY PETER JACKSON....BUT THIS HAVE MORE MAGIC....!

[ATVmidlands5581]

classic film score. knocks spots off the 2005 debacle. Mr Barry was prolific in wonderful themes.

ATVmidlands

[Russell230870]

Considering the scale of the film, i though barry would've nailed this but this is one of his more disappointing scores,not that's it's bad, it ain't at all but given Barry usually delivered amazing work this just doesn't quite gel with me, all his stracks from the late 70's-early 80's were all amazing but this ranks as my least favourite, has it's moments though.

[Mokkari77]

@Russell230870

Barry began composing the score when the film was still unfinished and had to write the music reel by reel as they were completing it.

[RDJ1109]

@Russell230870 I respect your opinion but I couldn't disagree more. I think the movie was okay. (not great but not bad) I felt the score was a high point. If king Kong ever came and ripped the roof off my house I think this would be the music playing in the background.

[peternoer]

@RDJ1109 and Rick Baker said in interview that he built a better Gorilla suit than the one they insisted he wear. Like the one he wore in Kentucky Fried Movie. Longer arms & such..



[am2boni]

Love the compliation and editing!!! SWEET!!!!!!!!! My favorite soundtrack from John Barry! RIP!!!

[ToddB987]

I love the theme around 4:48. It sounds so majestic. Awesome.

[ToddB987]

I love the theme around 5:25. It sounds so majestic. Awesome.

[crdom12the]

I loved John Barry's work. Whether it was Kong, Bond, Somewhere in Time, Dances With Wolves, etc., his style was Barry's. Melodic love themes, strong brass action pieces, mighty string accompaniment. I love the original Kong and liked this version very much. It has become a cult film now. King Kong Lives: awful! Very disappointed in the 2005 version. Bad acting and miscast. Jack Black is no Robert Armstrong! And why was Jack Driscoll turned from a strong first mate into a wimpy writer? Oy vay!

[eyork9]

@crdom12the what did you think about the music in the 2005 version by James Newton Howard??? I thought it was pretty good!

[OhhFoolish1]

Crazy when i think about it.I was about 8 years old and i got this soundtrack from my uncle on 8 track.I was so proud because it was the first piece of music that i ever owned and it was mine.Thanks for the upload thanks for the memory of being a young 8 year old lad again.

[cafedumonde22]

thinking back to the music. I remember tape recording '76 from a scrambled TV channel and hiding behind the house to listen to John Barry and the sound effects...and wanting to be Kong. Been playing this particular album for the last two weeks or so(best way to hear it) and many other John Barry records.. Kong always was my favorite of his many themes. didnt realize his passing...very sad

[cafedumonde22]

@RDJ1109 You are correct...both movies are on different levels. Kong 76 and SW were intense experiences in the theater. I was 10 ..loved reading Famous Monsters. Issue #134 had negative things that were said about Rick Baker's artwork in '76 incuding a damning by the editor himself! In'77 issue #138.. many negative comments were publish about SW(..too much like W of Oz,, boring plotline, ect.) i was furious at these movie critics tearing up my beloved SW and Kong...only comparision i was ref.

[Alexander78Mr]

John Barry Prendergast (3 November 1933- 30 January 2011) RIP.

[RDJ1109]

Saw this movie for the first time in 88 when I was about 5 years old. To this day its still my favorite version of the movie. I understand why others may not like it but even they have to admit this is the best music of any version. 2005 version blew the big one. A guy in a king kong outfit is a hell of a lot more scary than a computer animation kong.

[EmpireLS56KW]

This Kong Score Has Mighty Touching Feeling.

R.I.P. John Barry

[ChanceRooney7]

R.I.P.

[MrDuffyduck75]

RIP he was a great man

[MrDuffyduck75]

RIP

[Polyphemus47]

Rest in peace, dear John. You've given us so much.

[suswil]

A fantastic score from a man with such a wonderous body of work to listen to. If I had to choose then this is one of my favourites. I bought the soundtrack LP in 1976 and still love it! It fitted the film perfectly, which a great score should. John Barry has always been appreciated for his music. He's one of the most famous film composers of the past 50 years!

[CelesteHart]

Who would write such scores today?

[cafedumonde22]

I always liked that the '76Kong was placed in a modern tale. Jackson's doc. on his Kong states his love of this version and places many homages to this movie in his film...Famous Monsters of Filmland devoted a long article to the cheers and jeers in '76. Many posts here remind me of this issue. Star Wars also had many critics but it lives on today just as Dino's Kong will!

[RDJ1109]

@cafedumonde22 Ooh. I like the 76 version the best myself but hard to see how it could ever be compared to Star Wars. Most people today dont even know theres a 1976 version of the movie. Even the most non nerdy people today know about Star Wars.

[priestpega]

Dino DeLaurentis ruined King Kong with this John Guillermin travesty. I couldn't believe in 1976 how stupid and clumsy this movie was made. The only two good things it had: the music & Jessica Lange.

[BRUCEFOREVER1]

For me that is the best King Kong movie, whit one of the best theme of all time.

[mrliteman]

This is a highly underrated film that got a bad rap over time from sci-fi geeks and dumb critics. It was a major box office hit (#3 for '76), mostly favored by critics at the time, and won an Oscar for visual effects. They were state-of-the-art and quite an accomplishment at the time - 1976! The score is great, one of my all time favorites, the range from romance to epic terror! The story a very clever update. Superior acting. And the WTC as never before and never again depicted on screen.

[am2boni]

Back for more! A pure Classic! Love John Barry and King Kong!!! Thanks again!

[Krazy3912]

Kidchair....

Spot from "The Munsters." (even Herman himself let out a similar roar in one episode).

Jaws from "Jaws the Revenge."

And episode from Tom & Jerry where Jerry Mouse didn't approve of Tom spanking Jerry's nephew.

A cartoon episode from Samson & Goliath where they took on some undersea prehistoric monster.

That's all I can think of at the moment.

[Triskanivious]

@ L-helmchen76: Can you sir please upload Blackout in New York/ How about buying me a drink...And also Breakout to Captivity. These are the best songs on the soundtrack and sadlly they are missing on youtube.

[Cropsy25]

i loved all 3 versions of king kong but this one had the best musical scores out of all of them and thats one of the most important things in a good movie having a great musical score.

[Alexander78Mr]

Agostino (Dino) De Laurentiis (8 August 1919- 11 November 2010), RIP.

[Fckstyre]

1976 Versions rocks.. i love the gambling of making af King Kong movie with a new story and the absolutely best ind this movie is that its story goes on in present time.70s/ not like the 2005 that are in the period of the 30´s like the original. hate old days on film. all to all a much more modern king kong.. 10/10

[poole1200]

can any 1 tell me where 2 find this soundtrack

[palamud]

@poole1200

meg^up|0ad d0t c0m/?d=IGMVQYV6

[Kooshmeister3]

Does anyone know why the music from the log scene and from the scene where they're searching the woods wasn't included on any of the soundtracks?

[alexalex3131]

Different, but as good a soundtrack as the historic '33 one. But both the '33 and the Jackson verson got something very wrong. Carl Denom was responsible for hundreds of deaths on both Skull Island and NYC because of his lust for money and glory and this point was totally ignored at the end of the film. But in this version Denom, played by Charles Grodin was a greedy SOB oil exec (BP, anyone?) who got his just deserts and from the Big Guy himself! Wildly underrated movie!

[CodyZamboni]

I love this soundtrack. So amazing. As cheesy as movie is, I prefer it 1000% of Peter Jackson's 2005 version

[crazyharpsicord]

I liked the movie although I would say that for me the score by John Barry is the best aspect of it. I used to have it on record a loooooooooonnnng time ago. Amazing for me to hear it now on here. Thanks so much to Lordhelmchen76.  I will need to get off my duff and order this online, as well as Pino Dinaggio's amazing music for The Howling.

[somedaywewillflyaway]

Great mix.

[chopperpilot5]

i have mixed feeling about this film. Alot of the directing is pretty good, and the soundtrack is fenaminal. But the visual effects could have been better, and the story could have been less about Kong loving lang. IDK. I give this movie three out of four stars anyways.

[supergodzilla12]

@chopperpilot5 - i have to disagree with both of your negitive points. the love plot was really the point of the film. i can see why people dont like it, but i thought it was genuis. and about the special effects, they were great for their time, but often gets left in the dark due to the fact that star wars was released a mear six months later.

[chopperpilot5]

@supergodzilla12 I know more about movies than u think. infact I'm a paid historian. I just thought this film could have been a little better than wat it was.

[supergodzilla12]

@chopperpilot5 - i was just sharing my thoughts. each to their own, right?

[chopperpilot5]

@supergodzilla12 lol true

[knightflyte]

@supergodzilla12 I thought the matte effects for KK76 were horrible. Jeff Bridges in the log cavern had glaring matte problems. The set design was horrible. With the exception of the wall the whole island was a travesty. Why have a lush island (aka Hawaii) and then this fake Styrofoam looking interior? I know it's a fantasy movie, but really? I was taken out of the movie so often because of pitiful effects and sets.

Barry's score and Rick Bakers mask work were the only good in KK76.

[khalsasikh]

@knightflyte What are you talking about? This film was made in 1976. It was awesome for the time period in which it debuted. Nowdays everything is created with a damn computer. This film was very well made with the materials and resources that existed during this time. Don't watch it if you don't like it. As for the soundtrack, it is many times better than the latest King Kong. John Barry has created many memorable soundtracks.

[knightflyte]

@khalsasikh

I did admit Barry's score was a highlight of the movie. Matte effects have been around since the twenties. You'd figure with 50 years or so, KK76 would have got them right. Sorry. I see that as a glaring issue.

I don't have any problem with people enjoying the movie. I'm glad someone get's a kick outta Kong. For me - when I saw KK76 in Dec that year I was disappointed.

For ME the sets were a travesty. Different strokes and all that.

Keep enjoying KK76, khalsasikh. ;o)

[khalsasikh]

@knightflyte Oh, I have enjoyed it and will continue to do so. As for anything being a travesty on this set, I saw it when I was 6 years old, so I didn't have anything to compare it to at the time. As for matte effects, well, I can't think of a movie from the 20s that exemplifies what you are talking about. Star Wars came out in 1977 and Star Trek the Movie came out in 1980. Both these movies had a much higher budget, but the effects were not out of this world at all, no pun intended.

[knightflyte]

@khalsasikh

John Barry passed away today. Despite my quibbles about KK76, Barry's score is terrific. RiP.

[khalsasikh]

@knightflyte Sad how some great people are not appreciated until after they are gone. Oh, well. I never believed quibbles anyway. I always thought John Barry was great.

[Kidchair]

Awesome. Anyone know where to find some good clips of Kong roaring, similar to what's that the start of this?

[supergodzilla12]

@Kidchair - all i can really say is to look for the film (on DVD or otherwise)

[Kidchair]

@supergodzilla12 Yeah that's my best bet I think, can't find those sound effects anywhere.

[supergodzilla12]

@Kidchair - if your lucky, you can find it for about five bucks during the halloween season, (i really don't know what kong has to do with halloween)so unless you can find a really good deal, id wait until then. (im only saying that because of the price, not the film itself)

[Cristomondi]

Biguer,Beautifull.........

[thx291]

4:49 - my favorite part.

[am2boni]

A classic!! I have always loved KING KONG since seeing it as a young boy back in the 70's at the movie theater!!! I fell in love with John Barry's score!!! A beautiful classic!!! Love the pics and mixing!! Thanks for sharing!!! Carry On!!!

[leandro00000000007]

i love this score.

[jayce79]

Great intro man! Nice upload. 5 stars.

[nowatout]

Great soundtrack , serious music

[siltor67]

awesome soundtrack from the great John Barry!!!