''Kong Island'' (original

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

title: ''Eva, la Venere selvaggia''; translated as ''Eva, the Savage Venus'') is a

1968 The year was highlighted by protests and other unrests that occurred worldwide. Events January–February * January 5 – "Prague Spring": Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. * Januar ...

jungle

adventure film An adventure film is a form of adventure fiction, and is a genre of film. Subgenres of adventure films include swashbuckler films, pirate films, and survival films. Adventure films may also be combined with other film genres such as action, an ...

(with a

science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...

element) directed by

Roberto Mauri Roberto Mauri (born 1924) is an Italian actor, director and screenwriter. Life and career Born Giuseppe Tagliavia in Castelvetrano, Trapani, Mauri began his career as a film actor in low-budget films, occasionally even playing main roles. He d ...

(billed as Robert Morris). The film was promoted in the U.S. as ''King of Kong Island''.

Plot synopsis

The story takes place in the jungles of

Kenya ) , national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

and its capital city

Nairobi Nairobi ( ) is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The name is derived from the Maasai phrase ''Enkare Nairobi'', which translates to "place of cool waters", a reference to the Nairobi River which flows through the city. The city proper ha ...

. Despite the English-language title, there is no island (and no " Kong"). Mad scientist Albert Muller is experimenting with small radio transmitters implanted in the brains of

gorilla Gorillas are herbivorous, predominantly ground-dwelling great apes that inhabit the tropical forests of equatorial Africa. The genus ''Gorilla'' is divided into two species: the eastern gorilla and the western gorilla, and either four or fi ...

s that control their minds. These are test subjects with the ultimate goal of doing this to humans. Diana, the daughter of bar owner Theodore (no last name is mentioned), is abducted by apes under Muller's control during a safari. A rescue team led by mercenary adventurer Burt Dawson (

Brad Harris Bradford Harris (July 16, 1933 – November 7, 2017) was an American actor, stuntman, and executive producer. He appeared in a variety of roles in over 50 films, mostly in European productions. He was an inductee in the Stuntman's Hall of Fame ...

) heads into the jungle to find her. Hostile natives attack his group, and Burt is captured along the way. After he escapes, Burt meets a legendary white

jungle girl A jungle girl (so-called, but usually adult woman) is an archetype or stock character, often used in popular fiction, of a female adventurer, superhero or even a damsel in distress living in a jungle or rainforest setting. An alternate depiction i ...

the natives call the Sacred Monkey (In the English dubbed version, he first calls her Eve, but later everyone refers to her as Eva). Eva is a Tarzan-like orphan who grew up alone in the jungle. She wears only a leather loincloth, and her waist-length black hair covers her breasts. She does not speak English but can communicate with animals and has a pet

chimpanzee The chimpanzee (''Pan troglodytes''), also known as simply the chimp, is a species of great ape native to the forest and savannah of tropical Africa. It has four confirmed subspecies and a fifth proposed subspecies. When its close relative th ...

. She has one of Diana's bracelets and eventually leads Burt to a cave where she is being held prisoner by Muller. This is where the final conflict and resolution takes place. Unlike virtually every other film which features a jungle girl character, this story concentrates on Burt and his love interest Diana, with Eva confined to a marginal supporting role. Kong: Skull Island (2017) was theatrically released on March 10, 2017, to generally positive reviews from critics, with praise for its visual effects, action sequences, and performances, particularly Jackson and Reilly. It was also a box office success, grossing $566 million worldwide, becoming the highest grossing

Cast

as Burt Dawson * Esmeralda Barros as Eve *

Marc Lawrence Marc Lawrence (born Max Goldsmith; February 17, 1910 – November 28, 2005) was an American character actor who specialized in underworld types. He has also been credited as F. A. Foss, Marc Laurence and Marc C. Lawrence. Early life Lawrence w ...

as Albert Muller * Ursula Davis as Diana * Adriana Alben as Ursula * Marc Fiorini (credited as Mark Farran) as Robert * Aldo Cecconi as Theodore * Paolo Magalotti as Peter * Mario Donatone as Forrester * Gianni Pulone

Legacy

Contrary to popular belief, this film has nothing to do with

King Kong King Kong is a fictional giant monster resembling a gorilla, who has appeared in various media since 1933. He has been dubbed The Eighth Wonder of the World, a phrase commonly used within the franchise. His first appearance was in the novelizat ...

and does not take place on an island. The film is in the

public domain The public domain (PD) consists of all the creative work A creative work is a manifestation of creative effort including fine artwork (sculpture, paintings, drawing, sketching, performance art), dance, writing (literature), filmmaking, ...

References

External links

''Eva, la Venere selvaggia (1968)''
a
DBCult Film Institute
* * {{YouTube, uBSfRvxLPdA, ''Kong Island'' complete film available 1968 films 1960s science fiction adventure films 1960s Italian-language films Films directed by Roberto Mauri Films set in Kenya Mad scientist films Films about apes 1960s exploitation films Jungle girls Italian science fiction adventure films Films scored by Roberto Pregadio 1960s Italian films

Plot synopsis

Cast

Legacy

See also

References

External links