The First Movie I Saw in Theaters: For 83 Years, This Great Classic Remains Morgan Freeman's Favorite Film
At 88 years old, Morgan Freeman has never changed his mind: his favorite film remains a classic released in 1933. Discovered at just 6 years old in theaters, this fantastic and revolutionary masterpiece continues to fascinate the actor more than 90 years after its release.
At 88 years old, Morgan Freeman has never changed his mind: his favorite film remains a classic released in 1933. Discovered at just 6 years old in theaters, this fantastic and revolutionary masterpiece continues to fascinate the actor more than 90 years after its release.
At 89 years old, Morgan Freeman can boast of having traversed several generations of cinema. From The Shawshank Redemption to Seven, including Unforgiven, Driving Miss Daisy, and Invictus, the actor has taken on numerous iconic roles throughout an exceptional career. But when it comes to discussing his own tastes as a viewer, one film stands out clearly above the rest.
In 2011, Morgan Freeman participated in an exercise proposed by Rotten Tomatoes: revealing the five feature films he considers his favorites. Among the works mentioned were High Noon, Moulin Rouge, The Outlaw Josey Wales, and Moby Dick.
Denis Guignebourg / Bestimage
However, none of these titles holds the top spot in his heart. The actor revealed that his choice is a monument of the seventh art released in the early 1930s.
"My favorite movie is the first one I saw in theaters; I was 6 years old, and it’s the original King Kong. It’s still, I think, the best King Kong,” he confided.
A Myth of Adventure Cinema
More than nine decades after its release, Ernest B. Schoedsack and Merian C. Cooper's King Kong, made in 1933, continues to captivate movie lovers and remains one of the essential references in the fantasy and adventure genre.
Its influence has transcended eras, inspiring several new versions, including the 1976 adaptation featuring Jeff Bridges and the remake directed by Peter Jackson in 2005.
The story follows Ann Darrow, a young actress played by Fay Wray, whose career is at a standstill. Spotted by filmmaker Carl Denham, she boards the Venture to participate in the shooting of a mysterious film. The ship heads to Skull Island, an isolated island where the inhabitants worship a gigantic creature known as King Kong.
During the journey, Ann grows closer to John Driscoll, the ship's first mate. But upon their arrival on the island, events take a dramatic turn. Captured by the natives, the young woman is chosen as a sacrifice for the legendary gorilla. Despite the intervention of her companions, Kong seizes her and disappears into the jungle, prompting Denham and his team to pursue him.
RKO Radio Pictures
A Technical Revolution for Its Time
King Kong has remained in history also thanks to its innovative special effects. To bring the famous gorilla to life, the directors enlisted Willis O’Brien, already renowned for his spectacular work on The Lost World in 1925.
Contrary to popular belief, no actor ever portrayed Kong in a costume. The character was animated using models filmed frame by frame, a stop-motion technique perfected by O’Brien that would later influence specialists like Ray Harryhausen.
A Shoot Conducted Day and Night
The film's production spanned an entire year. The King Kong sequences were filmed at night on Stage 11 of the RKO studios in Culver City, California.
Meanwhile, the same set hosted the daytime shooting of The Most Dangerous Game. This was a particularly demanding organization for Ernest B. Schoedsack and Fay Wray, involved in both productions and forced to shoot nearly without interruption.
Nearly a hundred years after its release, King Kong remains an absolute reference in fantasy cinema. A pioneering masterpiece that has left a lasting mark on the history of the seventh art and retains a special place in Morgan Freeman's memory.
King Kong (1933) is now available for viewing on Molotov TV and SFR Play, as well as on VOD.