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(More customer reviews)The third in a trio of films by Merian Cooper, Ernest Schoedsack and Willis O'Brien's featuring giant apes , "Mighty Joe Young" has a heart of gold. He's a big ape with a soft spot for Jill Young (Terry Moore) that raised him. Promoter and nightclub owner Max O'Hara (Robert Armstrong from "King Kong") and Gregg a cowboy from Texas (Ben Johnson)attack the 18 foot tall Gorilla when they first encounter him in the wilds of Africa. When they discover he can be friendly and that he's only protecting his turf, O'Hara sees Young as the lynchpin for his new nightclub. O'Hara convinces Jill to take Joe to New York for his nightclub based around an African theme.
Featuring dazzling effects that echo "Kong", "Young" may not have the amazing look of the previous film but the dazzling mix of animation and live action done by Ray Harryhausen under O'Brien's direction looks pretty impressive even today. While the story might be a little slow initially for modern audiences, it has a wonderful pay off and an ending that beats the remake by a mile.
Warner has done a terrific job of transfering "Joe" to DVD. The grain isn't quite as bad as "Kong" (the source material was, no doubt, in better shape)and Warner has restored the color to the fire sequence bringing the film close to its original glory. The commentary track features legendary animator Ray Harryhausen (who did much of the hands on animation), actress Terry Moore and visual effects Ken Ralston discussing the making of the film. There are also a duo of great extras. The Chiodo Brothers animators currently working in the industry interview Harryhausen about the effects work on the film. "Ray Harryhausen and Mighty Joe Young" takes a glimpse back to Harryhausen's work on this pivotal film with O'Brien (and the only film to win O'Brien and his crew an Oscar for visual effects). We also ge the original theatrical trailer as an added bonus.
A classic finally gets the restoration and loving care it deserves.
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A slick nightclub owner (King Kong veteran Robert Armstrong) discovers the giant ape frolicking in Africa as the beloved pet of a young girl (Terry Moore). He brings both to Hollywood as a floor-show sensation, until some no-goods ply Joe with booze and the blitzed behemoth goes bonkers. Highlights such as Armstrong's henchmen trying to lasso Joe cowpoke style, Joe playing tug-of-war with musclemen and plenty of Joe-to-the-rescue action make Mighty Joe Young mighty fine entertainment. DVD Features:Audio Commentary:Commentary by Ray Harryhausen, Terry Moore and Ken Ralston Featurette:A Conversation with Ray Harryhausen and the Chiodo Brothers; Ray Harryhausen and Mighty Joe Young Theatrical Trailer
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