King Kong Lives (1986)

Ten years ago, the great ape King Kong fell from the top of the World Trade Center in New York – but he did not die, as most people believed. Kong was placed on life support in a coma at the state-of-the-art Atlanta Institute and cared for by pioneering heart surgeon Dr Amy Franklin (Linda Hamilton).

Kong’s heart is finally giving out and he needs a blood transfusion so he can undergo surgery for the implantation of an artificial heart – but where is Dr Franklin going to find a compatible, giant ape?

As luck would have it, Hank Mitchell (Brian Kerwin) is hunting in Borneo when he encounters a giant, friendly female ape and befriends her. He negotiates for ‘Lady Kong’ to be returned to the US and assist with the transfusion.

After the difficult surgery – which is conducted with giant-sized surgical tools and a forklift truck! – King Kong awakes and detects the nearby presence of Lady Kong. He escapes from captivity and liberates his female counterpart.

The two giant apes mate in the wild but the Army wants them destroyed, fearing the two primates represent a danger to the population.

John Guillermin directed the 1976 King Kong film and returns at the helm of this belated sequel, but the concept is ridiculous, the script poor and the special effects inferior. And there is no Jeff Bridges or Jessica Lange this time.

King Kong
Peter Elliott
Lady Kong
George Antoni
Hank Mitchell
Brian Kerwin
Amy Franklin
Linda Hamilton
Lt. Col. R.T. Nevitt
John Ashton
Dr Andrew Ingersoll
Peter Michael Goetz
Dr Benson Hughes
Frank Maraden

Director
John Guillermin
Charles McCracken