The first King Kong movie, it's an American black and white adventure fantasy film directed by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack. Starring Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong, and Bruce Cabot, it tells the story of a giant ape brought to New York City from a mysterious island. The original film is famous for its pioneering special effects, especially Willis O'Brien's stop-motion animation, and was a massive cultural and commercial success.