: Approximately 95% of Kong’s movements were actually performed by makeup effects artist Rick Baker in a high-quality gorilla suit he designed himself.
: The production famously built a 40-foot-tall mechanical Kong costing roughly $1.7 million. It was constructed with an aluminum frame, hydraulic hoses, and 460 kg of horse hair. However, it malfunctioned frequently and appears for less than a minute of total screen time.
The 1976 version of is a modernized remake of the 1933 original , shifting the setting to the 1970s and replacing the Empire State Building with the World Trade Center for its tragic finale. Produced by Dino De Laurentiis and directed by John Guillermin , the film is known for its ambitious but troubled special effects and for launching the career of Jessica Lange . Production & Special Effects
: For the finale, over 30,000 extras gathered at the World Trade Center Plaza. Filming was briefly halted by the Port Authority due to concerns that the weight of the crowd might cause the plaza to collapse. Plot & Cast How King Kong Transformed Special Effects - Time Magazine