Francine Stock walks on the wild and hairy side with some of the screen's best loved beasts, including Andy Serkis' Kong.
Jean Marais in Cocteau's La Belle et la Bęte (1946)
The Cinematic Beast
What makes King Kong, certain werewolves and the many cinema versions of Beauty and the Beast so memorable and so moving?
Francine Stock seeks advice from Andy Serkis, the actor whose performance is the basis for the latest screen 'King Kong'; director John Landis who made the cult film, 'An American Werewolf in London'; cultural historian and vampire admirer Sir Christopher Frayling and Marina Warner, author of 'From the Beast to the Blonde'.
Peter Jackson's 'King Kong', certificate 12A, starring Andy Serkis, is in cinemas now.
The following films are all available on DVD:
'The Lord of the Rings Trilogy', certificate 12, featuring Andy Serkis as Gollum
Jean Cocteau's 'La Belle et la Bęte', certificate PG (bfi Video)
'An American Werewolf in London', certificate 18
The original 1933 version of 'King Kong', certificate PG
'The Company of Wolves', certificate 18
'The Wolf Man', certificate 12
'The Alien Quadrilogy', certificate 18
'The Brothers Grimm' is due to be released on DVD on 13 March 2006.
Marina Warner's Book 'From the Beast to the Blonde' is available. ISBN: 0099479516.
