Horrorfest 2011: The Most Dangerous Game

I've been wanting to see THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME ever since I read a fantastic article about in the newsprint pages of my favorite film buff magazine, FILMFAX. You know, back when magazines existed? It was the only publication in the mid-90s running regular articles about Ed Wood and Bettie Page, so I read it religiously.

But we're here to talk about THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME, in which a shipwrecked big game hunter played by Joel McCrea washes up on the shore of a private island owned by a mysterious and sinister Russian count played by Leslie Banks. Banks has two other guests, siblings who are also the survivors of a recent shipwreck -- a drunk (Robert Armstrong) and a beauty (Fay Wray). There's also a creepy, mute servant lurking around the house (Noble Johnson, a black actor in white face, oddly enough).

Apparently there were other shipwreck survivors as well, but they have mysteriously disappeared after being invited to go on a hunt with Banks after viewing his locked off trophy room. Wray suspects foul play on the part of Banks, but Armstrong wants to party and be pals. McCrea is interested in the hunt, being a hunter himself, but Banks refuses to reveal what "special" game he hunts on his island.

If you don't know where this is going yet and don't want to, stop reading. The most dangerous game is people! No shit. At first Banks wants to hunt with McCrea, but McCrea won't have it, and it isn't long before Armstrong has disappeared and McCrea, along with Wray, become the game in Banks' next hunt.

This is a good film on its own merit -- it has great pacing, doesn't overstay its welcome, and is about as action packed and suspenseful as they come. It's also a great premise fully exploited, and all the central performances are good, particularly Banks as the villain and Armstrong as the drunk. And, Fay Wray is easy on the eyes.

Still, it's hard not to enjoy the film on another level, as well, because of its close association with KING KONG. I've loved KING KONG ever since I was little, so it was fun to see THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME partially because of all of the similarities between the two movies. They were shot pretty much simultaneously in 1932 -- they had the same producing/directing team -- Ernest B. Schoedsack and Merian C. Cooper -- some of the same stars -- Robert Armstrong, Fay Wray and Noble Johnson -- the same composer -- Max Steiner -- and even the same sets! Most of the action takes place on the magnificent jungle set used for KONG's Skull Island. And this isn't just a case of moving a few bushes around -- they even run across the exact same log bridge!

So, THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME is fun on a couple different levels and never fails to entertain. Some modern movies could take some lessons on brevity and efficiency from this flick, which is among the best edited early movies I've ever seen.