The Mighty Peking Man (1980)

Great Film overall

Best movie ever!

It's complicated... I really like the directing, acting and writing but, there are issues with the way it's shot that I just can't deny. As much as I love the storytelling and the fantastic performance but, there are also certain scenes that didn't need to exist.

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

A sleazy (and we'll find out just how sleazy later) Hong Kong based businessman hires a man named Johnny to lead an expedition into the jungles of India to find a giant, mythical, ape-like creature. One disaster after another strikes the party and they're separated. Johnny is rescued by a bikini-clad, blond, Tarzan-like woman named Samantha (Evelyne Kraft). Samantha introduces Johnny to her protector, Utam – the giant beast Johnny was hired to find. In no time at all, Johnny and Samantha fall for each other, they set off for Hong Kong with Utam, and, as you could probably predict, Utam escapes and destroys a good chunk of the city. A few months ago, I went to the theater to see Kong: Skull Island. I wrote that Kong was, "Big, dumb fun. If you went into Kong: Skull Island expecting much more than that, you were in the wrong theater." The same holds true for The Mighty Peking Man. With a giant ape smashing Hong Kong, a British army officer willing to destroy the other half of the city to get the creature, Evelyne Kraft and her leather bikini, and some truly amazing looking miniatures, I can't imagine expecting much more than big, dumb fun.Instead of rattling on about what I liked or didn't like about The Mighty Peking Man (you can read any number of better written reviews on the internet), I want to spend the rest of this discussing what I feel is the stupidest character ever put on film. The giant Utam is already in a bad mood. He's chained, caged, and kept away from Samantha. The sleazy business man I mentioned earlier picks this time to show us just how sleazy he truly is. He abducts Samantha and attempts to rape her. But does he do all this in some out of the way place like a dark alley? No. Instead, he picks a location just feet away from where Utam is being housed. The apartment or whatever is right at Utam's eye level. Utam can clearly see what's happening. This guy has to be the most incredibly stupid individual imaginable. He decides to rape a woman in the presence of her giant protector who is already in a foul mood. Dude – you've got a death wish. Bye bye sleazy business guy!

Championed by Quentin Tarantino. A Shaw Brothers production (Runme Shaw and Vee King Shaw). Directed by Meng Hua Ho (The Oily Maniac, many others).The back cover write-up on a recent dual format (blu/dvd) release refers to this film as the Shaw Brothers attempted cash-in on Japan's success with Godzilla. True enough, I would think, but the story really has more in common with the original King Kong...okay, with a bit of rampaging Godzilla action as well.Highly entertaining if you're in the right mood. Some of the romantic and other jungle scenes in the first half of the film are downright hilarious. I wasn't expecting the beautifully captured scenic shots in the first half either but that was another plus. And the action in the latter half, when it comes, is pretty entertaining as well. A lot of the practical effects still hold up quite well. A couple of the effects are just plain goofy but it's all part of the film's charm.Not sure why it took me so long to finally see this one but I'm glad I was able to watch the fully restored uncut version on Blu-ray...a very clean print.It's one to kick back and have fun with. I did.

As you know, I love monster movies. When I first heard and read about MIGHTY PEKING MAN I wanted to see it. After I watched it, I would say that it is a Frankenstein's Monster made up of the 1976 KING KONG remake, TARZAN (since there is a female jungle there), the original MIGHTY JOE YOUNG, EARTHQUAKE (the way the title appears on the land) and TOWERING INFERNO (the climax). The special effects are not bad, but the music consists entirely on stock music. For instance, the disco song that played at the TV station is an instrumental song by Franck McDonald & Chris Rae called "The Jam". The ending where the title fought helicopters on top of the building has Dmitri Shostakovich's "Symphony No. 5 in D Minor" playing. All in all, this is a pretty good movie. This is arguably one of the better KING KONG rip-offs. If you like kaiju films, cheesy movies and bizarre cinema, then give it a watch. You will like it. Rated PG-13 for violence, nudity, gore and some profanity.

Mighty Peking man(aka:Goliathon)is a clever film from hong Kong and India about a search for the missing link,called the mighty Peking man, which looks like a 60 ft tall yeti.an adventurer;johnny(Danny lee)finds it along with a sexy blonde bikinied jungle woman(evelyne kraft)who was raised by the giant Peking man.this movie is a personal favorite of Quentin Tarantino and i kind of enjoy it,even if it does have some flaws.its a beauty and beast tale.in the USA it was released as goliathon in 1979.i remember seeing the trailers at the plaza theater in Paterson new jersey.where i saw endless Godzilla,kung fu and b movies.evelyne kraft was stunning,sexy and wild.a must see.5 out of 10.