King Kong battles his greatest foe, a Kong of Steel, only at the Museum of Natural Sciences

For immediate release ‐ October 27, 2015

Contact: Jon Pishney, 919.707.8083. Images available upon request

RALEIGH — King Kong! Mammoth! Behemoth! Goliath! As big as he is, the mightiest monster of all time is about to meet a colossal challenge … a thundering, 60-foot robot Kong of steel, creation of the evil Dr. Who, a criminal genius who stops at nothing. But you can stop and watch what happens when “King Kong Escapes” shakes up the big screen at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences on First Friday, November 6 at 7pm.

When a mechanical replica of King Kong is unable to dig for the highly radioactive Element X at a North Pole mine, the evil Dr. Who and his sexy sidekick Madame Piranha (Mie Hama) kidnap the real Kong as well as Kong’s human love interest Susan Watson (Linda Miller) and submarine commander Carl Nelson (Rhodes Reason). But Kong escapes and heads for Tokyo and a tremendous battle with Mechani-Kong in this 1967 Toho Studios classic.

Hama appeared in a bevy of Toho Studios’ drama and sci-fi films, including “King Kong vs. Godzilla” (1962), where she became the giant ape’s “Damsel in Distress.” She is probably best known in Western Cinema as Bond girl Kissy Suzuki, starring alongside Sean Connery in the 007 film “You Only Live Twice” (1967). Miller was an American model living in Japan at the time she was cast in this, her largest film role — her only other film role came as a nurse in “The Green Slime” (1968), a former First Friday feature.

Reason’s career spanned nearly 40 years with more than 200 roles in television, movies and stage. He spent two years playing lead character Sheriff Will Mayberry in the TV series “Bus Stop” (1961) and had numerous guest appearances on shows ranging from “Perry Mason” (1957) and “Maverick” (1957) to “The Time Tunnel” (1966) and “Star Trek” (1968).

In the American release of “King Kong Escapes,” the voice of Dr. Who (and just about every other male actor) comes from the legendary Paul Frees (aka: The Man of a Thousand Voices), who also lent his vocal talents to Burgermeister Meisterburger in the television movie “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” as well as Boris Badenov in the cartoon series “Rocky and Bullwinkle.”

Enjoy our new exhibition at a First Friday discount. Prior to the movie, explore the surprising and sometimes bizarre world of “Extreme Mammals,” where you can inspect oversized claws, massive fangs, extraordinary snouts, amazing horns, and other traits that make mammals truly remarkable. All tickets purchased at the Museum Box Office during First Friday hours, are only $10! Tickets are free for Museum members. Exhibition is open till 8pm; last entry at 7pm.

Teens – come to the Teen Science Café and learn about “Sacred Groves: India’s Pockets of Culture and Conservation.” Respect for nature is deeply seated in the religion and culture of India. Across the country, locals have isolated small patches of forest, defining them as sacred and protecting them from development. Duke University graduate student Dave Grace will discuss links between culture and conservation among this diverse network of sacred groves, at 6pm in the Daily Planet Café.

The Museum stays open from 5 to 9pm on the First Friday of every month, inviting visitors to witness a (classic) sci-fi or horror movie, wander through eye-catching exhibits, groove to live music from Poinsettia, and enjoy snacks and beverages from the Daily Planet Café. Additionally, the Museum Store offers after-hours shopping (till 7pm) and an opening reception for Ellen Gamble (6-8pm), whose show “The Nature Series” runs November 6–29 in the Nature Art Gallery. All exhibited art is for sale.

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