Slopfest #7 · 1933 · Vienna

Actually Eighteen Inches Tall

The monster was a small model filmed very carefully. We relate.

Press photo, very close up: a 46 cm toy gorilla tied to a Riesenrad gondola with string, a luggage tag on its foot reading SLOPFEST #7

Venue: Riesenrad, on the roof of gondola 7
Attendance: 51
Guest of honour: Fay Wray (screamed once, on request, then spent the night at the buffet)
Fun fact: 46 cm of monster, 12 m of string

What happened

The centerpiece was a giant gorilla on top of the Riesenrad which, on closer inspection, was 46 centimeters tall and held on with string. Photographers were asked to stand very close. Fay Wray, guest of honor, agreed to scream once on request and spent the rest of the night at the buffet. The gorilla now lives in a drawer in the committee office.

Elsewhere in 1933

King Kong premieres in New York, its giant ape brought to life by stop-motion animation of a small model.

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