King Kong chronicler to speak at Y. film series

PROVO — Author Mark Cotta Vaz, biographer of "King Kong" creator Merian C. Cooper, will visit Brigham Young University Thursday and Friday.

His appearance will mark the opening of the seventh season of the L. Tom Perry Special Collections' Motion Picture Archives Film Series at the Harold B. Lee Library.

Vaz will discuss his book, "Living Dangerously: The Adventures of Merian C. Cooper, Creator of King Kong," Thursday at 2 p.m. in the DeLamar Jensen Room on the first floor of the library.

Following Vaz's presentation, a documentary film, "I'm King Kong," based on the life of Cooper, as well as "Roar of the Dragon," a film from a story co-written by Cooper, will be shown.

On Friday, Vaz will introduce a special screening of the original "King Kong" at 6:30 p.m. in the library auditorium, followed by a showing of the sequel, "The Son of Kong."

Admission to both events is free.