A*P*E

A*P*E
Korean theatrical poster for A*P*E
Hangul
Hanja	킹콩의
Revised Romanization	Kingkongui Daeyeokseub
McCune–Reischauer	K‘ingk‘ong ŭi Taeyŏksŭp
Directed by	Paul Leder
Produced by	K.M. Yeung Paul Leder
Written by	Paul Leder Richard Leder
Starring	Rod Arrants Joanna Kerns Alex Nicol
Music by	Bruce Mac Rae Chung Min Sup
Cinematography	Daniel Symmes Tony Francis
Production company	Kukje Movies Lee Ming Film Co.
Distributed by	Worldwide Entertainment
Release date	1976 (1976)
Running time	87 minutes
Language	English
Budget	$23,000

Ape (stylised as A*P*E and released in South Korea as 킹콩의 대역습 - King Kong eui daeyeokseup; The Great Counterattack of King-Kong) is a 1976 monster movie. It was an American/South Korean co-production produced by Kukje Movies and the Lee Ming Film Co. (South Korea) and Worldwide Entertainment (USA) with 3-D effects. Directed by Paul Leder and featuring special effects by Park Kwang Nam, the film stars Rod Arrants, Joanna Kerns and Alex Nicol. It was released at approximately the same time as Dino De Laurentiis' 1976 remake of King Kong. The film is generally regarded by some critics as a campy Z movie. In latter years the film has gone under the titles of Attack of the Giant Horny Gorilla (for its 1982 grindhouse re-release), and Hideous Mutant (for its original home video release). It marked an early film appearance by Kerns, who later moved to TV movies and shows.

A 36-foot-gorilla escapes from an oil tanker off the coast of Korea. After battling with a giant Great White Shark, the ape reaches land and destroys several buildings and attacking a giant Python (the snake's origins are never revealed) before finding and kidnapping an American actress named Marilyn (Joanna Kerns). The military eventually corners and kills the ape, prompting one observer to comment, "He was just too big for a small world like ours!"

The movie was a quickie production meant to capitalize on the upcoming release of Dino DeLaurentis' King Kong. Several plot elements, such as a giant gorilla's relationship with an American actress, are essentially lifted from the King Kong story. In fact when the film was going into production in February 1976, it was announced as The New King Kong as it was advertised by a teaser poster in Boxoffice magazine. When RKO got wind of this, they filed a $1.5 million lawsuit against the company. Because of the lawsuit the title was changed originally to Super Ape in June 1976 before to A*P*E in October 1976, and the tagline "Not to be confused with King Kong" was added to the theatrical posters and movie trailer. However the company was able to get away with using King Kong's name not only in its native South Korea but also in some international markets where it was known as Super King Kong and King Kong Returns respectively.