Yes, this movie opened in theaters on Friday, December 17, 1976, and this Saturday was its 40th anniversary. I was 8 and in third grade when it opened, and I do have vague memories of it coming out. But what I remember most is a toy I got for Christmas that year based on this movie. It was a plastic World Trade Center with a plastic King Kong that could be put on top. It was brown but came with some painting materials and was meant to be painted. I tried to paint it and made it a real mess.
I nor my family saw it in theaters then, but we did see it later in the seventies when it premiered on network television one Sunday night (on NBC). We then got our first VCR in November, 1982, and my mother brought a vhs copy for my sister in 1983. She then watched it several times, as did I. I thought it was all right, though did not compare with the original, which I absolutely loved. But after the late eighties I did not see it again until around 2012, when I got it from a movie store and saw it on dvd. I then got netflix in 2013 and have thought about getting it from there to watch ever since, though have not as of now. I think the hesitation is because it seems like such a poor movie compared to the original. But I mat get it early next year and watch it because of this anniversary.
"I happen to be a vegetarian". Lex, from Jurrasic Park

I will try to watch it as well, if I have the time.