King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962)

A pharmaceutical company captures King Kong and brings him to Japan, where he escapes from captivity and battles a recently released Godzilla.

Director:

Ishirô Honda

Writers:

Shin'ichi Sekizawa, Bruce Howard (american version)

Stars:

Tadao Takashima, Kenji Sahara, Yû Fujiki

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tadao Takashima	...	Osamu Sakurai
Kenji Sahara	...	Kazuo Fujita
Yû Fujiki	...	Kinsaburo Furue
Ichirô Arishima	...	Mr. Tako
Jun Tazaki	...	General Masami Shinzo
Akihiko Hirata	...	Dr. Shigezawa
Mie Hama	...	Fumiko Sakurai
Akiko Wakabayashi	...	Tamiye
Akemi Negishi	...	Chikiro's Mother (Dancing Girl)
Yoshio Kosugi	...	Farou Island Chief
Yoshifumi Tajima	...	Captain of Fujita's Ship - Japanese version only
Ikio Sawamura	...	Witch Doctor
Someshô Matsumoto	...	Dr. Onuki
Kô Mishima	...	Official
Sachio Sakai	...	Obayashi (Mr. Tako's assistant)

Storyline

Mr. Tako, the chairman of a pharmaceutical company, learns of roma tomato-sized berries that grow on Farou Island, are a miracle cure, and that the natives worship a god called Kingkong who has allegedly grown to giant size from eating the berries. What better way to promote the product, Tako figures, than to bring the creature back to Japan? So he leads an expedition with Sakurai and Furue to get the berries and the monster. Meanwhile, some American pilots discover the chunk of the glacier Godzilla was sealed in back in 1955. Sakurai's sister's boyfriend Kazuo is busy trying to sell an invisible but superstrong wire, which of course no one wants until Kong escapes...

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Plot Keywords:

berries | godzilla | giant ape | king kong | island | 

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Taglines:

The most colossal conflict the screen has ever known!

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese English

Release Date:

26 June 1963 (USA)

Also Known As:

King Kong vs. Godzilla

Company Credits

Production Co:

Toho Company, John Beck, RKO General Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

74 min (1970 Toho Champion Festival)

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Japan theatrical release) Mono (Westrex Recording System) (US version)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

There were four live octopuses used in the fight sequence with Kong and the natives, as well as a plastic model. Hot air was blown on them to get them to move and after the filming of the scene was finished, most of them were released except for one, which Eiji Tsuburaya had for dinner.

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Goofs

American version: the scene of the helicopter pilot screaming "Godzilla!" when he sees the monster emerging out of the ice is kept in the film, even though it is later explained (via new footage shot for the US release) that this is the first time Godzilla has appeared and no one has heard of him before.

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Quotes

Furue: What's happening?
Osamu Sakurai: Giant octopus. Hurry.

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Crazy Credits

In the credits for the U.S. version, actor Kenji Sahara is listed as "Keji Sahaka."

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Connections

Follows Godzilla Raids Again (1955)

User Reviews

Monster Classic

This is probably one of my favorite Godzilla Films this is where he really shines in this movie.Same goes for King Kong.Right now I'm going to review the Japanese version since I saw it a couple of days ago.

It starts off with Mr. Tako who hates the fact he has a boring television show and is upset that he has the lowest rating in Japan.so he tries to find a way to boost up the rating.he hears about a professor that there's a monster on an island and Tako falls in love with the idea.so he sends his employees Sakurai and Furue to the to see if there really is a monster.Meanwhile in the Arctic ocean a submarine find a glowing iceberg and approaches it.Back in Japan Mr. Tako is throwing a going away party for Sakurai and Furue and tells them if they don't bring nothing they are fired.Back to the artier ocean The Submarine is close to the iceberg but it's then destroyed bursting into flames.soon enough a helicopter goes to check the site and find out not only the submarine is destroyed but that Godzilla is here.The return of Godzilla is all over Japan and Military defenses have thoughts about using the atom bomb on Godzilla.soon enough Godzilla Destroyes a military base and is all over the newspapers and television.Tako is furious that Godzilla is taking up all the media and wants a monster quickly.meanwhile Sakurai and Furue land on the island and are capture by natives but demand to find the monster.soon enough Godzilla heads to northern japan where Sakurai's sister Fumiko is looking for her boyfriend Fujita.Godzilla attack a train but Fumiko is saved by Fujita who is looking for her.back on the island Sakurai and Furue fight a giant octopus and is defeated by no other than King Kong soon enough after the fight King Kong drink a juice that will put you to sleep.after that King Kong is on a raft heading to Japan Tako is happy to the fact that King Kong is now more popular than Godzilla.soon King Kong is free from his raft heads to japan and fights Godzilla so who will win this fight King Kong Or Godzilla? The Japanese version is a lot better than the USA Version Better Music,Better acting and more funnier.Ichiro Arishima and Yu Fujiki who play Mr. Tako and Furue are really the funniest out of all the characters and in the Japanese version it's laugh out loud. there a scene where Tako is talks to a guy and bets that King Kong will beat Godzilla and is about to fight this guy.there's scenes where he's on the ship and tries to pursed the other not to kill King Kong and hits the TNT Denantor.Tadao Takashima who plays Sakurai gives a solid performance but when around Furue it's funny when he's angry and yelling at him.Kenji Sahara who plays Fujita is given yet another Dead-Pan Role and gives a bland performance except when Fumiko is prated by Kong.Akihiko Hirata who plays the Dead-pan Scientist role and also gives a bland performance but not his fault really the acting is not all that bad but for those whose hasn't the Japanese version hurry up and go see it.