Kingu Kongu no gyakushû (1967)

User Rating:

5.2/10   

Director:

Ishirô Honda

Writer:

Takeshi Kimura (writer)

Release Date:

19 June 1968 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi

Plot:

King Kong is brought in by an evil ruler to dig for precious gems in a mine when the robot MechaKong is unable to do the task...

Plot Keywords:

King Kong | Japan | Tokyo Tower | Island | U Boat

Cast

Rhodes Reason	...	Commander Carl Nelson
Mie Hama	...	Madame Piranha (Madame X)
Linda Miller	...	Lieutenant Susan Watson
Akira Takarada	...	Lt. Commander Jiro Nomura
Eisei Amamoto	...	Dr. Who
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Paul Frees	...	Dr. Who (voice: English version)
Shoichi Hirose	...	Henchman
Andrew Hughes	...	Reporter
Tôru Ibuki	...	Henchman
Nadao Kirino	...	Henchman
Ryuji Kita	...	SDF General
Seishiro Kuno	...	Soldier
Susumu Kurobe	...	Henchman
Haruo Nakajima	...	Kingukongu (King Kong)
Tadashi Okabe	...	Soldier
Sachio Sakai	...	Henchman
Ikio Sawamura	...	Mondo Islander
Hiroshi Sekita	...	Mekanikongu / Gorosaurusu
Kazuo Suzuki	...	Henchman
Yoshifumi Tajima	...	Henchman
Yasuhisa Tsutsumi	...	General
Osman Yusuf	...	Submariner

Also Known As:

King Kong Escapes (UK) (USA)
King Kong Strikes Again (International: English title) (literal title)
King Kong's Counterattack (International: English title) (literal title)
The Revenge of King Kong

Runtime:

104 min | USA:96 min

Country:

USA | Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (DVD rating) (2005) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:G

Company:

Rankin/Bass Productions

Trivia:

This film was a live action tie-in to the animated TV series "King Kong" (1966), was was also produced by Rankin/Bass Productions, and not a sequel to _"KinguKongu tai Gojira" (1962)_ (also produced by Toho and directed by Ishiro Honda) as is often suggested.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: In the film, Doctor Hu is trying to get some Element X by digging into the land under the ice at the North Pole. There is no land under the North Pole, but there is a lot of it under the South Pole.

Quotes:

[Lt. Commander Jiro Nomura and Lt. Susan Watson are being held in a freezing cell by Dr. Who because they wouldn't help him manipulate King Kong]
Dr. Who: Why should you endure this when it's not necessary? Nelson cannot aid you any longer, he's been cancelled.
Lt. Commander Jiro Nomura: You dog!
[Dr. Who points gun at him]
Dr. Who: I am a realist and I need you, so I'm going to be generous. I'm going to let you go without a bit of trouble, and with lots of cash. You just have to do one thing for me.
[Lt. Commander Jiro Nomura and Lt. Susan Watson refuse]
[...]

Movie Connections:

Spin off from "King Kong" (1966)

Watch for Madame Piranha

This movie is a follow-up to 1962's "King Kong vs. Godzilla." This time, King Kong battles a giant sea snake, Gorosaurus (Godzilla's buddy), and a replica of himself called Mecha-Kong. The directing and special effects were OK, and the story was just funny. I think that Toho had intended to aim this movie towards a James Bondish-style, since "You Only Live Twice" (1967) was released the same year and actress Mie Hama, who appeared as bond girl Kissy in the 007 flick, appears in this movie. If that is the case, then this movie could of used more suspense and human action. The monster scenes were OK, though some scenes, especially with the helicopters, were really cheesy. If Kong was almost the same size as Godzilla, I wouldn't think that he would be dwarfed by the Tokyo Tower (and having the ability to climb it). Nonetheless, I think the tower scene where the two monster leads duke it out is a pretty remarkable special effect.

Four major problems I have about this movie are about the characters. First of all, Commander Nelson (Rhodes Reason) is supposed to be one of the "heroes" in the story, but he basically didn't do anything important. He lost a little Karate-flick to the main villain, and played chess with him afterwards while his two friends were confined to a below 0 degree cell! Also, his acting is plain. He displayed no emotions whatsoever. His voice is monotone and never changes pitches during the different moods of each scene. Second, Lieutenant Watson (Linda Miller) has such an irritating voice, especially the times when she constantly screeches KONG! I can't see why King Kong likes her so much. Her acting is overdone and her screams shattered my patio windows. However, her role is of some importance (the part where she told Kong to stop shaking the sub she and the crew were in and the part where she calms Kong down while he was on the lose in Tokyo). Third, Lieutenant Nomura (Akira Takarada), in the part where he told an official he's Lieutenant Nomura (he's not in uniform) and asks the official to let him take command is a bit awkward. How does the official know he's who he claims to be. He could be a spy or something! Fourth, the henchmen in the movie are just so annoying and stupid. To sum it all, the better acting actually goes to the two main villains! Dr. Who (Eisei Anamoto) is a good actor who displayed outrageous and hilarious acts of crudeness and cruelty in the movie. He's wildly funny, with his wild white hair and long black cape, though he's pretty darned skillful with the trigger. And, Madame Piranha (Mie Hama) is the cutey of the film. She's bewitching, spellbinding, emotional, and beautiful. She is the true hero of the movie *spoiler* since it was she who destroyed Mecha-Kong's control system, thereby defeating the robot completely. I wish she would of deserved a better fate in the movie. As for the monsters, I wish Mecha-Kong would of kicked King Kong's rear-end. King Kong is SO childish and stupidly lovestruck. Watch out for the part where he twitches his lips while rocking the sub, looking for the dumb doctor. The costume used for the monster was hideous, but still better than the one used in "King Kong vs. Godzilla."

Above all, this movie could of used more action from the supposedly "heros." The plot lines really go all over the place, but still easy to follow. What made up for this movie is Akira Ifukube's great haunting music score and Mie Hama's presence.

Grade B-