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, Paul Mason

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 the roma tomato-sized berries that grow on Farou Island are a miracle cure, and that the natives worship a god called King Kong 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? 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 super-strong wire, which of course no one wants until Kong escapes...

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Plot Keywords:

godzilla | giant ape | kaiju | monster versus monster | gojira | 

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Taglines:

The motion picture screen beckons you to adventure that thrills the emotions with shock and terror!

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Japan USA

Language:

Japanese English

Release Date:

26 June 1963 (USA)

Also Known As:

King Kong vs. Godzilla

Filming Locations:

Tokyo, Japan

Box Office

Budget:

$200,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Toho Company, John Beck, RKO General Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min 74 min (1970 Toho Champion Festival)

Sound Mix:

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

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

As of August 2011 this is only remaining Showa era film where the original Japanese version has not been released in the United States. All the other films in the series have been released in both their original Japanese and English versions.

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Goofs

The soldiers climbing all over Kong to attach the harness and balloons to him are badly animated "soldiers" (you can see the buildings through them).

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Quotes

[Japanese version]
Mr.Tako: We scored a full-page display in the newspapers. Why don't we take a photo of him smiling to put in our ads?
Osamu Sakurai: Do you think King Kong smiles?
Mr.Tako: We get him to smile.

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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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Alternate Versions

In the original version, when Sakurai and Farue are in the jungle searching for Kong, Farue runs to Sakurai to tell him that the ship's captain gave him the news about Godzilla'a latest rampage. In the American version, there is no mention of Godzilla and it is re-dubbed to make it seem like Farue is afraid to hunt for Kong and to complain about his corns.

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Connections

Referenced in 1st Annual Mystery Science Theater 3000 Summer Blockbuster Review (1997)

User Reviews

King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962) ***

Any insults and accusations hurled against this beloved movie will fall on deaf ears with me. Admittedly, I am somewhat biased in favor of this entertaining monster romp because it was a regular television staple all during my childhood while I was growing up. It's one of the most enjoyable giant monster movies Toho Studios ever made, and it's certainly one of the best Godzilla films of all. It can be silly, it can be jokey, and it's also a hell of a lot of fun.

I have seen both the U.S. Version and the Japanese Version, and I'll have to confess that while this review will be based on the proper Asian edition, I also have a nostalgic fondness for the American Cut, which actually benefits from some added jokes ("When you and the monster meet, be sure to tell him all about your corn problems!") and the exciting Universal stock music which compliments much of the action.

Godzilla was still a bad guy at this point in time, and I'm among the group who considers his costume here my personal favorite (it was very much like the Aurora model kit, or maybe it was the other way around). It's not very original to bash the obvious awful King Kong suit, so I'll say that while it's definitely kind of ragged, I actually think it's appealing in its unusual weirdness. Kong is more or less painted as the heroic one of these two, and I have to tell you that I absolutely love that native song of worship which is chanted at him by the island dwellers who dance and pray on his home turf. I appreciate it even more when it's used as the title credits music in the Toho version.

The story is silly and simple, but it works. Godzilla is back in town after awakening from the iceberg he froze in at the conclusion of GODZILLA RAIDS AGAIN, and so a frustrated pharmaceutical advertiser decides to send a couple of his zany cronies to King Kong's Island to capture and bring back his own monster to give Godzilla some competition. Humor is very well used here, and it works well alongside the usual rampages and city stompings.

The touted "battle of the giants" has been unfairly maligned as looking too much like a "wrestling match," but I don't see how else these creatures are supposed to tangle with one another unless they opted to stare each other down for ten minutes. Not much fun there, I'm afraid! Their climactic fight is well worth the wait and fulfills all expectations. *** out of ****