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IMDbPro

King Kong vs. Godzilla

  • 19631963
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 31m
IMDb RATING
5.7/10
10K
YOUR RATING
King Kong vs. Godzilla (1963)
Home Video Trailer from Toho Film Company
Play trailer1:05
3 Videos
99+ Photos
  • Action
  • Adventure
  • Fantasy
A UN reporter broadcasts a report on the appearance of a prehistoric monster that emerges from hibernation while a pharmaceutical company seeks publicity with a monster of their own. (US Ver... Read allA UN reporter broadcasts a report on the appearance of a prehistoric monster that emerges from hibernation while a pharmaceutical company seeks publicity with a monster of their own. (US Version)A UN reporter broadcasts a report on the appearance of a prehistoric monster that emerges from hibernation while a pharmaceutical company seeks publicity with a monster of their own. (US Version)
IMDb RATING
5.7/10
10K
YOUR RATING
  • Directors
    • Ishirô Honda
    • Tom Montgomery
  • Writers
    • Shin'ichi Sekizawa
    • Paul Mason(english version)
    • Bruce Howard(english version)
  • Stars
    • Tadao Takashima
    • Kenji Sahara
    • Yû Fujiki
Top credits
  • Directors
    • Ishirô Honda
    • Tom Montgomery
  • Writers
    • Shin'ichi Sekizawa
    • Paul Mason(english version)
    • Bruce Howard(english version)
  • Stars
    • Tadao Takashima
    • Kenji Sahara
    • Yû Fujiki
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 146User reviews
    • 79Critic reviews
    • 40Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos3

    King Kong vs. Godzilla
    Trailer 1:05
    King Kong vs. Godzilla
    How the 'Godzilla vs. Kong' Cast & Director Made Epic Battles Feel Real
    Clip 3:20
    How the 'Godzilla vs. Kong' Cast & Director Made Epic Battles Feel Real
    Team Godzilla or Team Kong? The Cast Chooses a Top Titan
    Clip 4:05
    Team Godzilla or Team Kong? The Cast Chooses a Top Titan

    Photos128

    Shôichi Hirose and Haruo Nakajima in King Kong vs. Godzilla (1963)
    Harold Conway, Osman Yusuf, and Douglas Fein in King Kong vs. Godzilla (1963)
    Harold Conway, Osman Yusuf, and Douglas Fein in King Kong vs. Godzilla (1963)
    Michael Keith in King Kong vs. Godzilla (1963)
    King Kong vs. Godzilla (1963)
    King Kong vs. Godzilla (1963)
    King Kong vs. Godzilla (1963)
    King Kong vs. Godzilla (1963)
    King Kong vs. Godzilla (1963)
    Akihiko Hirata, Jun Tazaki, and Yasuhisa Tsutsumi in King Kong vs. Godzilla (1963)
    King Kong vs. Godzilla (1963)
    Mie Hama and Kenji Sahara in King Kong vs. Godzilla (1963)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Tadao Takashima
    Tadao Takashima
    • Osamu Sakurai
    Kenji Sahara
    Kenji Sahara
    • Kazuo Fujita
    • (as Keji Sahaka)
    Yû Fujiki
    • Kinsaburo Furue
    Michael Keith
    Michael Keith
    • Eric Carter
    Harry Holcombe
    Harry Holcombe
    • Dr. Johnson
    James Yagi
    James Yagi
    • Yutaka Omura
    Ichirô Arishima
    Ichirô Arishima
    • Mr. Tako
    Byron Morrow
    Byron Morrow
    • Dr. Arnold Johnson
    Jun Tazaki
    Jun Tazaki
    • General Masami Shinzo
    Akihiko Hirata
    Akihiko Hirata
    • Dr. Shigezawa
    Mie Hama
    Mie Hama
    • Fumiko Sakurai
    Yoshifumi Tajima
    Yoshifumi Tajima
    • Captain of Fujita's Ship - Japanese version only
    Akiko Wakabayashi
    Akiko Wakabayashi
    • Tamiye
    Akemi Negishi
    Akemi Negishi
    • Chikiro's Mother (Dancing Girl)
    Yoshio Kosugi
    • Farou Island Chief
    Ikio Sawamura
    Ikio Sawamura
    • Witch Doctor
    Someshô Matsumoto
    Someshô Matsumoto
    • Dr. Onuki
    Kô Mishima
    • Official
    • Directors
      • Ishirô Honda
      • Tom Montgomery
    • Writers
      • Shin'ichi Sekizawa
      • Paul Mason(english version)
      • Bruce Howard(english version)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    6.5
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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      In the fight scene, when King Kong throws Godzilla over his shoulder, suit actor Shoichi Hirose didn't throw an empty suit, but actually threw it with Haruo Nakajima still inside as this was Hirose's way of proving he was the stronger of the two. This move was one of the many martial arts influences in the fight choreography since Godzilla suit actor Nakajima practiced Judo and was given the opportunity to choreograph the fight.
    • Goofs
      When being hauled around by the balloons, Kong's right leg is twisted around painfully and sticks out of him at an odd angle. When it cuts to the suit with an actor inside it, the leg is back to its normal shape.
    • Quotes

      Furue: Wait for me.

      Osamu Sakurai: Come on, keep up.

      Furue: I'm tired. Can't we rest?

      Osamu Sakurai: No, we'll keep going until dark.

      Furue: Who says?

      Osamu Sakurai: I says! And if you don't like it, you can go back to camp.

      Furue: Okay. But look, my corns hurt.

      Osamu Sakurai: You and your corns.

      Furue: But, you see, my corns always hurt when they're near a monster.

      Osamu Sakurai: Great. When you and the monster meet, be sure you tell him all about your corn problems.

    • Crazy credits
      In the credits for the U.S. version, actor Kenji Sahara is listed as "Keji Sahaka."
    • Alternate versions
      This USA version is re-edited from the Japanese original, King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962), and is vastly different. New scenes featuring Eric Carter as a United Nations reporter were inserted for the USA version, replacing some footage from the Japanese release. Most of the comedy bits featuring Shôichi Hirose and Ichirô Arishima are deleted in favor of bland action, screeching to a halt U.N. news reports which are completely dissociated from the story. In the USA version, Harry Holcombe recites a ludicrous idea that Godzilla is a cross of a tyrannosaurus (while pointing to an allosaurus in a children's book) and a stegosaurus. Most of Ifukube's magisterial score is deleted and replaced with themes from the score of Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954).
    • Connections
      Edited from The Mysterians (1957)

    User reviews146

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    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 ****
    helpful•36
    6
    • JoeKarlosi
    • Feb 15, 2005

    FAQ6

    • Since the US Version is different from Japanese original, where can the original be found?
    • How was Toho's King Kong designed?
    • Is this the more common version?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 26, 1963 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Japan
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Die Rückkehr des King Kong
    • Filming locations
      • Tokyo, Japan
    • Production companies
      • Toho Company
      • John Beck
      • RKO General Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $200,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 31 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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