King Kong vs Godzilla (DVD)

directed by Ishiro Honda in 1962 - with visual effects by Eiji Tsuburaya.
This was the third installment in the Japanese series of monster films featuring the mutant dinosaur Godzilla.
It is also the third film to feature Kong, but itt is the first (and last) time both King Kong and Godzilla appeared in color and together in a movie.


Godzilla's appearance was slightly altered for this film. King Kong vs. Godzilla was made more as a comedy rather than having the "sense of terror" theme from the two previous films. Because of that, Toho decided to make Godzilla less frightening. The suit went through slight alterations, such as the removal of Godzilla's tiny ears, 3 toes on each foot rather than four, enlarged central dorsal fins and a bulkier body. As well, the head was slightly longer, a slight frown was added to the side of the mouth and the pupils were enlarged. These new features gave Godzilla a more reptilian appearance.

For the attack of the Giant Octopus, four live octopii were used. They were forced to move by blowing hot air on them. After the filming of that scene was finished, three of the four were released. The fourth became special effects director Eiji Tsuburaya's dinner.

I am a Die-Hard Godzilla fan - so what I am about to say next really sticks in my throat! Nevertheless, since King Kong was seen as the bigger draw (at the time, he was even more popular in Japan than Godzilla), and since Godzilla was still a villain at this point in the series, it led to the decision to not only give King Kong top billing, but also to present him as the winner of the climatic fight. While the ending of the film does look somewhat ambiguous, Toho confirmed that King Kong was indeed the winner in their 1962/63 press book Toho Films Vol. 8, which states, A spectacular duel is arranged on the summit of Mt. Fuji, and King Kong is victorious.

This is a classic movie, which I will keep the kids happy and the adults amused! Kong looks a bit like a chap in a monkey suit... But Godzilla looks as great as ever!
The did make a follow-up movie called King Kong Escapes, in which Kong fights a Robot Kong, but Japan was already taking Godzilla to its heart - and there have now been almost thirty movies featuring the King of the Monsters.
I would love to see a remake of this old classic, as I think with the CG effects of today it would be a sure-fire Hit.

This DVD has classic Godzilla miniature Tokyo destruction action. It also has a superbly bad plot with a horrendous story behind exactly why King Kong is going to Japan and why he is fighting Godzilla. It also has classic Pacific-Islanders-as-primitive-bongo-thumping-guys, and in this English (ie: American) version, there is some awfully stilted newsreader stuff, particularly at the beginning, that is hard to bear. Fabulously entertaining, however. Godzilla setting fire to Kong's chest hair, and Kong suspended by helium balloons, dropped onto Mt Fuji, have to be the two cheesiest scenes in a monster movie. And once again, Kong carries a pretty girl around in his hand for a bit. Nice. My three year old digs it.

Too bad there's no Japanese language/English subtitle option. That would make it 5 star.

Godzilla fighting King Kong rubber suit style. Its just so daft its great. You will enjoy it more than the last Godzilla film (not hard) and as much as any of the other Godzilla rubber suit films. You have to watch it to find out who wins.

old film, but still a excellent story. I liked the bit where Godzilla broke out of the ice berg. very good.