Monster Zero x SciFi Japan - Archive Only

Thanks to Youtube I was able to watch the Japanese version for the very first time.

King Kong vs Godzilla was the 2nd big G film I saw as a kid in the early 70's so it does have alot of nostalgia for me.

I found the original to be a much more entertaining film because it adds all the missing ingredients that were deleted for the US version. As much as I like a good monster scene I love a good story line and the actors who help move it along. Plus it was great to hear Ifukube's score in the film as well.

Yea what the heck is Toho's excuse for a very quality lacking R2 release in terms of video quality? Is the original print no longer existent so a 1st gen was needed, or what's the story here? I only want to get the Japanese verison of the movie, but not until Toho does something to address the situation.

Well, I’ve just seen the original Japanese version. And quite honestly, I think the original Japanese movie has it’s advantages AND disadvantages.

Advantages

- The characters and the story are more fleshed out. We do see one of Tako’s dull shows and now understand his plight much better. (As well as the office inner workings at Pacific Pharmaceuticals). He wants something new and exciting, something big that the advertisers are willing to shell out the dollars for. (And of course, to knock Godzilla out of the media spotlight!).

- Mie Hama in the U.S. version was just the pretty face. In the Japanese version, she has more dialog, and is seen conserving more with her friend and neighbor Akiko Wakabayashi.

- Akira Ifkube’s score. Opening theme is vastly superior.

- The Sea Hawk sequences.
In the U.S version, we see it take place during one big sequence. In the Japanese version, they cut away from that action every now and then, thus making Godzilla’s first appearance, much more dramatic.

Disadvantages

- It was said earlier that despite getting Ikube’s score, there are scenes that did not incorporate music, which I thought needed it. At least the American version (despite using stock) did use music, building up for more dramatics.

- The plight of Fujita (Kenji Sahara).
Missing ship or a crashed plane? In the Japanese version, when we hear of his ship’s disappearance, there goes Mie Hama to search for Fujita. But then Fujita shows up all fine and well. The U.S. version is much better (I feel) with Fujita stating that he was going to Hokkaido to test his new thread. Then Mie learns of his plane crashing and goes to Hokkaido to see if he was one of the survivors. Of course later, Akiko Wakabayahi sees Fujita, to her great surprise (and drops her dish), and Fujita states that he missed his plane because he had to work late. I thought that made for a much better scenario.

- Yu Fujiki.
He was the one who wanted to really go to the island and search for the monster. And it was Tadao Takashima who was the reluctant one. To me, it didn’t make much sense that he was all of sudden afraid to be on the island since he wanted to go in the first place. The U.S. version, I thought, was wise to cut that segment out. And instead of having corn problems, he was just really tired and to me that didn’t come out quite as well.

- The Sea Hawk sequence.
Despite the cut away to show a more dramatic style, I just couldn’t stand the voices! The dubbed version is better in that at least we get to hear Les Tremayne’s deep and commanding voice as the captain of the Sea Hawk.

In the end, it was great seeing and catching things I’ve always missed. Yet, I wouldn’t exactly say it was better (or worse) than the American, for reasons I’ve already stated. If anything, I can now better understand why some things needed a good change for the American version. But in the end, we still get King Kong fighting Godzilla in both versions.

[quote="

And there was buzz around the film. My dad often talks about how him and his friends were all arguing over who would win as they waited in a huge line that went around the block.[/quote]wow!! i wish i wuz there at that time just for that movie as it played on the big screen in 63.