TALKBACK #3: King Kong vs. Godzilla

[lhb412]

[Xenorama]

this was my first Godzilla movie, in the theater in Dec. of '71 or so. nothing like seeing these two great monsters battle it out at age almost 7! it was also my first Kong movie as well. when Godzilla is chasing the woman off the train (that's what it looked like to me then) it was really scary.

so glad that PJ's remake got us this and KKE- i knew something good would come out of that!

David

[akuash]

This was one of my first Godzilla movies and has remained one of my favorites to this day. It doesn't matter which version I watch. I enjoy both of them. The American cut is very nostalgic to me.


Best Godzilla suit ever!

Also, I may be one of the few who actually likes the King Kong suit. lol!

[MouthForWar]

One of my favorites! Although the American version is really lackluster and kills the pace of the film... even as a kid, I wasn't that fond of it. Those reporters and their idiotic dialogue flatten the whole experience for me. Now that I have the Japanese version, I really can't go back to this one, even for nostalgic value. Universal/John Beck really messed this one up.

But the Japanese version is a fairly brilliant satire/comedy and the Kong vs Godzilla fights are fantastic. Terrible Kong suit, but one of my favorite Godzilla designs. Also, Honda and Tsuburaya's love for the original Kong shows through many times... and yes, Kong won.

Its unfortunate what happened behind behind the scenes of this, what with John Beck ROYALLY screwing over Willis O'Brien, and all the backstabbing and trickery that he pulled. But this one really is one of the classics.

[The Giant Pacific Octopus]

[Legion]

[Gooberzilla]

[briizilla]

[Gwangi]

Well, after seeing both versions, when you add the whole thing up, the Japanese version is a little better, but I really do think that both versions have certain advantages over the other.

The Japanese version is better in terms of adding more drama to certain scenes. The sequences with the submarine Seahawk and the military trying to stop Godzilla are good examples of that where Honda wisely cut back and forth thus building some real tension as opposed to the American version where these scenes are all played in one segment. In the American version, Godzilla seems more of an annoyance. In the Japanese version he seems like a real threat!

The advantages in the American side are some of the characters, namely Yu Fujiki and Kenji Sahara. Fujiki with his corn problem I thought was better than him just being frightened and tired, which I though felt rather flat. Sahara's character is really sort of a mystery in the Japanese version, but less so (I thought) in the American.. The story about his plane crashing in Hokkaido, when he was to test his new wire up there, I thought was much better angle than his ship missing (I still don't know what he was doing on that ship in the first place!).

And I will always have my soft spot for Harry Holcombe as Dr. Arnold Johnson. (Godzilla, has a brain about this size!). And I could understand why they had him there explaining the existence of Godzilla. There were still only two Godzilla movies made at that time and one of them was called Gigantis! I think we mistakenly assume that since the original Godzilla was playing on T.V., everyone knew about Godzilla. But it’s probably a good bet there were several, who never saw a Godzilla movie, but now, since this one had King Kong in the title, this one they would see and did! (In 1963, King Kong was still likely more popular than Godzilla).

[The Giant Pacific Octopus]

[kiryugoji04]

Finally watched the Japanese version all the way through for the first time a couple of days ago and really loved it. Loved all the little scenes here and there that got cut out in the Americanization process. They really add a lot to the film!

The American version never really did it for me and because of it KKvsG was always towards the bottom of my Godzilla list in terms of how much I liked it. Particularly loathsome is how they totally nixed Ifukube's fantastic score for a bunch of stock cues. Blah!

My biggest beef with the film is the blue tint to the bluescreened shots. I mean, bluescreening wasn't at all perfect back then but look at the bluesceen shots in The Mysterians - they actually match in color to their surroundings! Dunno what happened with this film though. Always bugs me to see it.

Still love it in its original form, though. Yet another Toho classic!

Funny though, my dad actually saw the Japanese version of this all the way through before I did!

[lhb412]

[ebirahsmeg1]

I think removing Ifukube's wonderful score for the US release in favor of Universal's stock B-movie Monster music was the biggest travesty with the US version. This is one of Ifukube's stronger scores, but it's sadly overlooked because not too many fans have seen the Japanese version with the original score...

[Ichiro]

[Brick Side]

[Giganfan]

Has anyone ever felt that when listening to some of Akira Ifukube's earlier scores, such as the one in King Kong vs. Godzilla, they may have been a little bit rushed? Maybe it's because I am so used to hearing Godzilla's theme as it was perfected in Godzilla vs. The Thing, and so-on, that the introduction of it in this film just seems a bit...off.

Anyway, Kong vs. Godzilla is the ultimate clash of the titans, and that is the main selling point of this movie. Eric Carter, Yutaki Omora and Dr. Eric Johnson are laughable, but I love hearing the "Creature From the Black Lagoon" theme over virtually every scene with a monster in it! The U.S. version is nostalgic for me, but I really enjoy watching the original cut. It feels like a longer movie, but I'm totally enveloped in the story, from start to finish. And I love that almost drunken-sounding Godzilla theme!

[Irish Gfan]

[Benjamin Haines]

King Kong vs. Godzilla itself doesn't need to be remade, but King Kong and Godzilla definitely need a rematch in a new film.


It'll never happen though.

[OtiGoji]

I was so depressed seeing KKvG in the theater in 1963, that I still cannot enjoy even the Japanese version to this day.
I was (and remain) a Godzilla fundamentalist. I really, I mean REALLY LIKED the original; I was so looking forward to seeing a new color Godzilla movie on the big screen and to see that silly comedy that reduced the King of the Monsters and The Eighth Wonder of the World down to clowns in a puppet show, sucker-punched me and my friends wanted to kick my a$$ for talking them into going.
No thanks. Yes I still have a sense of humor, thank you, but from GODZILLA KING OF THE MONSTERS to KKvG, I'll talk to ya later!

[Legion]

[OtiGoji]

[lhb412]

[Legion]

[armandv]

[MouthForWar]