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| King Kong Vs Godzilla(1962); Discuss the film here. | |
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| Topic Started: Feb 9 2006, 11:15 PM (2,015 Views) | |
| packmule | Feb 9 2006, 11:15 PM Post #1 |
Site founder - Searching for Cropsy
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In 1962 Godzilla made a return to the big screen after a seven year absence(from 1955) in Toho's first color and "scoped" Godzilla film, King Kong Vs Godzilla. I have observed a wide variety of opinions about this film. It did well at the box office, and remains the number one ticket-seller of all G films. My thumbs up: 1. the Godzilla suit(though I know some people don't like it)-he looks bulkier, good to throw his weight around more :lol: 2. Godzilla's attack on the Arctic base-a great scene 3. Tadao Takashima and Yu Fujiki vs their boss Mr Tako-hilarious(whether it was intended or not  ) ---My thumbs down: 1. the Kong suit, IMO a truly miserable rendering of the giant gorilla 2. the general lack of "high-speed" filming(which is used to make the kaiju appear to move more slowly, as giants would) 3. elements of the final battle on Mt.Fuji, especially the brief "stop-motion" sequence -----Luckily this movie was recently released as a two-DVD pack along with "King Kong Escapes" in widescreen format by Universal ---Post your thoughts and opinions of this film here. :)
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| Legionmaster | Feb 9 2006, 11:17 PM Post #2 |
Monsterland Associate
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Jeez, have not seen it in so long. Can't remeber much. *runs to buy DVD, then realized he has no cash* |
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| KaijuFanatic | Feb 10 2006, 02:08 PM Post #3 |
DVD Fanatic
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I love this film, consider it one of my 'comfort' films. The Kong suit is hilariously bad, but somehow, it works for me. :) There are a couple of scenes between Godzilla and Kong that look quite bad, but in the end, I really think this is one of those films that is too fun to ignore. |
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| Legionmaster | Feb 10 2006, 02:18 PM Post #4 |
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Monsterland Associate
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I haven't seen it in a while, but it's OK. Gotta pick up the DVD. |
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| ControllerOfPlanetX | Feb 10 2006, 03:01 PM Post #5 |
Monsterland Associate
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It's great fun, though I can barely sit through the American version since seeing it in its original form. It's almost as much a comedy as it is a monster movie. Mr. Tako is one of my all-time favorite comic characters--Ichiro Arishima's performance in the Japanese version is priceless. True, there are a few cringeworthy bits, but overall, with the great fights, the score, the characters and what not, it's quite good. |
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| packmule | Feb 10 2006, 07:19 PM Post #6 |
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Site founder - Searching for Cropsy
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IMO one the major drawbacks to the Americanized, or "Beck" version of "King Kong Versus Godzilla"(referring to the man who bought the rights to release it in the U.S., Mr. John Beck), is the alternate soundtrack. Granted much of the Americanized version score is passable, with the exception of the "Creature From The Black Lagoon" score(I thought it was really out of place in this movie). Seeing the original, uncut Japanese version one also experiences the great music of the film. :) |
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| packmule | Mar 18 2006, 09:46 PM Post #7 |
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Site founder - Searching for Cropsy
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After 1955's Godzilla Raids Again it would be seven years before Godzilla would appear on the big screen. On August 11, 1962 King Kong Vs. Godzilla was released by Toho, the first Godzilla film in color and in scope(widescreen). I will post some observations about this film later. I want to know what you think about it. Discuss the 1962 film here, as well as the "Americanized" version(released in the U.S. the following year in 1963), and anything related to either film, including the DVDs of both. All replies welcome. :) |
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| Ghost the Bat | Mar 18 2006, 11:16 PM Post #8 |
Combichrist
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I just bougth the Universal 2-pack DVDs, and just watched King Kong vs. Godzilla for the first time and all I can say is wow, what a fun movie! The plot moves along smooth enough, the main characters were funny and memorable, the Godzilla suit IMO was cool except for his arms seemed a little unporportional. The only thing I dislike is that it felt like Godzilla and King Kong never really fought long, unless theres more fighting in the Japanese version. 4/5 Stars for me. |
Hospitalman in the U.S. Navy
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| packmule | Mar 19 2006, 01:04 AM Post #9 |
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Site founder - Searching for Cropsy
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There isn't more, well, of any consequence. Most of the additional scenes in the 1962 original(Japanese) version are talking scenes, with a few exceptions where there are a few varying-angle shots of the two monsters fighting, and no more. The biggest difference between the two versions are the score and the presence of the American actors in the 1963 "Americanized" version. I have both versions on DVD and was also pleased that Universal released KK Vs Godzilla in letterbox. :) |
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| KaijuFanatic | Mar 19 2006, 12:50 PM Post #10 |
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I love this film, it's kind of like a 'comfort' film to me...if I'm not feeling well or having a bad day, I stack this up with a few other comfort films and soon all seems right in my world. King Kong certainly has his own unique look in this film, but that kind of adds to the charm of the film for me. I can even enjoy the additional 'Americanized' scenes in this film. I think this is just slightly ahead of, King Kong Escapes for me in the enjoyment department, but not by a whole lot. I know it's always been said that there was an 'American' ending to the film and a 'Japanese' ending, where in the American version, King Kong was the victor and in the Japanese version, Godzilla walked away the winner, but I believe I read that was never the case. |
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| Ghost the Bat | Mar 19 2006, 02:11 PM Post #11 |
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In the Japanese version you still see Kong swim away, but you hear Godzilla roar at the end, signifying that he was still alive and well. I wish they wouldn't of cut our Goji's roar in the American version of the film. |
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| packmule | Mar 19 2006, 08:52 PM Post #12 |
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Site founder - Searching for Cropsy
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There has been, and continues to be even now, content on various boards between forum members suggesting that there is a difference in the endings of the two films. Ghost The Bat has pointed out that Godzilla's roar can be heard in the Japanese(original) version, as Kong surfaces and swims away(Godzilla remaining below the surface in both versions)-and that there is no audible roar in the 1963 "American" release. For the record this is the only difference in the ending, and is such a minute detail as to justify perhaps limited reference, and most certainly not the wild and rambling arguments I have seen on what will remain unnamed boards. The audio of Godzilla's roar, absent in the American release, but present in the original, uncut version, is the only difference in the ending. Anything posted anywhere contrary to this is nonsense. nod |
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| jimpickens | Dec 15 2006, 01:47 AM Post #13 |
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Monsterland Associate
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I bought this from Amazon in a two pack along with King Kong escapes I hope hollywood doesn't remake this classic you know as seeing what they did with Godzilla. wolf bane |
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| packmule | Dec 15 2006, 08:32 PM Post #14 |
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Site founder - Searching for Cropsy
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Thread drift: howdy Jim! How are you? :) Topic: I have the same two-pack also. I was glad to see the American version(1963) in widescreen, because my only copy of this movie on DVD previously was the full-framed Good Times Video version. thumbs up Like you I would prefer Hollywood not remake King Kong Vs Godzilla(1962), however I wouldn't mind Toho doing a remake of this classic. Chances of that happening are, at least going by the current consensus, nil, but I can always hope. Mr Green |
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| packmule | Jun 1 2007, 09:25 AM Post #15 |
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Site founder - Searching for Cropsy
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There is going to be a biopic(made for TV movie) on Japanese television about longtime Toho actor Tadao Takashima, who starred in King Kong Vs Godzilla(1962), Atragon(1963), Frankenstein vs Baragon(1965), Son Of Godzilla(1967), Godzilla Vs Mechagodzilla(1993) and many other films, regarding his struggles with clinical depression. Click the link for more info at Sci-Fi Japan: http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2007/05...ith-depression/ I was most pleased to see the family picture at the bottom of the page of this link: Mr. Takashima and the rest of his family look happy and appear to be doing very well. thumbs up Tadao Takashima has always been one of my favorite Toho actors-I really enjoyed his performance in King Kong Vs Godzilla, playing off his co-stars Yu Fujiki and Ichiro Arashima. Best wishes to him and his family. :) |
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