Like Mothra, here also, Toho produces a movie that criticizes nuclear war and consumerism at the same time but on a whole another level. Bringing the most famous monsters together, one from Hollywood and one from Japan, it was really a huge event even back then. The first half of the story in the monster part is similar to both monsters' first outing but the human element is a pharmaceutical company using monsters for advertisement. Initially, I thought the humor element there was simply like a comic relief moment but the movie manages to be hilarious throughout. The King Kong suit design itself is very whacky. Then when the final battle ensues, it's just two people in rubber suits wrestling and throwing props at each other. The whole battle is just stupid and hilarious. The initial Island rituals and music were actually engrossing but with the cigarette gift to the blackface kids it is consistently funny. Even though there's so much stupidity in this movie, a lot of it is clearly intentional and they know what the audience wants. Even all the posters are hilarious. Still, better than the modern Hollywood version.
10 Reviews
Review of the Japanese cut
mind-boggled2 January 2024
Considering the time, it's okay for what it is. The cast is too big, it would have benefited from focusing more on the two leads instead; and the romance subplot makes the film unnecessarily convoluted, and bogs down the pacing. It also takes too long to focuses on Godzilla and Kong, the split second shots of them get annoying. Probably one of the better Godzilla films, although none of them are actually good movies.
6/10 considering the era it was made in and that the film is intentionally light-hearted and comedic. Reasonable entertaining overall, but it does drag a little before it finally gets to the showdown right before the film warps up.
6/10 considering the era it was made in and that the film is intentionally light-hearted and comedic. Reasonable entertaining overall, but it does drag a little before it finally gets to the showdown right before the film warps up.
This is a very dated movie that's fun for its nostalgic charm but doesn't hold the test of time as well as other Godzilla and Kong movies
kevin_robbins21 November 2021
King Kong vs Godzilla (1962 edition, not the edited 1963 American version), the 4th ever Godzilla movie, is a movie I recently watched on YouTube. The storyline follows a marketing team who wants to boost ratings by capturing film of the legendary King Kong. Wouldnt you know it that just as they arrive Godzilla re-emerges for an epic showdown like we've never seen before.
This movie is directed by Ishirô Honda (Godzilla, 1954) and stars Tadao Takashima (Sons of Godzilla), Ichirô Arishima (The Lost World Of Sinbad), Kenji Sahara (Godzilla, 1954), Mie Hama (You Only Live Twice) and Akiko Wakabayashi (Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster).
The first thing I have to say is this is the worst King Kong ever created. His eyes are absolutely crazy throughout the film. The 1933 edition is infinitely better than this one. The music in this is awesome and Godzilla is as entertaining as always. His introduction followed by his battle with the military is great, though the burning tanks were a bit dated. There's a weird octopus scene in this that's unfortunately shot too dark in a fun battle with Kong. The conclusion fight in this is fun and the tree in the mouth scene is legendary.
Overall this is a very dated movie that's fun for its nostalgic charm but doesn't hold the test of time as well as other Godzilla and Kong movies. I'd score this a 5.5/10.
This movie is directed by Ishirô Honda (Godzilla, 1954) and stars Tadao Takashima (Sons of Godzilla), Ichirô Arishima (The Lost World Of Sinbad), Kenji Sahara (Godzilla, 1954), Mie Hama (You Only Live Twice) and Akiko Wakabayashi (Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster).
The first thing I have to say is this is the worst King Kong ever created. His eyes are absolutely crazy throughout the film. The 1933 edition is infinitely better than this one. The music in this is awesome and Godzilla is as entertaining as always. His introduction followed by his battle with the military is great, though the burning tanks were a bit dated. There's a weird octopus scene in this that's unfortunately shot too dark in a fun battle with Kong. The conclusion fight in this is fun and the tree in the mouth scene is legendary.
Overall this is a very dated movie that's fun for its nostalgic charm but doesn't hold the test of time as well as other Godzilla and Kong movies. I'd score this a 5.5/10.
good for its time!
RareMD23 March 2021
The script is good and you can see a lot of events in the movie. After watching the film, I learned that Ishiro Honda is a amazing director. What I didn't like was working with this graphics and effect maybe it was good in a short time, but I've seen it now nor can I say that there are no badly done scenes in the film. In short, the film is better than I expected and good for its time!
A highly satirical, super-beast battle for the ages...
dee.reid28 December 2022
Warning: Spoilers
***This review is based on the heavily edited American version of "King Kong vs. Godzilla" - the original Japanese-language version of which, unfortunately, I have never seen.***
Late Japanese director Ishiro Honda's 1962 monster-mash "King Kong vs. Godzilla" made history at the time of its release by becoming the most widely attended cinematic feature in Japan's history - a feat of which, to date, in 2022, has never been matched. Essentially, it was the first Japanese blockbuster. It was also the first film of its kind in Japanese history: a big-budget (by 1962 standards) cinematic crossover event that paired America's "Eighth Wonder of the World" King Kong against their own "King of the Monsters" Godzilla, in color, no less, and in widescreen. It also convinced Toho to produce further "Godzilla" movies.
Ishiro Honda, a legend in Japan along with his close friend and fellow master of cinema Akira Kurosawa, was always keen to place deep and profound themes in his films, from "Gojira" (1954) all the way to "King Kong vs. Godzilla." "King Kong vs. Godzilla" is no different - though instead of the potent anti-nuclear allegory that had come to define the nascent "Godzilla" series, Honda, along with long-time series screenwriter Shinichi Sekizawa, decided to have a little fun with this third Showa-Era entry. Honda intends and succeeds (even in the American version) to create a brilliantly pointed satire of the Japanese television industry and the extreme lengths that some large businesses would go to just to simply make a buck - even if it means importing a dangerous giant monster into the country to help promote Japanese products, and never minding the large-scale chaos and destruction that said monster is sure to cause.
This satirical bent to the proceedings is what sets the plot of "King Kong vs. Godzilla" in motion, in which Mr. Tako (the late Ichiro Arishima), who is tired of Godzilla and desperate for a new monster to help his lagging pharmaceutical company pull in tremendous ratings and profits, assigns his two underlings Osamu Sakurai (the late Takao Takashima) and Kinsaburo Furue (the late Yu Fujiki) to journey to far-off Faro Island, where a supposedly non-habit-forming narcotic berry juice has recently been discovered amid reports that the tiny island nation is also protected by a fierce monster-god.
Surely enough, in deft homages to the original 1933 "King Kong," Sakurai and Furue discover that Faro Island is protected by the gigantic ape King Kong, who also has a seemingly addictive fondness for the berry juice - which the natives are fully capable of mass-producing all by themselves. (In a hilarious scene, we watch King Kong get "drunk" off the berry juice and pass out.) Meanwhile, back in Japan, the country is facing the menace of Godzilla - last seen in "Godzilla Raids Again" (1955) - recently freed from an iceberg in the Bering Strait by a ravaged American nuclear submarine. The Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) are powerless to stop Godzilla, and Dr. Shigesawa (the late series regular Akihiko Hirata) theorizes that the only way to stop him is to let him fight King Kong, since the two appear to be instinctively drawn to one another and are presumably prehistoric enemies.
"King Kong vs. Godzilla" was undoubtedly the "event" movie of its time, and its legacy had a significant impact on the future of the "Godzilla" series. Of course, it is widely known that King Kong was actually more popular in Japan at the time than Godzilla was, and despite the film's ending two sequels would eventually be produced featuring both monsters - "Godzilla vs. Mothra" (1964), which was the last Showa-Era "Godzilla" film to portray the "King of the Monsters" as the villain before being transformed into a superhero, and "King Kong Escapes" (1967), which was the last Japanese-produced monster movie to feature King Kong.
"King Kong vs. Godzilla" was essentially remade in 2021 with the Legendary Monster-verse entry "Kong vs. Godzilla."
6/10.
Late Japanese director Ishiro Honda's 1962 monster-mash "King Kong vs. Godzilla" made history at the time of its release by becoming the most widely attended cinematic feature in Japan's history - a feat of which, to date, in 2022, has never been matched. Essentially, it was the first Japanese blockbuster. It was also the first film of its kind in Japanese history: a big-budget (by 1962 standards) cinematic crossover event that paired America's "Eighth Wonder of the World" King Kong against their own "King of the Monsters" Godzilla, in color, no less, and in widescreen. It also convinced Toho to produce further "Godzilla" movies.
Ishiro Honda, a legend in Japan along with his close friend and fellow master of cinema Akira Kurosawa, was always keen to place deep and profound themes in his films, from "Gojira" (1954) all the way to "King Kong vs. Godzilla." "King Kong vs. Godzilla" is no different - though instead of the potent anti-nuclear allegory that had come to define the nascent "Godzilla" series, Honda, along with long-time series screenwriter Shinichi Sekizawa, decided to have a little fun with this third Showa-Era entry. Honda intends and succeeds (even in the American version) to create a brilliantly pointed satire of the Japanese television industry and the extreme lengths that some large businesses would go to just to simply make a buck - even if it means importing a dangerous giant monster into the country to help promote Japanese products, and never minding the large-scale chaos and destruction that said monster is sure to cause.
This satirical bent to the proceedings is what sets the plot of "King Kong vs. Godzilla" in motion, in which Mr. Tako (the late Ichiro Arishima), who is tired of Godzilla and desperate for a new monster to help his lagging pharmaceutical company pull in tremendous ratings and profits, assigns his two underlings Osamu Sakurai (the late Takao Takashima) and Kinsaburo Furue (the late Yu Fujiki) to journey to far-off Faro Island, where a supposedly non-habit-forming narcotic berry juice has recently been discovered amid reports that the tiny island nation is also protected by a fierce monster-god.
Surely enough, in deft homages to the original 1933 "King Kong," Sakurai and Furue discover that Faro Island is protected by the gigantic ape King Kong, who also has a seemingly addictive fondness for the berry juice - which the natives are fully capable of mass-producing all by themselves. (In a hilarious scene, we watch King Kong get "drunk" off the berry juice and pass out.) Meanwhile, back in Japan, the country is facing the menace of Godzilla - last seen in "Godzilla Raids Again" (1955) - recently freed from an iceberg in the Bering Strait by a ravaged American nuclear submarine. The Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) are powerless to stop Godzilla, and Dr. Shigesawa (the late series regular Akihiko Hirata) theorizes that the only way to stop him is to let him fight King Kong, since the two appear to be instinctively drawn to one another and are presumably prehistoric enemies.
"King Kong vs. Godzilla" was undoubtedly the "event" movie of its time, and its legacy had a significant impact on the future of the "Godzilla" series. Of course, it is widely known that King Kong was actually more popular in Japan at the time than Godzilla was, and despite the film's ending two sequels would eventually be produced featuring both monsters - "Godzilla vs. Mothra" (1964), which was the last Showa-Era "Godzilla" film to portray the "King of the Monsters" as the villain before being transformed into a superhero, and "King Kong Escapes" (1967), which was the last Japanese-produced monster movie to feature King Kong.
"King Kong vs. Godzilla" was essentially remade in 2021 with the Legendary Monster-verse entry "Kong vs. Godzilla."
6/10.
Electricity gives Kong his powers. Like Popeye's spinach.
chand-suhas10 April 2024
A pharmaceutical company head is not happy with the television ratings and wants to boost it with the help of a giant monster at Faro Island which is none other than King Kong. Meanwhile, an American submarine named Seahawk crashes into an iceberg freeing Godzilla. As Godzilla moves towards Japan, even King Kong is being brought to Japan. Circumstances make way for an unplanned wrestling match between King Kong and Godzilla. Who emerges as the winner and what new lesson Japanese learn out of this battle, forms rest of the story.
For all the hype, it's fascinating to see the makers pull this off back in 1962. The human characters especially the the pharmaceutical company head was cartoonish and over the top. It is when the monsters are introduced that film gets interesting and the gigantic octopus scene with Kong stood out. King Kong capturing a girl is again repeated here for a brief period, before setting him on the path of Godzilla. However the electricity powering Kong was not something I could get onboard with and it happens twice. Barring that, the film is all about the wrestling match and the humans picking their sides without betting. All in all, it delivers on the fun and is a decent watch.
For all the hype, it's fascinating to see the makers pull this off back in 1962. The human characters especially the the pharmaceutical company head was cartoonish and over the top. It is when the monsters are introduced that film gets interesting and the gigantic octopus scene with Kong stood out. King Kong capturing a girl is again repeated here for a brief period, before setting him on the path of Godzilla. However the electricity powering Kong was not something I could get onboard with and it happens twice. Barring that, the film is all about the wrestling match and the humans picking their sides without betting. All in all, it delivers on the fun and is a decent watch.
Clunker film vs Good ideas
daniewhite-131 January 2022
The original Japanese Toho cut of 'King Kong Vs Godzilla' has a much more developed sense of comedy imbued throughout its runtime: the entire film is satirical and scatty; it just isn't really any better than the heavily altered American/International cut that features truly dreadful added United Nations scenes alongside necessarily dubbed and re-edited scenes.
I find this version needs significant further attention from an editor to improve its pacing and the construction of action scenes: the American film does slightly improve in this area despite it causing terrible damage to the satirical comedy of the original.
In the comedic premise of the story 'King Kong Vs Godzilla' has its best strength. There is a great degree of poking fun at television and corporate cultures and some of this is well put across.
The action part of the film is less ably done and the narrative pace is off by a considerable degree.
The same failings of really poor and unconvincing monsters that afflict the American version are naturally in this film also.
They look, sound, and move badly, individually, and even moreso, in tandem together.
The film score is better in this version as is the overall sound design.
I rate a 5/10 for a version that has more brains but less pruning than the more often seen English language cut.
I find this version needs significant further attention from an editor to improve its pacing and the construction of action scenes: the American film does slightly improve in this area despite it causing terrible damage to the satirical comedy of the original.
In the comedic premise of the story 'King Kong Vs Godzilla' has its best strength. There is a great degree of poking fun at television and corporate cultures and some of this is well put across.
The action part of the film is less ably done and the narrative pace is off by a considerable degree.
The same failings of really poor and unconvincing monsters that afflict the American version are naturally in this film also.
They look, sound, and move badly, individually, and even moreso, in tandem together.
The film score is better in this version as is the overall sound design.
I rate a 5/10 for a version that has more brains but less pruning than the more often seen English language cut.
Original Japanese version is not only an entertaining and comedic monster romp but it's also got a satirical edge.
MlleSedTortue3 November 2020
The original 1962 King Kong vs. Godzilla is a bit of a different beast from its 1963 American re-edit. It has rarely been seen outside of Japan and the way to view it (legally) is through the bonus disc on the Criterion set. It goes without say that this original version is superior but I'd wager that it has more wit than at first glance.
The film deliberately sets out to satirize the corporate nature of Japanese TV industry and the ridiculous lengths they'd go to get good ratings. In this case, bring over an gigantic ape as a publicity stunt, which is accentuated by the character of Tako who goes out of his way to "sponsor" Kong. Even when the two monsters are brawling, Tako views it as an opportunity to make a profit as characters argue over who can beat who. They ask, "Who is stronger, King Kong or Godzilla", only to be refuted "This isn't a wrestling match!" Except it is. Indeed for anyone who has only seen the American version of the film, it will probably be a surprise just how self aware and humorous the original version is. It's a blend of monster movie and comedy, through which Honda and Sekizawa have crafted a story that is an entertaining takedown of both commercialism and it's own premise.
The only thing that dampers this aspect of the film is how the satire isn't fully carried throughout the entire film. There isn't any severe consequences the character's actions unlike those from the first Mothra, or Mothra vs. Godzilla. Further exploration into Tako's desire to exploit Kong would have also made the satire stronger. Still, the elements found in Sekizawa's script and Honda's direction gives the film a bit more depth and is a step up over it's Americanized version. The cast is also wonderfully comedic, with Ichiro Arishima as Tako giving a stand out comedic performance. His quirk and gestures are really entertaining and he is definitely one of the funniest characters in the franchise. Tadao Takashima and Yu Fujiki also work great off each other with their antics and even Kenji Sahara is given some funny moments.
With that said, the battle between King Kong and Godzilla is one hell of a fight, the choreography between the two being very entertaining and creative. Speaking of Godzilla, the scenes with him are especially well done, still keeping sense of menace to him with people having genuine fear, even if the film implies some are cashing in on the frenzy. Overall the effects are nicely done with the film having some good miniature work. One of my personal favorite shots is that of Godzilla approaching the high tension wires. There are so many small details such as the houses illuminated from within, cars moving on the bridge, and a helicopter following close behind. Still there are some downsides in the effects, such as a few puppets and compositing shots along with Kong himself. To put it simply, Kong isn't his usual handsome self this time around and has got quite and ugly mug. However, given his state of inebriation by drinking berry juice, Kong's unattractive look works in giving him a distinct personality as the scrappy underdog constantly being bullied by Godzilla.
But if there is one thing that makes this the superior version is the musical score from Akira Ifukube. From the opening cues to Godzilla's iconic theme, it really brings it all together. I'd place Ifukube's Kong theme alongside Max Steiner's score for the original. King Kong vs. Godzilla may not have the adventurous wonder of the original King Kong or the thematic potency of the original Godzilla, but it ultimately succeeds in being an all around entertaining film in its own right. It's just too much fun not to enjoy.
The film deliberately sets out to satirize the corporate nature of Japanese TV industry and the ridiculous lengths they'd go to get good ratings. In this case, bring over an gigantic ape as a publicity stunt, which is accentuated by the character of Tako who goes out of his way to "sponsor" Kong. Even when the two monsters are brawling, Tako views it as an opportunity to make a profit as characters argue over who can beat who. They ask, "Who is stronger, King Kong or Godzilla", only to be refuted "This isn't a wrestling match!" Except it is. Indeed for anyone who has only seen the American version of the film, it will probably be a surprise just how self aware and humorous the original version is. It's a blend of monster movie and comedy, through which Honda and Sekizawa have crafted a story that is an entertaining takedown of both commercialism and it's own premise.
The only thing that dampers this aspect of the film is how the satire isn't fully carried throughout the entire film. There isn't any severe consequences the character's actions unlike those from the first Mothra, or Mothra vs. Godzilla. Further exploration into Tako's desire to exploit Kong would have also made the satire stronger. Still, the elements found in Sekizawa's script and Honda's direction gives the film a bit more depth and is a step up over it's Americanized version. The cast is also wonderfully comedic, with Ichiro Arishima as Tako giving a stand out comedic performance. His quirk and gestures are really entertaining and he is definitely one of the funniest characters in the franchise. Tadao Takashima and Yu Fujiki also work great off each other with their antics and even Kenji Sahara is given some funny moments.
With that said, the battle between King Kong and Godzilla is one hell of a fight, the choreography between the two being very entertaining and creative. Speaking of Godzilla, the scenes with him are especially well done, still keeping sense of menace to him with people having genuine fear, even if the film implies some are cashing in on the frenzy. Overall the effects are nicely done with the film having some good miniature work. One of my personal favorite shots is that of Godzilla approaching the high tension wires. There are so many small details such as the houses illuminated from within, cars moving on the bridge, and a helicopter following close behind. Still there are some downsides in the effects, such as a few puppets and compositing shots along with Kong himself. To put it simply, Kong isn't his usual handsome self this time around and has got quite and ugly mug. However, given his state of inebriation by drinking berry juice, Kong's unattractive look works in giving him a distinct personality as the scrappy underdog constantly being bullied by Godzilla.
But if there is one thing that makes this the superior version is the musical score from Akira Ifukube. From the opening cues to Godzilla's iconic theme, it really brings it all together. I'd place Ifukube's Kong theme alongside Max Steiner's score for the original. King Kong vs. Godzilla may not have the adventurous wonder of the original King Kong or the thematic potency of the original Godzilla, but it ultimately succeeds in being an all around entertaining film in its own right. It's just too much fun not to enjoy.
Best so far
hellholehorror26 April 2024
Warning: Spoilers
This is the best so far. It is pretty darn crazy. It is wildly different to the first two films and is far more watchable because of this. The moments without kaiju are far more entertaining and engaging because it is so crazy and unexpected. There are goofy characters and fast paced silly decisions. It's significantly more entertaining and looks much better but it's not great, the craziness makes it more entertaining but doesn't make it good. So much as it's an improvement, it is different. Giant monsters fighting and destroying stuff never gets tired. So far it's the best but there is better to come.
Comedy 10/10 movie 1/10
diogonachos17 February 2021
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