Talkback #3: King Kong vs. Godzilla

GMAN2887 - This film was always a bit curious to me - but for cosmetic reasons. Godzilla's design, most notably his head and facial features, always seemed strikingly different to me than his other incarnations. He looked more, hmm, reptillian; lacking the fundamental facial structure that made him his own unique monster. I do not know how else to describe it. Regardless, I have always felt that this film is fun - if a bit campy! ;)

(Third time...UGH!)

This moive...

Alright, 30 foot giant gorilla monster with super strenght and be killed by bi-planes Vs. 164 foot tall radioactive prehistoric monster with regenration, atomic spray, amphbious, and is weak to electricty and can only be killed by a fictional super weapon.

Bambii meets Godzilla anyone?  No?  Okay fine, we'll up Kong's height to 45 meters (148 feet), but keep Godzilla's height the same.  And hey while we're at it, let's give Kong the ability to harness electricty!  Why?  Plot McGuffins, thats why!

......

Ugh...  You think that both Universal and Toho could have done a better job than this.  Oh wait, Universal is so full of itself that it thinks its better than anyother studio in the world even to this day...Getting off topic.  This moive had so much ponetially but the whole Plot elements just really killed this moive in my opnion.  I'll admit it, I am not a Kong fan, and most likely never will be.  My first gian monster moive was of course a Godzilla moive, Godzilla Vs. Gigan or Son of Godzilla.  The fact they gave Kong the abilty to harness electricty for no real plausible explantion other than "Lets give Kong and edge over Godzilla for no reason" just does not sit well with me.  Its like saying oh you can't kill Superman, he's invincble because.  Oh wait... DC Comics does do that...

This was my second to last Godzilla moive to watch, as of writing this I still need to watch Godzilla Raids Again.  I've known from a young age that Kong wins in this moive, but never agreed with it.  I believed in the "Japanese Version and American Version" when I was younger.  In my mind this is what King Kong Vs. Godzilla should have been like:

Yeah...  Less spectacular, but more believable.

While watching the moive I counted the number of times each monster won a round of fighting.

Godzilla: Won all but two (Didn't fight the Giant Octopus)

Kong: Won two (Giant Octopus, Godzilla at the end)

Humans: Twice agianst Kong, and one short lived victory over Godzilla.

Yeah, the humans beat Kong.  TWICE!  Both times due to Kong becoming drunk from the fruit and music from Skull Island (Once being on the island, and once in downtown Tokyo).

Oh but those don't count.  Only the final battle counts!

Here's the thing.  Kong swam away after both he and Godzilla fell into the ocean.  If the fight had continued underwater Godzilla would have most likely won, due to being ampbious and not needing to surface.  Though Toho offically stated that Kong won, its more likely a tie than a victory for either monster.

If Godzilla and Kong are to ever meet and fight again, it would be one good stomp from Godzilla and that's that.  Though we should see this scene though:

My rating: 2 out of 5

Now before someone replies and starts biting my head off...

STOP!

I don't hate this moive.  I like all Godzilla films because its Godzilla.  What I hate is how this filmed was handled and the whole Plot McGuffin with the electric powers for Kong that aren't explaned at all.

I do indeed find some scenes generally funny, and I agree that this a good campy Showa film.  It just should have been exicuted better.  I would have probably enjoyed it more if it was a tiny Kong trying to overcome a giant Godzilla with strenght and intelligence alone.  Yes I know the 1960's didn't focus on realism (When has any moive really focused on "Realism").

Well, whatever.  You can agree to disagree for all I care.  I probably read your responses, but most likey never respond to them.  Now go bite off the heads of those G-Fans in Name Only types that are destroying our beloved franschise.

Well, that was an awkward rant...

1) I don't think you know what a Mcguffin is...

2) Toho and Tsuburaya knew the entire idea was based on a gimmick and took it the comedic route. In that respect I think it was executed beautifully-- Apart from the Kong suit itself. But the sculpters had a hard time finding a design that appeased Tsuburaya.

3) Shinichi Sekizawa and Toho is completely responsible for the movie. Not Universal. Universal was merely the distributor, it was RKO that Toho actually had to pay for the rights of Kong.

4) Kong is a different height with different powers because it's Toho's Kong. It makes no more or less sense than yo-yoing Godzilla's height from the 80s-present and giving additional powers to him.

As for Kong winning, my only answer to the entire fandom is: Get over it.

Seriously, it was 53 years ago. A different time with different levels of popularity. Of course Kong was going to win.

Please do not assume that I don't already know all of this.

It would be helpful if you gave reason to assume otherwise. Especially the mcguffin part...

I use to dislike the film as a kid cause Kong won but as I grew older I came to like the film. It's a fun film and has some memorable scenes in it. 

One thing I like to note is the sudden change of Godzilla's appearance. Such a different take on him it makes me wonder why they chose to go that route, not that it's a bad thing, it just such a big difference between his 54-55 incarnations

Always felt like a rather strange Godzilla film; from his design to his persona.

Outside of a awful looking Kong suit a really fun and entertaining movie. Ironically looking back this was one of the last G movies and most difficult ones I could find on VHS.

What can I say about this movie? My two favorite (giant) monsters going at it? What more could an 8 year old boy want? This, along with Ghidorah and Monster Zero, were probably my favorites as a boy. They were pure fun and monster mayhem. They haven't aged as well as I entered adulthood because of the silliness factor, but are still sentimental favorites, and would be part of my G collection on a desert island. Lapses in logic? This movie has it in spades! One of the worst gorilla suits put to film! But I'll tell you, that battle at the end, although pure WWE, is one of the best fights in a Godzilla film. No one backs down and they just beat the piss out of each other. I love how long it is and the distance that it seems to cover.

The amazing thing, to me, is that KK Vs G was made as a satirical comedy. It's goofy and over the top, and yet, in the very next movie, they return Godzilla to his roots, with very little silliness. Just a completely different movie. Interesting.

I believe KK Vs G also still has the distinction to this day, of being the most attended G movie in Japan when it played. Like Ghidorah and Monster Zero, just a hell of a lot of fun.

KOLDWARKID62 - It must have been so fantastic to see this film as a child! I can only imagine how excited you must have been to see two of the most lauded monsters in movie history have a go at one-another! Your perspectives on such topics are always exceedingly insightful! :)

@Something Real - Thanks. You are always so kind.

Just the perspectives of a 52 year old! Yes, those movies were so much fun to see as a child, and why they remain close to my heart even after some of the sheen has worn off!

Amazing that our favorite Japanese monster is still going strong (at almost 61)! More to look forward to.

"Such a different take on him it makes me wonder why they chose to go that route, not that it's a bad thing, it just such a big difference between his 54-55 incarnations."

Sparkzilla,
Remember it had been a good seven years since Godzilla was on screen and a lot had changed. Tsuburaya and Honda had been making a plethora of sci-fi, fantasy and monster features that were very different from the original Godzilla: Rodan, The Mysterians, Battle in Outer Space, Varan: The Unbelievable, The H-Man, Mothra, etc... The look of the movies they were making had evolved a lot and Tsuburaya was very intent on making Godzilla accessible for wider audiences.

I can only assume that because so much time had passed from the last Godzilla movie that they decided to go a new route based on how the movies I mentioned above had looked. And Godzilla was certainly less frightening for younger audiences to enjoy. Plus it seemed fair to change up Godzilla considering how different Kong looked.

@Sapphireoverlord,

Dude, Godzilla in 54' never had regenerative healing abilities. The only time he did was in the complete heisei series and Godzilla 2000. 

Now, king kong vs. Godzilla is as Koldwarkid62 put it, fun as hell! The battle between Kong and Godzilla is funny at times yet brutal in its own way. Love Godzillas roar in this film as well. Although the 3 toes and no ears came into play, Godzilla still looked great. The Kong suit could have used a tad bit more in the face area but hey, still better than anything I could do. I actually hold this film higher than 3 of the millennium series films, two of the heisei series, and 4 of the showa. 

Comedy style it may be but, it's still entertaining, fun, and enjoyable. It was during this time that special effects master Eiji Tsuburaya had reached the zenith of his craft. The American release replaced all of Akira Ifukubes original score which is by far better than the creature from the black lagoon. In the original Japanese version at the end battle after Kong resurfaces, Godzilla can be heard with his trademark roar. It really doesn't mean anything but the fact is Kong won.

Despite all of the hatred towards this film, I think way too many are forgetting the fact that it was because of this film that Godzilla has the box office power he has today. Kong was more popular then, however, Eiji Tsuburaya made Kong win because it was Kong that influenced him to create special effects. 

As my friend Gman2887 said, get over it. Kong won fair and square. My rating is a 3.5/5. Fun movie for the entire family.

KOLDWARKID62 - You are most welcome! Indeed; Godzilla has aged like an exceptionally fine wine - every time you take a drink, you can not help but want a little more! Additionally, there is a great deal more to which we can look forward in the near future! 2016 will likely be a blast! :)

@Huge-Ben:

Please read what Powers/ Weapons say.

http://www.tohokingdom.com/kaiju/godzilla54.htm

Sapphire Overlord,
Please remember Toho Kingdom is an unofficial, fan site not affiliated with Toho.

Also, please find a source before 1989 (the movie that first introduced the ability came out that year) that claims the Showa Godzilla has regenerative powers before.

Please listen to the mic drop.

@Sapphireoverlord,

Like my friend Gman2887 said, Toho kingdom is not associated with the company Toho what so ever. Good luck finding a valuable resource to prove and provide the showa Godzilla having regenerative healing abilities. 

Yet another mic drops.