Talkback: King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962)

[Dv-218]

I don't know if it was posted in the forums already, but Tadao Takashima, who played Osamu Sakurai in this movie, has passed away a day ago. RIP to an absolutely fantastic actor, his performance here was among the highlights for me besides Ichiro Arishima.

He was great in every film I've seen him in, his contributions will be remembered. It was cool how he played alongside his son in the Heisei MG film. Rest in peace, Mr. Takashima.

Oh right! I forgot he played a part there too, kinda cool how he acted alongside his son there- an ideal family act.
RIP, he will be missed.

[Omegazilla]

Even though this movie did have some entertaining scenes I was always very critical of putting these two monsters in the same movie unironically. While Godzilla may not have been the powerhouse the Heisei series would turn him into it is still a silly fight. This is further evidenced by the fact Godzilla had a weakness to electricity conjured out of nowhere just to let Kong win that we never see again perhaps except in the following movie GvM. Of course it just so happened Kong got powers completely out of character that just happened to be what Godzilla was weak to! If you have to make such dramatic alterations to these characters then that is proof they just weren't meant to meet. It felt like to me like this just a jingoistic chance to prove the US' monster is better than Japan's monster because at the time Kong was more popular than Godzilla in the US.

Most fans I talk to though still love the concept as well as the movie and the popularity of this film proves this is a popular match up and movie regardless. I do like how the film is basically a non-serious comedy, especially in the original Japanese version and the actual scenes between Godzilla and Kong are fairly entertaining on their own merit. Godzilla's suit is pretty nice but Kong's suit is just plain awful. That scrunchy face and ape boobs are hideous. Watching Kong get wasted on berry juice is also amusing as well as Godzilla acting like a bully when fighting Kong.

[Stump Feet]

Godzilla always had discomfort when it came to electricity, that's why he used his breath to melt the high-tension wires in the original.

The weakness was also exploited in Mothra vs. Godzilla.

It just seemed as the series went on, he somehow gained an immunity towards it.

[Omegazilla]

Eh there was nothing to really suggest that in Gojira. The planes seemed to irritate him more than anything else. Although that leads me to what this movie COULD have been with King Kong's electric powers and that was the initial concept of King Kong Vs. Frankenstein. While that was... an odd concept to say the least I would have liked to see it, although I doubt it would be as entertaining as King Kong Vs. Godzilla. I am guessing the electric powers came from Frankenstein rather than Kong if this idea actually came to be especially since electricity is associated with Frankenstein thanks to the Universal adaption. Even though this film isn't a favorite of mine I actually kinda like it even though I don't like the bare concept. Like I said it doesn't take itself too seriously in the end so I don't think the viewer should either. It is kinda neat to watch this movie though with the context that Frankenstein was supposed to be in Godzilla's place though. You kinda see it in a new light afterwards.

[Terasawa]

I think you're both right. Showa Godzilla was shown to have a weakness to electricity, just not in the first film. He tore through the 50,000 volt with no problem, but the one million volt barrier in this film was enough to repel him. The huge increase in voltage is credible as a weakness but it's definitely a plot hole that Godzilla just didn't burn down the towers like he did in 1954. I think the 30 million volt trap in Mothra vs. Godzilla was probably the closest the SDF came to killing Godzilla by conventional means.

[eabaker]

Even though this movie did have some entertaining scenes I was always very critical of putting these two monsters in the same movie unironically.

It's not done unironically, though. KKvsG is a work of camp in which the main storyline directly comments on the absurdity of the movie's own premise.

[Omegazilla]

Even though this movie did have some entertaining scenes I was always very critical of putting these two monsters in the same movie unironically.

It's not done unironically, though. KKvsG is a work of camp in which the main storyline directly comments on the absurdity of the movie's own premise.

Really? How so? It's not that I don't believe you, I just haven't seen the subbed Japanese version in years so my memory is kind of fuzzy on this. However like I said the campiness is one of the reasons I actually kind of enjoy this movie. It strikes a good balance of being campy without going full on kid friendly like later on in the series.

[eabaker]

Even though this movie did have some entertaining scenes I was always very critical of putting these two monsters in the same movie unironically.

It's not done unironically, though. KKvsG is a work of camp in which the main storyline directly comments on the absurdity of the movie's own premise.

Really? How so? It's not that I don't believe you, I just haven't seen the subbed Japanese version in years so my memory is kind of fuzzy on this. However like I said the campiness is one of the reasons I actually kind of enjoy this movie. It strikes a good balance of being campy without going full on kid friendly like later on in the series.

Consider it this way: the entire story is set in motion by a greedy executive thinking that it's a good idea, despite all available evidence, to bring King Kong to Japan. The whole thing is a takedown of stupid, tasteless marketing, and the end result of all that stupidity and tastelessness is the idea of pitting King Kong and Godzilla against each other.

[LSD Jellyfish]

There`s even a line, that most likely wasn`t present in the dub, that indicates that a Godzilla movie is being made in universe of the film. Mr. Tako hears this and is upset that his science and news programs are being overshadowed.

[Terasawa]

^Yeah that line wasn’t in the dubbed version, and I’m not sure if it was very clear in the more popular subtitle script either.

One of Tako’s staffers asks which monster would win in a fight (sounds like a lot of people here), and another says the idea is stupid because it’s not a wrestling match. Tako overhears this and loves the idea, eventually proposing a meeting of the two monsters purely for promotional purposes.

This is one of Sekizawa’s best screenplays.

[mikelcho]

I think you're both right. Showa Godzilla was shown to have a weakness to electricity, just not in the first film. He tore through the 50,000 volt with no problem, but the one million volt barrier in this film was enough to repel him. The huge increase in voltage is credible as a weakness but it's definitely a plot hole that Godzilla just didn't burn down the towers like he did in 1954. I think the 30 million volt trap in Mothra vs. Godzilla was probably the closest the SDF came to killing Godzilla by conventional means.

And then they got overconfident and increased the voltage...

We all know what happened then.

They finally ended up really doing it with Super Mechagodzilla, but that's another story...

[edgaguirus]

Though that electric charge was directly applied to a target area, rather than the overall body.

[KingKong2005]

I think it's safe to presume King Kong's body acts as a good conductor of electricity, and so his body multiplies the volts of electricity to the trillions.

[edgaguirus]

I wouldn't be shocked if that were true.

[eabaker]

I have no idea how many times I've seen this movie, but somehow a couple of minutes ago was the first time I ever noticed the little animated characters moving around on top of Kong helping to prep him for his balloon ride!

[Stump Feet]

I have no idea how many times I've seen this movie, but somehow a couple of minutes ago was the first time I ever noticed the little animated characters moving around on top of Kong helping to prep him for his balloon ride!

I recall the exact shot, it’s a really nice detail

[Gigantis]

I love this movie to death...only thing from it getting a perfect score is Kong,he looks like Jay Jay the Jet Plane

[Orichalcum]

Oh yeah? Well I like this movie unironically

[Gigantis]

Oh yeah? Well I like this movie unironically

But i just said i loved it....

[Orichalcum]

Oh yeah? Well I like this movie unironically

But i just said i loved it....

I wasn't making a jab at you