Talkback Thread #3: King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962)

[Tamura]

I think it's cruel to call the people who worked on the US version morons.

[Sydney Aradi]

Here is how I see the US & Japanese versions:

Japanese version:

Funny as hell
Good pacing
Great Akira Ifukube score

Universal version:

Bland add in American actors
A somewhat different tone (as I believe John Beck wanted his version to be a straight Sci-Fi film, correct me if I'm wrong about that)

Scenes shuffled about (like Kong & Godzilla's first fight being moved to a different spot)
So so dubbing
Okay stock music score (not as great as Ifukube's original score IMO)
Added in stock footage

I wouldn't say that John Beck & the people behind the US version are idiots, I'll say that they were trying to make a totally different version

[MaxRebo320]

I love how many articles on this site thinks ''King Kong vs. Godzilla'' is a "serious" movie, when really, neither version is.
http://www.historyvortex.org/GodzillaTimeline.html

[Legion1979]

I love how many articles on this site thinks ''King Kong vs. Godzilla'' is a "serious" movie, when really, neither version is.
http://www.historyvortex.org/GodzillaTimeline.html

Wow.

I knew John Rocco Roberto (RIP) and always enjoyed his G-Fan articles, but that piece was all over the damn place. I wouldn't pay any attention to that.

[Hellspawn28]

I personally enjoy both versions of the film. I do mainly enjoy the US version due to nostalgia and the cheesy dubbing.

[Godz]

I personally enjoy both versions of the film. I do mainly enjoy the US version due to nostalgia and the cheesy dubbing.

Me too. And though the loss of Ifukube's soundtrack is pretty inexcusable....I enjoy the stock music as well.

"My...my corns!"

[JAGzilla]

And though the loss of Ifukube's soundtrack is pretty inexcusable....I enjoy the stock music as well.

As do I. Haven't seen the Japanese version yet, but I've heard some of Ifukube's tracks on YouTube. I don't know if I like it as much as his later work, but it's certainly not bad. I bet it does completely change the feel of the movie. Definitely gotta watch that version someday.

[Tohosaurus]

The movie may not be that great but it's a really fun ride. While not my favorite in the Showa series, it is "up there" out of the 15.

[Zentenk]

I had this on VHS since the mid 90's (came in a white plastic case). I never thought Godzilla lost, he lives in the ocean and wouldn't die so easily.

I just watched the Japanese version today. It was really great! Giving cigarettes to everyone, even children! The constant scaling of King Kong was the most annoying thing in the movie. One minute he is the size of an average house and the next he is bigger than Godzilla.

Godzilla design = top 5 - I think the hands really look powerful and well done.

Although Godzilla would "clap" his hands far too often and sometimes made a clicking/clacking noise, probably had a bad shoulder like myself.

Fukumi or whatever her name was... wow. Pathetic, she couldn't traverse 10ft wide 3ft deep water. Her man had to drag her out, and she is lucky he kept going for that "last young woman" left behind. It just so happened to be you, lady with a deathwish.

[GodzillaDude]

Things That I Think Are Good/Decent About This Film-
-The Godzilla suit is decent (It is a bit overrated though)
-Kong's roar/voice
-Godzilla & Kong's individual rampage scenes are the best parts (My favorite scene being when the military attempts a failed trap for Godzilla)
-The final battle is decent

Things That I Think Are Bad About This Film-
-The human characters are jokes
-Kong's suit is not very good at all (Mainly the face)
-Godzilla's breath seemed very ineffective throughout the movie (I know it was weaker in the Showa era but even so)
-Godzilla being scared of/effected by normal electricity was a loud of B.S. as it was never even hinted towards BEFORE this film

And everything else that I didn't name was pretty bad too (except the octopus looked cool)

[PRIMEVAL]

Definitely a fun watch, very nostalgic for me. And I agree about the Godzilla being weak against electricity...the original Godzilla showed no sign of hurt, just anger, once he touched those electric wires. Sure, may be a different Godzilla but a Godzilla nonetheless. Then in a later film, I think one of the Mechagodzilla films, he drew power from lightning hitting his spines. At least, that's how I remember it, it's been years since I seen those films...

[Tamura]

On this day in 1963, KING KONG VS. GODZILLA opened in New York.

[Rody]

Universal REALLY needs to sort out distribution rights with Toho.

C'mon, we gotta CELEBRATE the occasion!

[Goji]

The unfortunate truth is that they simply don't give a shit. =/

[Space Hunter M]

On this day in 1963, KING KONG VS. GODZILLA opened in New York.

In celebration of this, I've attempted to recreate the awesome music used towards at the beginning of the final battle, directly lifted from Creature's score: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLN7eCXYUGw

It's a work in progress, so feedback would be appreciated.

I also apologize for my harsh comments on the previous page. I have greater respect for this version now.

[Tamura]

^ Nice work! I love the library score. It helps the US version feel right at home with the rest of the classic Universal-International sci-fi and monster movies. If you listen closely, you can hear sound effects that appear in other U-I movies of the period.

The unfortunate truth is that they simply don't give a shit. =/

It is unfortunate. I'm sure Universal could do miracles with what materials Toho has. It doesn't seem to be that Toho has shitty materials, they just haven't used them properly. The 16mm portions of their 1991 LD look fine, the problem is they were very sloppily inserted; you can tell where it switches from the 35mm Champion Matsuri print to the 16mm element because Toho slipped in just the cut portions. It would have been seamless if they replaced all incomplete 35mm shots with the corresponding, complete 16mm instead of simply plugging in the 16mm only wherever material is missing. But not only has Toho failed to dramatically improved upon the 1991 version, they have recycled it for all of their subsequent DVDs.

[Space Hunter M]

Thanks for the feedback! I noticed Creature's (And likewise KKvsG's) ending fanfare is identical to the one used for The Golden Horde's soundtrack. Perhaps a signature of Salter's?

Also, what's the true story behind the original elements? Were they completely destroyed, or do they still "exist" out there on some dirty cutting room floor?

Anyone know what this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfNqF_lX5l4) video's deal is? From what I can make out of the description, it's the opening (or an alternate one) of the Champion Festival version.

[Tamura]

Thanks for the feedback!

You're welcome!

Also, what's the true story behind the original elements? Were they completely destroyed, or do they still "exist" out there on some dirty cutting room floor?

Not too sure about this. I originally figured that while the Champion Matsuri version was being edited, the cut portions were stripped from the negative. But, I don't have any proof of this, so it's open to interpretation. All we can really know for sure is that at some point after the Champion version was released, no 35mm elements for the original are known to still exist.

Anyone know what this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfNqF_lX5l4) video's deal is? From what I can make out of the description, it's the opening (or an alternate one) of the Champion Festival version.

That is the opening to the Champion version, minus the Toho logo.

[Space Hunter M]

That is the opening to the Champion version

Interesting. There's uncut 35mm footage from the final scene usable for a further restoration, but the Champion version is currently LD exclusive, correct?

[Goji]

The Champion Masturi version was shown on TV in HD a few years ago in Japan.