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

[GodzillaDude]

Recently watched this movie again, and I'll be honest, I don't like. It seems like Toho was just trying to just capitalize on these characters (which would explain how this is the highest-earning godzilla movie to date). It's just barely above Godzilla vs. Mothra: BFE

Yeah I can see that too. It wasn't one of the best Showa Godzilla movies but it was pretty entertaining.

[Tim85]

King Kong vs. Godzilla was my first VHS Godzilla movie and the first G-movie that I watched all the way through. I watched it so much I still have the American version practically memorized. In fact, I showed this Godzilla movie at the day care I was staying at that summer and hooked the lady's son and pretty every kid there on Godzilla because of that movie. I'm sure a lot of parents loved me.

Recently, I acquired the Japanese version of this film and it was like watching an all new movie! I loved it. It was so much better it's not funny. I loved the humor that I missed out in the American version and the soundtrack. The UN reports constantly bring the movie to a grinding halt so much that the Japanese version sometimes feels like it goes by a lot quicker than the American version.

My final thought: If you haven't seen the Japanese version, you should. It will change how you feel about the film.

[KaijuMaster]

Is the JP version available with subtitles?

[Green Blockhead]

Worst film in the series. Thanks to Kong winning and no Godzilla winning. skreeonk you Kong.

[Goji]

You're joking, right..?

[ZigraDude]

Worst film in the series. Thanks to Kong winning and no Godzilla winning. skreeonk you Kong.

So I guess films like Mothra vs. Godzilla and Godzilla vs. Biollante suck just because Godzilla didn't win?

[Tyler]

Kong won. He is a thinking animal.

[TokyoVigilante]

lol godzillas brains like the size of a soma berry leik srsly he totes lost.

[Tyler]

lol godzillas brains like the size of a soma berry leik srsly he totes lost.

The hell.

[Green Blockhead]

Worst film in the series. Thanks to Kong winning and no Godzilla winning. skreeonk you Kong.

So I guess films like Mothra vs. Godzilla and Godzilla vs. Biollante suck just because Godzilla didn't win?

Mothra and Biollante are from Toho, and Mothra is my favourite kaiju.

Kong is American, and before I discovered Godzilla I watched the 2005 movie, but ultimately, I never really got THAT intrested in him. So I liked Godzilla much more than Kong.

But the main reason is that it's not a fair fight that Kong won. They should have both been defeated, or make Godzilla win for the Japanese version of the movie and Kong win for the American version of the movie.

[Goji]

...The movie is still fun regardless of how it ends. I don't get the "Godzilla loses in this film, so the film sucks" logic at all.

[Mini-Godzilla]

Kong won. He is a thinking animal.

Yes, the American monster had a bigger, meatier brain with more girth.

I went there, John Beck. I know what you were saying.

[TokyoVigilante]

A tie or Godzilla winning wouldve been dramatically unsatisfying. Regardless of who is your favorite, Godzilla is still the villain and as a result should lose. Brains, luck, and determination defeating overwhelming odds is a classic story and it's perfect here.

Godzilla losing gives him a varied and interesting history anyways.

[Lionblaze]

Meh its alright, I agree with the others about how stupid it was for a radioactive dinosaure to lose against a over grown gorilla.

[Starfishman]

This is my personal favorite Godzilla film of all time because it was the first Godzilla film I ever watched and I was about 6 when I first saw it. Now over the years, I still enjoy it but the US version feels slow much of the time and the Japanese score was nearly gone but I still watch it (mainly for the dubbing).

[Hellspawn28]

The movie is still good on who wins or loses, Kong won since he was the good guy in the movie and was more popular.

[godzillafan]

it was a great movie, but not to the director he didn,t like it at all, when they carried king kong to mount fuji the directer cried it was that bad

[Legion1979]

it was a great movie, but not to the director he didn,t like it at all, when they carried king kong to mount fuji the directer cried it was that bad

Wait, what? Who cried? Honda?

[Sam]

It's an interesting movie. It's bizarre when you consider the sudden change in the tone of the 'series' (although it wasn't considered one at the time) from the sombre tone of Godzilla and Godzilla Raids Again. So long as I remember not to take the movie too seriously, it's enjoyable. And Mr Taco is easily one of the most memorable characters to come out of the series.

Then again, considering he's up against the likes of the "He musta thought it was a gun" guy from Godzilla vs. Gigan, maybe that's not much of an accolade.

[KaneLocke]

...The movie is still fun regardless of how it ends.

Eh, I can't say I totally agree. Parts of it are good fun, parts are so blah it's almost unbearable.