You'd never believe it from the different run times (the U.S. version is about eight minutes shorter) but yeah.LSD Jellyfish wrote:So I finished the full film, again. Honestly, not too much is different or changed. There's some minor development with Madame Piranha that gets removed, and some characterization with Who as well, but really both films are identical. Either cut is fine and has advantages and disadvantages with it's cast. The Japanese cut offers some slight clarity into what is going on and the present goals are.
Talkback: King Kong Escapes (1967)
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Re: Talkback: King Kong Escapes (1967)
寺沢. He/him/his, etc.
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Re: Talkback: King Kong Escapes (1967)
Given Kong's popularity, I'm surprised Universal never released it to VHS during the 80s or 90s
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Re: Talkback: King Kong Escapes (1967)
Eight minutes isn't missing much.
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Re: Talkback: King Kong Escapes (1967)
That was from nearly over a year ago, but yeah. Both cuts are fine, though there's like a minute lost that gives Madam Piranha some good development.
I might re-watch this in anticipation of Godzilla vs. Kong. It's kind of funny because this is one of the big films that first turns kong into a more sympathetic creature.
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Re: Talkback: King Kong Escapes (1967)
I’m surprised that they did not use Haruo Nakajima’s real eyes when he donned the Kong suit.
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Re: Talkback: King Kong Escapes (1967)
Well, what was lost in those eight minutes doesn't amount to much, but eight minutes on its own is actually quite a bit of material to be cut. There aren't many Americanized Toho films with a larger runtime discrepancy between Japanese and U.S. releases. Most of the ones that surpass it are the ones which inserted new actors (both Burr Godzillas, Varan, KKvG, etc.) or restructured their respective original versions (the Rodan or The Human Vapor variety).
Unlike most of those movies, Rankin/Bass' version of KKE still feels like a faithful adaptation of the original film. In that regard, it's a lot like TriStar's Godzilla 2000.
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Re: Talkback: King Kong Escapes (1967)
I always liked the film although it bothered me Kong was shorter when he seems to be the same one from GVKK that was masssive.
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Re: Talkback: King Kong Escapes (1967)
Different island, different reputation, different relationship with the natives. Even if you lump King Kong Escapes into the Showa Godzilla continuity, it would probably be a completely different Kong.
Last edited by Spuro on Mon Feb 22, 2021 10:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Talkback: King Kong Escapes (1967)
Him being a smaller one of the species and the people not realising its a different one makes more sense and annoys me less I guess. I need to rewatch it.Kaiju-King42 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 22, 2021 10:39 pmDifferent island, different reputation, different relationship with the natives. Even if you lump King Kong Escapes into the Showa Godzilla continuity, it would probably be a completely different Kong.
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Re: Talkback: King Kong Escapes (1967)
Gorosaurus in DAM ended up muddling things a bit, but King Kong Escapes is really supposed to be a standalone film.
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Re: Talkback: King Kong Escapes (1967)
Keep in mind that DAM was supposed to be the last film, and so they just tossed in every kaiju they could to make the film epic.
KKE has more to do with a cartoon. Think of it as a live version of the animation.
KKE has more to do with a cartoon. Think of it as a live version of the animation.
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Re: Talkback: King Kong Escapes (1967)
I’m glad Gorosaurus got randomly inserted into DAM. For what is essentially a generic dinosaur intended to be fodder for Kong, it’s got a fantastic suit, and some memorable abilities. Bumping it up to Godzilla size and having it briefly do some cool stuff in DAM, sure made it not be a forgettable monster.
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Re: Talkback: King Kong Escapes (1967)
Also, one of the greatest figures in the classic Bandai 8" line.LSD Jellyfish wrote: ↑Wed Feb 24, 2021 6:43 am I’m glad Gorosaurus got randomly inserted into DAM. For what is essentially a generic dinosaur intended to be fodder for Kong, it’s got a fantastic suit, and some memorable abilities.
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Re: Talkback: King Kong Escapes (1967)
I never actually thought about how lucky Gorosaurus was to get his big break in DAM. He'd probably be as forgotten as the poor Giant Sea Snake if his suit hadn't happened to be available at the right time.
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Re: Talkback: King Kong Escapes (1967)
Giant Sea Snake feels like what many people assume Gorosaurus to be: complete fodder.
Gorosaurus was heavily featured in the films advertising. I think it's really the quality of the suit that did it.
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Re: Talkback: King Kong Escapes (1967)
Eh... I’m of the opinion that this is one of the weaker Toho kaiju outputs from the 60s. I can understand why it’s overlooked by general audiences.
Still, it’s better than most of its competitors in 1967 — Gappa; The X From Outer Space; Yongary; possibly Gamera vs Gyaos, but that’s debatable. Just goes to show you how even Toho’s weaker outputs at the time were still ahead of the pack.
Still, it’s better than most of its competitors in 1967 — Gappa; The X From Outer Space; Yongary; possibly Gamera vs Gyaos, but that’s debatable. Just goes to show you how even Toho’s weaker outputs at the time were still ahead of the pack.
Last edited by Spuro on Thu Feb 25, 2021 12:36 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Talkback: King Kong Escapes (1967)
I love X From Outer Space as much as KKE. They're both very fun movies.
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Re: Talkback: King Kong Escapes (1967)
I wouldn't take it too seriously, but there's a sort of fun theory that has King Kong Escapes taking place in the then-future, between Terror of Mechagodzilla and Destroy All Monsters. Some character's unfamiliarity with Kong and considering him more of a legend is due to him disappearing after the events of KKVG and getting overshadowed by all the other monsters. It having a semi-futuristic setting could also explain the presence of hovercars, albeit practically all of these movies feature advanced technology despite contemporary settings. Mechanikong could have been based off of Mechagodzilla and designed as a weapon against all of the attacking monsters. The KKE Kong might be a different induvial from the KKVG one, though I'll admit I can kind of squint at the whole inconsistent size thing. Not sure what to make of Gorosaurus though, considering he was apparently living on Monster Island circa 1972.AaronMJ90 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 22, 2021 10:53 pmHim being a smaller one of the species and the people not realising its a different one makes more sense and annoys me less I guess. I need to rewatch it.Kaiju-King42 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 22, 2021 10:39 pmDifferent island, different reputation, different relationship with the natives. Even if you lump King Kong Escapes into the Showa Godzilla continuity, it would probably be a completely different Kong.
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Re: Talkback: King Kong Escapes (1967)
I know the film has a giant robotic ape, but the hover car was always an element that stuck out to me like a sore thumb.MaxRebo320 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 26, 2021 5:42 pmIt having a semi-futuristic setting could also explain the presence of hover car
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Re: Talkback: King Kong Escapes (1967)
The simplest explanation in the context of this fan theory: There's more than one Gorosaurus. Toho Showa monsters had a habit of coming in pairs.MaxRebo320 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 26, 2021 5:42 pm Not sure what to make of Gorosaurus though, considering he was apparently living on Monster Island circa 1972.
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Haha. I know, right? The main characters otherwise travel by a perfectly normal submarine, or by helicopter.LSD Jellyfish wrote: ↑Fri Feb 26, 2021 5:48 pmI know the film has a giant robotic ape, but the hover car was always an element that stuck out to me like a sore thumb.MaxRebo320 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 26, 2021 5:42 pmIt having a semi-futuristic setting could also explain the presence of hover car
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