BLOOD WORK: THE SAGA OF THE KING OF THE MONSTERS ~ PART 3: KING KONG VS GODZILLA (1962)

By 1962 Godzilla hadn't been featured in a movie for seven years. During that time Toho had produced several other tokusatsu films featuring many other kaiju such as Rodan, Moguera, Varan, and Mothra. Godzilla was seemingly left behind. 1962 marked Toho's 30th anniversary and several films went into production in celebration of this event. A new Godzilla film was among the proposed ideas for Toho's 30th anniversary. At the time Toho recently acquired the rights to produce a King Kong film, King Kong Meets Frankenstein. The original 1933 King Kong film was cited as the primary influence for Toho's special effects master Eiji Tsuburaya's pursuit of a career in film. The script was adapted by Shinichi Sekizawa, replacing the Frankenstein Monster with Godzilla. And the rest is history.

KING KONG VS GODZILLA is somewhat of an anomaly among the Godzilla series. It's far more satirical in it's approach to the subject matter in regards to the human drama, employing comical acting duos, over the top characters, and reflecting extreme sentiments about Japanese television at the time. The monsters are far more anthropomorphized, particularly in regards to the fight scenes. Godzilla displays a weakness to electricity, a weakness the monster hadn't displayed prior or since, while King Kong draws strength from electricity, a power he's never possessed before or hereafter. The Godzilla films surrounding King Kong Vs Godzilla present the subject matter seriously and with genuine gravitas whereas the overall presentation of this film is in the spirit of a pay per view wrestling match.

While Ishiro Honda may have preferred to keep Godzilla the embodiment of death and destruction, this slap sticky film became the franchise's biggest financial hit. The Godzilla franchise owes a lot to this film as Toho basically greenlit two more films to be released two years later. It is true to say that the original 1954 Gojira is an unparalleled classic yet to be equaled, but without the 1962 film it is fair to assume that the Godzilla series may not be what it is today. Even with serious Godzilla films to come, King Kong Vs Godzilla's tone would prove prophetic as future Godzilla films would one day embrace a similar style.

My first exposure to Godzilla was the first film when I was four years old. But the film that made me fall in love with Godzilla was King Kong Vs Godzilla. This is the Godzilla film I watched the most as a child and still love to this day.

THE PLOT

Unusually warm currents in the Bering Sea start melting large icebergs. What was once the frozen island of Iwato breaks apart and Godzilla is freed from his icy prison. Instinctively Godzilla heads for Japan. A media mogul, both impressed and disgusted by the amount of television coverage on Godzilla, decides his show needs a monster of its own to increase the ratings. At the first rumor of a monster he dispatches two of his best men to a remote island in the pacific. There the two men discover the island god, King Kong. Using a red berry juice that contains a natural narcotic effect, King Kong falls asleep and is shipped to Japan where he escapes and runs amuck. Eventually King Kong and Godzilla's paths cross and the greatest battle the world has ever known takes place.

WHAT I LIKED

Balancing Humor with Action. What makes this movie so appealing to kids and adults alike is how undeniably entertaining the film is. Like the current trend in super hero movies, the film is filled with great humor, fun characters, and exciting sequences. And for the most part the humor comes from the right places: the human characters and the ridiculous situations they find themselves in. The actors Tadao Takashima, Yu Fujiki, and Ichiro Arishima are fun and hilarious. And the beautiful Mie Hama running from Godzilla in one scene and then from King Kong in the next is both thrilling and ludicrous. King Kong Vs Godzilla isn't a comedy but rather a satire. The monsters, for the most part, are taken seriously but situational humor, such as two giant monsters chasing after Mie Hama, lends the film a unique tone. This is never better illustrated than in the film's final fight sequence where the monsters transition from being truly animalistic and fierce to anthropomorphized wrestlers on a whim.

Godzilla's Design. Godzilla's physical appearance in this film is quite different from any other Godzilla film before or after. His head is more serpentine and his spines are huge. He also has a considerable amount of bulk in general. It might be because this is the first Godzilla film I really attached to but this particular design has become my favorite of the Showa era Godzilla suits, the 1964 Mothra Vs Godzilla suit coming in a close second. Godzilla's emergence from the iceberg is among my favorite scenes in all of the franchise. His subsequent attack on the military base and later on the train to Hokkaido I feel are brilliantly shot and staged giving the scenes gravitas and genuine dread.

An Epic King Kong. I love the original 1933 King Kong, but I also love the Toho King Kong as well and for different reasons. The kaiju King Kong I view as a separate entity. His introduction is set up well with the Octopus attack. The octopus battle is forever imprinted in my memory and there is a moment in that sequence when the octopus attaches itself to King Kong's head where we see an amazing close-up of Kong's head that looks very real. It's probably King Kong's best shot in all the film. I'll admit that this King Kong is one of the strangest looking incarnations of the character but to me that's what makes it distinctive. This King Kong isn't a big gorilla but rather a beast all his own and unlike any other.

The Titanic Fight Scene. With the exception of GODZILLA RAIDS AGAIN (1955), this is one of the earliest examples of kaiju vs kaiju on film. The setting of Mount Fuji for the climactic showdown couldn't be more epic. The start of the fight, with King Kong dropping out of the sky and slamming into Godzilla, sets the whole sequence off with a bang. The fight ebbs and flows, at times leaning towards one monster and later the other. Each monster receives standout moments in the fight, none really outshining the other. It's another well balanced set piece of the film. And the end with both monsters ripping through Atami Castle to get to each other is one helluva finale. There's a mix of animalistic fight choreography and judo which, depending on your personal bent, may or may not work for you. But it certainly makes one entertaining fight. One of the most entertaining in franchise.

And finally there is a wonderful and intriguing cast in addition to those I mentioned above including Akihiko Hirata as the Prime Minister, Jun Tazaki making his Godzilla series debut as General Shinzo, Kenji Sahara as the fearless Fujita, and the gorgeous Akemi Negishi as the lead female island native (I tell you, Akemi Negishi was probably one of the most beautiful women to ever appear in cinema).

NITPICKS

Really I have no problems with this movie. Except for the bizarre weakness to electricity Godzilla suddenly exhibits out of nowhere. This weakness is there to serve this particular film's plot but looking at the saga as a whole it makes no sense. I have less of a problem with King Kong's ability to grow stronger from electricity, other than the convenient lightning storm that intervenes during the final fight. Kong would've been barbecue had it not been for that storm.

Then there's King Kong's costume. I don't mind the design or Kong's gruesome countenance. Sadly though there are moments where the suit looks rather shabby. It's perplexing how previous, more intricate and complicated, kaiju such as Mothra and Varan looked so good while relatively simpler kaiju like the Monster Snowman (1955) and King Kong look so inferior by comparison. To be fair there are moments when the King Kong suit looks great, but there are many moments where Kong roars and his mouth never opens as well as instances where the seams on the Kong head pull away from the Kong body.

Many have theorized why King Kong, a character Eiji Tsuburaya claimed to love, was treated so poorly. I offer no further clues as to why this is save for this: simian-like kaiju suits fit more snugly to the actor's body, providing less room for inner suit mechanisms that would move the eyes or open the mouth. Also there'd be less padding to absorb the actor's movements thereby increasing wear and tear and loosening seams in occasion. More suit means more room to work with. Less suit means less options with which to bring the character to greater life.

CONTEXT

I've heard many characterize this film as "disappointing." Maybe so by today's standards but action and fight sequences (something I dearly love in movies) have come a very long way in the last two decades and one must keep this film in context. It's the same principle as comparing the original 1977 Star Wars special effects and fight scenes to today's Star Wars films. Some aspects will look dated but that doesn't make them any less great. When viewing films of the past, placing the film within the proper context is the key to fully appreciating them. If you need to compare them to something compare them to similar films from the same time period. One can never truly enjoy the pioneering films of the past without placing them in proper context.

THE VERDICT

Perhaps I'm biased (I am) but I simply love this movie. I could watch this film endlessly on repeat. I loved it as a child and that love has only grown as I have. I love seeing my two all-time favorite monsters clash and the movie, in my opinion, delivers on what should be one of cinema's most epic battles. This film really started the "VERSUS" motif that has characterized the kaiju genre. The film is uniquely satirical while (usually) not making fun of itself. The cast is amazing and Godzilla looks wicked awesome. Some of the best sequences in all of the Godzilla series are in this movie including one of the most intense kaiju rumbles ever recorded. King Kong Vs Godzilla is a monster movie for the ages.

Overall Ranking: 9 out of 10

Category: Transcendence

(a film appreciated by both the young and old alike)

Ode To What Might Have Been

This film went through many stages before becoming what it is today. The original script, as purposed by King Kong's creator Willis O'Brien, was King Kong Meets Frankenstein. Like the title suggests, King Kong would battle against the Frankenstein Monster, albeit a different creation of Frankenstein that would be as large as Kong himself. King Kong facing down a giant version of Frankenstein's monster, to me, sounds awesome and I'd pay to see it. Eventually Toho received the rights to the script, rewrote the script, and inserted Godzilla in the story and dropped the Frankenstein Monster... but not completely.

Willis O'Brien original concept art for King Kong Meets Frankenstein

The "Frankenstein Monster as a giant monster" concept kept kicking around the Toho offices for a few years. A Godzilla Vs Frankenstein concept was envisioned at one point and ultimately became Frankenstein Vs Baragon a.k.a. FRANKENSTEIN CONQUERS THE WORLD (1965). The sequel to Frankenstein Conquers the World, WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS (1966), is in a way a spiritual revisit to the King Kong Vs Frankenstein concept, at least as much as having two anthropomorphoid giants battling each other (note: it is my opinion that War of the Gargantuas is one of the greatest monster movies ever made).

King Kong himself would be spun into another film at Toho, KING KONG ESCAPES (1967) and had been planned to star in other projects as well, GODZILLA VS THE SEA MONSTER being one of them. The legacy of that original King Kong Meets Frankenstein script stretches pretty far, a few films maybe owing their existence to it. I think it's pretty creative and amazing seeing what came of it in Toho's capable hands.

VHS/DVD/BLU-RAY

Universal Studios owns the rights to the King Kong character, including distribution rights of both Toho King Kong films. As of right now Universal has been great about releasing the films on all formats and at affordable prices.

Now there are two versions of this film: the original Japanese version and a recut and re-editied English speaking version. Both films feature different footage and vastly different film scores, the English version sampling music from other sci-fi/horror films, the most prominent being Creature From The Black Lagoon. There's a few bits of kaiju footage that were cut from the English speaking version and extended fight sequences.

Sadly though each American release from Universal has featured only the recut/re-edited English version. The only way to acquire the original Japanese version is to buy a foreign release blu-ray. To my knowledge there is no release, either foreign or domestic, that contains both versions of the film. In addition to this there is no American release that contains any special features either, not even a theatrical trailer.

To sum it up, for us Region 1 American fans, we have our choice of formats but all releases are the English version only and bare bones in terms of special features.

Hopefully when the 2020 KING KONG VS GODZILLA film from Universal and Legendary pictures sees release maybe the original King Kong Vs Godzilla will finally receive royal blu-ray treatment. As of 2017 the Criterion Collection has acquired the bulk of the rights to the Showa era Godzilla films. At the moment they DO NOT have the rights to King Kong Vs Godzilla but hopefully they will continue to pursue the rights to the four Godzilla Showa films they don't have until they have them all. Then maybe, just maybe, we might see an American released blu-ray set containing all the Showa Godzilla films in one box for the first time ever, options with both the original Japanese versions and English versions of all the films with loads of special features. Let's hope!