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King Kong vs. Godzilla

King Kong vs. Godzilla

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Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Enjoyable and Interesting version
Review: This is an enjoyable Godzilla movie and is the third in the series. Godzilla breaks free from the ice that trapped him in the previous movie, Godzilla Raids Again (aka Gigantis, The Fire Monster). Here Godzilla is the bad guy. I think you can probably guess the basic plot.

It gets silly at some points. Don't get caught up in production mistakes. Just enjoy the ride. Here electricity is supposed to harm (or at least slow down) Godzilla, but later in the series, Godzilla gains his strength from lightning. (The lightning comes up in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla - aka Godzilla vs. The Cosmic Monster.) Plus, electrical lines didn't affect him in the original movie either.

This film had the potential of getting into legal trouble. The basic idea for this movie originally came from Willis O'Brien. He had the idea of having King Kong fight a large Frankenstein. Unfortunately, he shared his idea with the wrong person who would later take the idea to Toho without O'Brien's knowledge. O'Brien learned about it just before he died.

I find the packaging for this DVD (and the VHS edition) interesting if you consider some stunts that Toho pulled when promoting this movie. Back in 1963, Toho used images of the 1933 Kong on the posters. The ape costume looks nothing like O'Brien's version of Kong. The packaging for this video edition uses images from other versions of the monsters too. Kong does not look that real. The version of Godzilla shown here (in the lower portion with the red background) looks like the version used from 1973-1975 (Japanese release dates) which included Megalon and the original Mechagodzilla movies. I can't place which movie the close-up is from.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Bad Monkey Outfit!
Review: This is pure Toho Studios madness, best enjoyed by either hardcore old school Godzilla fans who grew up watching campy stuff like this, or 4-11 year olds may enjoy it also. The dubbing is hilariously bad, and watch for the special dinosaur expert interviewed by the U.N. news guy. This guy's expressions and answers about dinosaurs are worth the low price of the DVD alone! The actors portraying the television company suits that "owns" Kong are poor at best, and were not taking the film seriously at all. Yes, the Ape costume is really atrocious, you could rent a better one at your local costume shop. But the Godzilla costume is one of the best of all the 60's-70's films and the fight scenes are straight out of the WWF. At one point, Kong literally bodyslams Godzilla! All in all, one of the most fun of the Godzilla films to watch, and the ending is open to endless speculation to who won. Zilla buffs say Kong was running away a la Oscar de la Hoya, whereas Kong-a-maniacs say the lizard was overpowered and left to die in the Pacific. I would really like to see this Toho classic re-made today using Jurassic Park-like special effects, and some decent actors. I think it would be a hit. Buy the DVD, and get in on the argument today!

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Not as good...
Review: This movie came to my attention when I was 12 years old, and it was the first time I ever saw Godzilla in my life. It was well paced, the FX were good for their time, and it was action packed. However, since then I have had an opportunity to find a VHS copy of the Original Japanese Release with English subtitles (In Widescreen). It was changed for American Audiences. I enjoyed this version much better. There was more character development, better pacing, and a much more enjoyable movie all around. I feel that imports on DVD should have the option of presenting the ORIGINAL theatrical version, with subtitles as an option. I believe American Audiences would have a better time with them.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Classic Camp
Review: This has got to be one of the funniest movies of all time, especially the American version. The scene with Kong ramming a tree down Godzilla's throat is classic as well as the far-back shots of hand puppets duking it out. This movie just for camp and humor value should be purchased. I love this and all of the old Godzilla movies.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: What a piece of Junk.
Review: In the early 1960's, Willis O'Brien tried to sell to Universal Studios his ideas for a proposed movie to bring back King Kong in King Kong vs Frankenstein, but he passed away before any work could be done with it, and another film maker, John Beck sold the idea in a vastly different form to Ishiro Honda and the resulting film is King Kong vs Godzilla. I've never seen the Japaneese version, but the American version is really bad with bad dubbing, sound effects, and stock music used from Creature from the Black Lagoon. I still hear that a print of this film exists where it clearly shows Godzilla the winner, as once the two monsters hit the water, the Earthquake occurs and Kong never surfaces, but they do see flashes of blue light coming from the water and conclude that Godzilla has survived and swims away underwater.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Best Monster Battle Ever Filmed
Review: I grew up watching all of the original Godzilla movies and by far, this one is the best.For those of you who are expecting major special effects,you will see just that considering the time in which this movie is made. I will agree that the dialogue is a bit longwinded and at times useless but if you just let your imagination run free for a minute or at least an hour you will actually enjoy this movie alot.King Kong vs Godzilla is a sci fi classic and deserves much greater appreciation than it has been given. Take it from a man who thoroughly enjoys a Godzilla movie,this one is a keeper and one I will definitely add to my collection since I cant find it anywhere else.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Godzilla's best? You have to be kidding.
Review: In the book The Official Godzilla Compendium, King Kong Vs Godzilla is described as "The Jaws of the Japanese film Industry" or "One of the great monster battles of cinema history". It is referred to as the film that "...Lifted Godzilla from the swelling ranks of interchangeable atomic monsters of the fifties and placed him among the pantheon of cinema creatures". Thus, I had high expectations when I watched this on the Sci-Fi channel.

All I have to say is: Wow! The special effects are incredible! The acting is top notch. The screenplay is well written. This film is truly a classic of cinema that will leave you thinking long after you leave the theater.

Wait. That's my review for 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Here's what I really think of King Kong vs. Godzilla.

A thousand words cannot describe my dislike of the film. I know it's a Godzilla film, but did it need to be this bad? It starts off good, with an excellent piece of music at the beginning credits. But soon goes downhill as we are introduced to U.N Reporter Eric Carter. All he was put in for was to make the film longer and annoy us. He "communicates" with people in Japan via a satellite that looks more like a first grade science project than visual effects. He constantly tells us that "Godzilla is heading for Japan" or "King Kong and Godzilla will battle." Duh! What do you think King Kong and Godzilla will do? Have tea and crumpets?

Speaking of Kong, I have seen costumes that look better than this Kong suit. I would also rather listen to Celine Dion and Elton John do a music number together than listen to Kong roar. He doesn't even open his mouth! Godzilla appears just fine, except for the fact he's afraid of thermal energy (Didn't he tear down an electrical fence in 1954 with ease?). Kong however gets power from the thermal energy. Gee, I would assume that all his fur would make him the perfect conductor of elctricity. Also, doesn't anyone else notice that the islands of the first Godzilla movies (The '50s to the '70s) always look the same? The main battles themselves are also letdowns.

It was a grand idea that Toho had: Pitting two titans of cinema against each other. Too bad the Japanese did not use stop motion animation. Or make a Kong/Godzilla rematch. Or make better costumes or etc, etc. For a true classic of monster cinema, King Kong, the original Godzilla or Godzilla 1985 are better choices than this pile of ... If this was the film that made Godzilla famous, he should have been assassinated.

Indeed this film will leave you thinking after you leave the theater: Why did I waste my time on this?

(Note: Perhaps my criticism was a bit harsh. After all, this is the American version of the movie and we always [mess] with perfection. Maybe the Japanese version is better. Get that one if you can).

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Cheesy even for a Godzilla movie.
Review: (previous entry "godzilla raids again", Summary: It's America versus Japan as Godzilla and King Kong meet in a fiery fight to the finish.

The only thing saving this one from the one star rating is the monsters themselves. The human characters are boring and the dialogue and script are awful. Worst in the series.

Next is "Godzilla Vs. Mothra".

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Two classic gargantuans collide
Review: "King Kong vs. Godzilla" is the first of the classic King Kong vs. so and so movies that I saw. Japanese people are terrified because Godzilla is on the loose and he is supposedly headed toward Japan. But little do they know that King Kong will soon show up to give them double trouble. But is King Kong that bad of an enemy? It's hard to say after he saves some people from a giant octopus. King Kong is smart and also very large and strong and Godzilla is not so smart and also large and strong, but he also has the ability to breathe fire. Who will win the fight?

This movie was made in the early 60s so of course the special effects weren't as great as they are today and yes you can easily tell that the monsters are fake, but that doesn't take anything away from "King Kong vs. Godzilla" at all! I liked the movies "King Kong" and "Godzilla," but in my opinion, the classic movies where King Kong fights another huge creature are a lot more entertaining and more fun to watch.

If you like the classic duels that involve King Kong, I definitely recommend getting "King Kong vs. Godzilla." It's one of those movies that are fun to watch over and over again throughout the years that will never get old.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: king kong vs. godzilla (good times)
Review: for a good times tv version of the original film it is ok it could have been better if they also had the widescreen or letterbox version also if they had both the u.s version where king kong wins and the Japonese edition that shows godzilla winning the fight. this is actualy the third godzilla.Godzilla returns is the second godzilla(godzilla vs. giagantis the fire monster )Rodan was the predasesor of all the godzilla's you see Rodan in the destroy all monsters movie.


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