"There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, then dreamt up in your pphilosophy
No joke, the first lines you hear in the English dub of TOHO's, King Kong vs Godzilla , is Shakespeare's Hamlet. And it is this line that I feel just explains the movies so well in both the relatively serious nature that is the world of Giant Monsters...as well as the idea that when you ever watch a Giant Monster movie, everything you know of science is put on its head via a sweaty Asian in a rubber suit.
King Kong vs Godzilla is in its own right a monument in the world of cinema. To my knowledge, it is one of the first films to do the infamous "crossover" theme that you can now see in many films of the ilk of science fiction (Freddy vs Jason, Alien vs Predator, The Avengers, etc.). It is also Godzilla's first colored film and the third film he stars in. For Kong, this is also the first time he too has been since in color since the last King Kong film that was made Stateside was in 1933. It in a way shows a more peaceful tie between America and Japan since the second World War is now only two decades behind them as the production of the film was due to the father of Kong (Willis O'Brien) and Toho (the makers of Godzilla).
The film's plot is in a way serves as a relative "sequel" to the second Godzilla film, Godzilla Raids Again in 1955 (this is due to how Godzilla first appears in this film). The story* starts off with the United Nations news room as we get current event from around the globe, leading to a piece of the discovery of a miracle drug found in a fruit located in the South Pacific as well as a strange source of heat is located in the Bering Sea. We are then shown Japan and in the office of Pacific Pharmaceuticals The owner, Mr. Tako (played spastically throughout the film) wants to mount an expedition to the island, but is warned by the scientist who discovered the fruit that the natives wish not share the fruit due to the island God. While Tako demands that the company should go to the island to get the fruit and the God, because for some reason a real monster is an easier way to solve their advertising issues. Meanwhile, an American sub investigates the strange heat and they find a radioactive iceberg that they somehow crash into. The crash then awakens Godzilla and the radioactive saurian is unleashed unto the world. ((Godzilla's appearance in an iceberg is the unofficial link between King Kong vs Godzilla and Godzilla Raids Again since in the end of the latter, Godzilla is sealed into a glacier near where the iceberg is found.))
Once Godzilla begins his rampage across Japan and heads towards Tokyo, the agents for the company make it to the island where they meet the islanders (a bunch of Japanese actors doing the equivalent of South Pacific black face) who are then placated to allow the Japanese foreigners to collect their berries and try and find their god by introducing radio and then cigarettes with join. Yeah Civilization! Lets give cigarettes to children! It is then that lighting strikes and the roars of the god appears.
There is also a subplot of the leader of the Japanese expedition's sister who goes on a quest to find her boyfriend in a presumed plane crash which leads to their reunion and a very "dramatic" "chase" scene between them and Godzilla.
After subplot does it job, we then encounter an awesome sequence of a live octopus (yes a living octopus) attacking the natives on the island..only to be what draws the god of the island down from the mountains...KING KONG!
Now the 8th Wonder of the World is now huge to match the size of Godzilla and design was is ape like...but...he has giant gorilla boobs which only recently have I realized is kind of odd for his design. After fighting the real octopus, this rubber suited Kong then gets drunk and passes out to island music before being placed on a raft to bring back to Japan.
True story.
The monsters now fully introduced, the movie continues to lead to the epic fights between the cinematic Titans of the East and West.
This legendary battle of a film would later be one of Toho's highest grossing films of that year and a success in Japan as well as America. Many a child remembers seeing the legend that is Godzilla fighting King Kong.
There is though a lot of myth behind this film. The greatest is the myth on the "victors" of the film. It was said that in the Japanese version, you hear Godzilla's roar while in America's version you hear King Kong. This is pure fan-myth since people sometimes get pretty butt hurt about this topic. I used to be like this myself and then I came to the mature idea that "Well..it is just a movie."
I think my favorite thing about this film is the origin of the movie. As mentioned earlier, Willis O'Brien was trying to pitch a radical movie idea for his hairy creation where King Kong would fight Frankenstein (not the legendary creature of the titular book). This idea of Frankenstein was actually supposed to be this mix-match of African animals that would be created by a scientist to battle Kong in a promotional wrestling match, and of course it goes terribly wrong.
But American film makers didn't want to create such a film and O'Brien started to look else where and eventually ended up in Japan and presented his script to Toho. Toho liked it and said they would make it, under two conditions of course.
1) That it is set in Japan.
2) That instead of Frankenstein (who oddly enough Toho does later make two Frankenstein Monster films later one)...that King Kong face Godzilla to celebrate Godzilla's near decade of appearance.
O'Brien agreed and Ishiro Honda, the director who pioneered the Japanese Giant Monster film (with his first film which was in fact...Godzilla -1954- ) and special effects wizard (and personal hero) Eiji Tsubarya who at the time was starting to create is own works such as Ultra Q and the Ultraman series.
Many of you wonder how Kong would be able to stand toe to toe with a fire breathing Godzilla. Well....I don't want to spoil it really but...it has something to do with some science mumbo jumbo that is said between the American Actors (The Newsman and the "Scientist" ) about how electricity flows between reptiles and primates. <<--yeah you read that right.
The film also has some of my favorite Japanese actors (and when I say favorite...I mean my favorite actors I see in mostly the Godzilla franchise) but I would like to highlight my favorite face, Tadao Takashima. Tadao stars in many of Toho's monster films and appears in many Godzilla films as the "heroic and outgoing" character. Even the dubs seem to capture this essence of a man who is adventurous and charismatic. In the future, I'll probably make a guide to the Toho actors that I enjoy to better pain the picture of the Japanese people who even I grew up with the dubbed, show the professionalism and talent that they put into the human stories that are underfoot of the rubber suited behemoths.
To close, King vs Godzilla is a gem for the Godzilla film series. It is still one of the most profitable Godzilla movies that Japan has produced. The film is fun for all ages and is one of the better rubber suited movies to watch if you are someone who is not particularly a fan of the series. Enjoyable to watch or to have some friends give it a Mystery Science Theater 3000 on a Saturday night. This is a film where you can either root for Godzilla, King Kong, or for your friend to give you a little more food or drink to help make it at least an enjoyable experience.
Henry Rating:
6.5 / 10
"Godzilla is the bad guy. Has he always been? Man Kong is getting owned. Wait...what is that science they just said. That can't be right. Is that a real octopus?! Well...that was fun. Can we watch another movie now..that doesn't have monsters?"
Later Gators,
the Mad Man in the Cheapseats
Once Godzilla begins his rampage across Japan and heads towards Tokyo, the agents for the company make it to the island where they meet the islanders (a bunch of Japanese actors doing the equivalent of South Pacific black face) who are then placated to allow the Japanese foreigners to collect their berries and try and find their god by introducing radio and then cigarettes with join. Yeah Civilization! Lets give cigarettes to children! It is then that lighting strikes and the roars of the god appears.
There is also a subplot of the leader of the Japanese expedition's sister who goes on a quest to find her boyfriend in a presumed plane crash which leads to their reunion and a very "dramatic" "chase" scene between them and Godzilla.
After subplot does it job, we then encounter an awesome sequence of a live octopus (yes a living octopus) attacking the natives on the island..only to be what draws the god of the island down from the mountains...KING KONG!
Now the 8th Wonder of the World is now huge to match the size of Godzilla and design was is ape like...but...he has giant gorilla boobs which only recently have I realized is kind of odd for his design. After fighting the real octopus, this rubber suited Kong then gets drunk and passes out to island music before being placed on a raft to bring back to Japan.
True story.
The monsters now fully introduced, the movie continues to lead to the epic fights between the cinematic Titans of the East and West.
This legendary battle of a film would later be one of Toho's highest grossing films of that year and a success in Japan as well as America. Many a child remembers seeing the legend that is Godzilla fighting King Kong.
There is though a lot of myth behind this film. The greatest is the myth on the "victors" of the film. It was said that in the Japanese version, you hear Godzilla's roar while in America's version you hear King Kong. This is pure fan-myth since people sometimes get pretty butt hurt about this topic. I used to be like this myself and then I came to the mature idea that "Well..it is just a movie."
I think my favorite thing about this film is the origin of the movie. As mentioned earlier, Willis O'Brien was trying to pitch a radical movie idea for his hairy creation where King Kong would fight Frankenstein (not the legendary creature of the titular book). This idea of Frankenstein was actually supposed to be this mix-match of African animals that would be created by a scientist to battle Kong in a promotional wrestling match, and of course it goes terribly wrong.
But American film makers didn't want to create such a film and O'Brien started to look else where and eventually ended up in Japan and presented his script to Toho. Toho liked it and said they would make it, under two conditions of course.
1) That it is set in Japan.
2) That instead of Frankenstein (who oddly enough Toho does later make two Frankenstein Monster films later one)...that King Kong face Godzilla to celebrate Godzilla's near decade of appearance.
O'Brien agreed and Ishiro Honda, the director who pioneered the Japanese Giant Monster film (with his first film which was in fact...Godzilla -1954- ) and special effects wizard (and personal hero) Eiji Tsubarya who at the time was starting to create is own works such as Ultra Q and the Ultraman series.
Many of you wonder how Kong would be able to stand toe to toe with a fire breathing Godzilla. Well....I don't want to spoil it really but...it has something to do with some science mumbo jumbo that is said between the American Actors (The Newsman and the "Scientist" ) about how electricity flows between reptiles and primates. <<--yeah you read that right.
The film also has some of my favorite Japanese actors (and when I say favorite...I mean my favorite actors I see in mostly the Godzilla franchise) but I would like to highlight my favorite face, Tadao Takashima. Tadao stars in many of Toho's monster films and appears in many Godzilla films as the "heroic and outgoing" character. Even the dubs seem to capture this essence of a man who is adventurous and charismatic. In the future, I'll probably make a guide to the Toho actors that I enjoy to better pain the picture of the Japanese people who even I grew up with the dubbed, show the professionalism and talent that they put into the human stories that are underfoot of the rubber suited behemoths.
To close, King vs Godzilla is a gem for the Godzilla film series. It is still one of the most profitable Godzilla movies that Japan has produced. The film is fun for all ages and is one of the better rubber suited movies to watch if you are someone who is not particularly a fan of the series. Enjoyable to watch or to have some friends give it a Mystery Science Theater 3000 on a Saturday night. This is a film where you can either root for Godzilla, King Kong, or for your friend to give you a little more food or drink to help make it at least an enjoyable experience.
Henry Rating:
6.5 / 10
"Godzilla is the bad guy. Has he always been? Man Kong is getting owned. Wait...what is that science they just said. That can't be right. Is that a real octopus?! Well...that was fun. Can we watch another movie now..that doesn't have monsters?"
Later Gators,
the Mad Man in the Cheapseats
No comments:
Post a Comment