King Kong vs. Godzilla

King Kong vs. Godzilla (1963)

Timing: 1:36 (96 min)

6.633/10
230

5.1/10
2243

5.7/10
12000

All about film

Video 3

Photo 4

Actors and characters

Release date

1963-06-26

Country

Japan, United States

Production

TOHO, Universal International Pictures

Genre

Action, Science Fiction, Horror, Comedy, Fantasy

Budget

$200 000

Revenue

$2 725 000

Website

Director

Ishirō Honda, Thomas Montgomery

Actors

Michael Keith, Harry Holcombe, James Yagi, Tadao Takashima, Kenji Sahara, Ichirō Arishima, Byron Morrow, Les Tremayne, George Takei, Mie Hama
All actors and roles (10)

Scenario

Paul Mason, Bruce Howard

Producer

Tomoyuki Tanaka, John Beck

Operator

Hajime Koizumi

Composer

Artist

Audition

Editing

All team (23)

• Four octopuses were used to depict the giant octopus attack. Hot air was directed at them to make them move. After filming this scene, three octopuses were released. The fourth ended up as lunch for Eiji Tsuburaya.
• There are several versions of the film: Japanese and American. The American version is 7 minutes shorter than the Japanese one. New scenes with American actors were added to the American version, along with English dubbing and music from classic horror films "The Wolf Man" and "Creature from the Black Lagoon." The version for American release was created in 1963 by Universal Pictures. German and Italian versions of the film also exist.
• In the Japanese version, when Kong fights Godzilla underwater, a small earthquake occurs on land. In the American version, producer John Beck made the earthquake much stronger.
• At the end of the film in the Japanese version, as the screen fades to black and the credits begin, the roars of Kong and Godzilla can be heard. In the American version, only Kong's roar is heard.
• The German version of the film is titled "Return of King Kong".
• Akihiko Hirata, Sachio Sakai, and Kenji Sahara appeared in the original "Godzilla" (1954), but here they play different characters.
• This is the first film to feature the so-called 'classic' Godzilla roar.
• The first film featuring Godzilla and King Kong, and the first time both monsters appeared in color.
• The film was made to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Toho studio.
• Most of the film was shot on Oshima Island.
• Special effects director Eiji Tsuburaya wanted to make a film aimed at a young audience. This approach was approved by Toho studio, and the film has a much lighter tone than the previous two Godzilla films, and contains a lot of humor.
• In the German version of the film, Doctor Frankenstein appears, who, according to the plot, created all the monsters that Godzilla fights.
• The German version of the film is titled "The Return of King Kong".
• Akihiko Hirata, Satio Sakai, and Kenji Sahara appeared in the original "Godzilla" (1954), but here they play different characters.
• This is the first film to feature the so-called "classic" Godzilla roar.