King Kong vs. Godzilla
(1962 film)

King Kong vs. Godzilla Kingu Kongu tai Gojira) is a 1962 tokusatsu kaiju film produced by Toho, and the third installment in the Godzilla series as well as the Showa series. The film was released to Japanese theaters on August 11, 1962, and to American theaters on June 26th, 1963. It was released as a part of Toho's 30th anniversary celebration.

The first to feature either of its titular contenders in color, King Kong vs. Godzilla pits the most famous monster from the West against his counterpart from the East. Awakened from his icy slumber seven years after he was trapped within ice at the conclusion of Godzilla Raids Again, Godzilla resumes his campaign of destruction against Japan. Meanwhile, the company Pacific Pharmaceuticals discovers the legendary Giant Demon God King Kong on the remote Faro Island and brings him to Japan for advertising purposes. When Kong escapes and runs loose in Japan, it is only a matter of time before the two behemoths meet in a fight to the finish.

The Bering Sea's currents are mysteriously rising in temperature, causing the area's sea ice to melt and break up. The United Nations sends a scientific team to investigate the cause of the phenomenon. The investigation is covered by the Wonderful World Series, a Japanese documentary program, sponsored by Pacific Pharmaceuticals.

Mr. Tako, the advertising department director of Pacific Pharmaceuticals, is frustrated with the television program his company is sponsoring and wants something to boost his ratings. When company botanist Doctor Makioka tells Tako about a giant monster he discovered on the small Faro Island, Tako believes that it would be a brilliant idea "...with a punch" to use the monster to gain publicity. Tako immediately sends two men, Osamu Sakurai and Kinsaburo Furue, to find and bring back the monster from Faro.

Meanwhile, the United Nations submarine Seahawk gets caught in the same iceberg that Godzilla was trapped in by the JSDF seven years earlier in 1955. As an American rescue helicopter circles the iceberg, Godzilla breaks out and heads towards a nearby country's military base. The base's forces are unavailing against Godzilla, who continues southward towards Japan, supposedly returning instinctively. Godzilla's reappearance saturates the media, and Tako grows angry as his company's competition profits off of the news. As Tako is complaining about Godzilla's media hype to his employees, one of them exclaims, "And... there's a movie too!"

Meanwhile on Faro Island, a Giant Octopus attacks the local village. The island's giant god, King Kong, finally makes his appearance and defeats the monster. Kong then drinks some red berry juice and falls asleep in the midst of a celebratory dance by the natives. Sakurai and Furue place Kong on a large raft and begin to transport him back to Japan. Back at Pacific Pharmaceuticals, Tako is excited because Kong is now all over the press instead of Godzilla. As Tako is out of the room, one of the employees ask which is stronger between King Kong and Godzilla. Another employee responds, "Stupid, it's not a wrestling match!" Tako walks back into the room and exclaims, "Fantastic! There's an idea!"

Mr. Tako arrives on the Taian Maru, the ship transporting Kong, but the JMSDF also arrive, and order the ship to return its cargo to Faro, declaring Kong a threat to public safety. Godzilla reaches the Japanese mainland and wrecks havoc along an expressway near Sendai, continuing further inland towards Tokyo. Back at sea, Kong soon begins to awaken, and during a small scuffle over a detonator wired to Kong's transport, Tako accidentally presses the lever down himself, which fails to blow up the raft. Sakurai and Furue fire their rifles at the dynamite on the raft, successfully blowing it up. However, Kong survives the explosion and rises from the sea, then travels to Japan on his own. As Kong meets up with Godzilla in the Nasu Highlands, Tako, Sakurai, and Furue have difficulty avoiding the JSDF to watch the fight, eventually they find a spot. Kong hurls boulders at his opponent, but Godzilla retaliates with his Atomic Breath, and King Kong retreats.

The JSDF enact countermeasures against both Kong and Godzilla, but are mostly ineffective in their efforts. They set up some high-tension wires around Tokyo carrying a million volts of electricity (compared to the 50,000 volts used against the original Godzilla in 1954). The current is too much for Godzilla and drives him away, but King Kong grows stronger from it, storing it like a battery. Kong enters Tokyo and kidnaps Sakurai's sister Fumiko, then climbs to the top of the National Diet Building with her in his hand. The JSDF explode capsules full of the berry juice from Faro Island and successfully render Kong unconscious, saving Fumiko. Tako approved of this plan because he could not afford to lose Kong. The JSDF then decide to transport Kong via balloons to Mount Fuji, where Godzilla currently is, in hope that they will fight each other to their deaths.

The next morning, Kong is dropped onto Mount Fuji near Godzilla and a great battle ensues. Godzilla eventually knocks Kong unconscious but then a thunderstorm arrives and revives King Kong, giving him the power of an electric grasp. The two clash once again, with Kong gaining the upper hand, so far as forcing a tree into Godzilla's mouth before Godzilla dislodges it with his Atomic Breath. The monsters continue their fight towards the coast, tearing down Atami Castle in the process, and eventually plunge into Sagami Bay, causing a small earthquake. After an underwater battle, only King Kong resurfaces, and begins the long journey back to Faro. As Kong swims home, the onlookers aren't sure if Godzilla survived the underwater fight, but speculate that it was possible.

In November 1962, King Kong vs. Godzilla played at the Nippon Theater in Honolulu, Hawaii, in Japanese with English subtitles.

An English version of King Kong vs. Godzilla was prepared by producer John Beck, who felt that Toho's version of the film wouldn't play well to American audiences. He hired writers Bruce Howard and Paul Mason to "Americanize" the film. Peter Zinner was brought in as an editor for Beck's version.

In a 1963 issue of the American fanzine Spaceman, an article on King Kong vs. Godzilla concluded with an erroneous claim that would endure for decades: "2 endings have been filmed & if you see KING KONG VS. GODZILLA in Japan, Hong Kong or some Oriental sector of the world, Godzilla wins! On the other hand, in the USA & England, for instance, Kong wins!" Spaceman's source for this information is unknown, as even Toho's 1963 international sales brochure makes it clear that Kong is the victor in the original version of the film. The actual differences in the endings are minimal. While in the Japanese version the characters propose it is possible that Godzilla survived the battle, in the U.S. version they merely state they hope they've seen the last of him. Godzilla's roar is also not heard over the end title card, while it is present in the Japanese version before Kong's.