Product Description

The two mightiest monsters of all time battle in the thrilling adventure classic, King Kong vs. Godzilla. When an underhanded pharmaceutical company goes to a remote tropical island to steal King Kong for advertising purposes, they get more than they bargained for when the gigantic ape attacks an unsuspecting village and an enormous octopus. Meanwhile, far below the sea, a submarine crew unleashes reptilian terror when they melt a block of ice and release the ferocious Godzilla from his icy lair. When both destructive monsters descend on Tokyo, it's a fight that holds the future of mankind in the balance in this knock-out film that was the first theatrical release to bring its larger-than-life contenders to the big screen in glorious color.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11554 in DVD
• Brand: UNI DIST CORP. (MCA)
• Published on: 2005
• Released on: 2009-09-15
• Rating: Unrated
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Formats: Color, Dolby, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, French, Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 91 minutes

Customer Reviews

1 star for the DVD release - not the film. A waste of money - only includes the American theater version, not the Japanese
Save your money, Godzilla fans. This is a mediocre DVD effort by Universal. The print is a nice copy, and it looks good. That's the only positives I'll give it. I've been spoiled by the wonderful Toho Master Collection releases by Classic Media over the last few years. Those movies include both the original Japanese version and the American theatrical release, along with some interesting still galleries, trailers, and insightful commentaries.

This DVD only includes the American version, which is hugely disappointing. Even worse, this is a no-frills DVD. No special features, no expert commentary, no nothing. The menu is "Watch Movie" "Languages" and "Scene Selections". Nothing else. I pre-ordered this one on the hopes that perhaps it was mis-labeled at Amazon. Sadly, it isn't.

I would have gladly paid a few extra dollars for a decent DVD of this film which included all the aforementioned content. Only buy this one if you really, really want a nice looking DVD copy of the American version and nothing else.

STOP PUTTING THIS VERSION DOWN
This is the one most of us grew up on and have a great affection for. Godzilla looks good. King Kong looks terrible. But they both kick ass. There seems to be a misconception that the Japanese version is more sophisticated than this version. Trust me it isn't. It's different, but not better. In fact sometimes it plays off more comical than this version. The Japanese ending is not any different, other than Godzilla gets the closing roar. The ending is a matter of perspective. Kong swam away in victory because he's the hero and had Godzilla on the ropes before they fell into the water. Kong swam away in retreat because he couldn't stay underwater indefinitely like Godzilla can. What many people don't know is there is a third version. The Japanese print with english dubbing done by a different studio. That one is really hard to find.

AND IN THIS CORNER!...........!
Who can resist that title?! This is another very entertaining entry in the Godzilla series. This is the first Kong film produced by ToHo, but I think King Kong Escapes is a much funnier film. The Kong costumes are quite different in the two films with this Kong looking more evil and the other looking more cute. I'm sure the Rankin & bass influence in "Escapes" could be behind that.

This film has plenty of action and some great and hilarious fight scenes. The special effect and miniatures are also some of the better in most cases, but there are some goofy looking effects here and there.(i.e. the plastic wrap on the octopus to make it look wet whenever Kong is holding it.)

There are some inconsistencies in the folk lore of these two titans such as Godzilla and King Kong's size difference and Kong getting stronger with lightning, but who cares?.... this is a battle royal and it is a real hoot once we get to the big brawl!

I give this film 5 stars for its fun factor and because it is full of hysterical action sequences. If you're a fan of Godzilla and these types of films this is a real treat! My review is for the older release that was available in a two pack with King Kong Escapes. I don't know if the newer edition has added anything to warrant buying it as I can not find any info about it. This is usually not a good sign and I suspect it to be the same DVD with a new cover.

This older DVD has a very clean DVD transfer and it is in widescreen, but there are no extras at all, not even a trailer! Buy the two pack and enjoy these are both really funny films!