Let's get the bad news out of the way first, because this movie is not without weaknesses. One of those weaknesses, regrettably, is King Kong. It's not that the giant ape looks completely awful, but there are definitely some aspects of the design that are less than great: I understand the reason for having two different sets of arms for the suit, but the differences are glaringly apparent and look goofy; whenever we see close-ups of Kong's face, or the face requires some special movement or expression, it raises a skeptical eyebrow; the suit at large kind of looks patchy, as if the yak hair was applied and/or dyed unevenly. Some similar critiques apply to the Godzilla suit worn by Nakajima Haruo, but not to the same extent, and whenever Kong actor Hirose Shoichi is directed to run about waving his arms in the air, suffice to say that it doesn't come off well. Speaking of appearances, there is a lot of native exploitation going on with the indigenous people of Kong's home, Faro Island, and not of the sort that speaks to the major themes that informed 1933's 'King Kong,' nor the 1976 remake to come. There's also something extra icky about the brownface that the Japanese extras wear to portray said islanders. Of course that Pacific landmass is where we first meet Kong, and he's not alone; for all the inventiveness of the other megafauna, however, the fabricated practical effects that are employed to further represent it are bizarrely, gauchely subpar, and outdated by at least about ten years. And as one additional notable shortcoming, there are a few points where the writing very decidedly takes some shortcuts - declining sensible beats so that Movie Magic can move us toward the titular showdown. We know Toho's kaiju can do better, but here we are.
Yet while such matters come to our attention and absolutely merit discussion, none of them are so severe as to critically diminish the lasting value. Based on everything I had read of the film before watching I quite anticipated it to be a wholly preposterous romp, and at that probably a rather middling one; imagine my surprise when it turned out to be significantly better than I could have hoped! In fact, of any King Kong flicks that had been made from Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack's essential progenitor, through to the tawdry 'King Kong lives' of 1986, this might be second only to the original; moreover, it surely is a surprisingly worthy entry in the enormous Godzilla franchise, too. There is some outright ridiculousness here, certainly, earning some laughs whether intentionally or not: the extra animated performance that Arishima Ichiro gives as Mr. Tako, the (literal) position Kong finds himself in before the climactic fight, some moments in the battles between the two colossi, and so on. There are also some creative choices made here and there which are just plain curious, provoking an unexpected reaction one way or another, and some less sure-footed contributions do occasionally rear their heads in most regards. Far more than not, however, 'King Kong vs. Godzilla' is astonishingly well made, and astonishingly earnest. This isn't merely some kooky, outlandish genre blast, but a carefully crafted kaiju picture that also happens to be marked with some imperfections. And I kind of love it.
I have to hand it to composer Ifukube Akira: he didn't need to go as hard as he did; all he had to do was compose a suitable complementary score that incorporated recognizable phrases. Well beyond that minimum, the main theme that first greets us over the opening credits is immediately grabbing, and he had my full attention before the story even began. That story, with exceptions, is gratifyingly well-written, from the undercurrents of satirizing contemporary television and marketing, to the silent nod to a prior Godzilla installment; from small character traits that are later woven back into the narrative in meaningful ways, to the broad strokes of the titans' respective entries into the saga, and where humans fit into the proceedings. The scene writing, too, is marvelously strong, and filmmaker Honda Ishiro demonstrates perfectly solid direction. To much the same end, Tsuburaya Eiji's oversight of the effects produced terrific results, and for that matter the visuals at large are outstanding. Yes, the kaiju suits bear faults, but the sets and miniatures are a wonderful sight for sore eyes, and all the practical effects are a joy; at their best Godzilla and King Kong do look pretty swell, the fight sequences are excellent, and even the consideration for lighting is quite welcome. Editor Kaneko Reiko is to be commended for some extra shrewd work, and Koizumi Hajime's cinematography is smart and vivid even through the slight variations in image quality that come with the most commonly available copies of the Japanese version. The human cast don't necessarily stand out all that much (Arishima aside), but all involved give fine performances to help bring the feature to life.
It has some flaws, and it sounds outwardly silly. Real skill and intelligence went into this production, however, and the final product reflects the care and passion of all who participated. Just as some moments are more questionable, some tidbits of rather brilliant - and regardless of how much we might scrutinize the whole affair, I don't think there's much arguing that it's roundly engaging, entertaining, and satisfying. I sat to watch with expectations that were mixed to low, and I for one am very pleased with just how good 'King Kong vs. Godzilla' actually is. It might not be a title one needs to go out of their way to see, but whether you're an especial fan of either monster or just looking for something fun it's well worth checking out, and I'm happy to give this (Japanese version) my enthusiastic recommendation!
