6.2 | / 10 |
Users | 2.6 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.6 |
A UN reporter broadcasts a report on the appearance of a prehistoric monster that emerges from hibernation while a pharmaceutical company seeks publicity with a monster of their own.
Starring: Michael Keith, Harry Holcombe, James Yagi, Tadao Takashima, Kenji SaharaFantasy | 100% |
Action | 78% |
Adventure | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.35:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono
English SDH, French
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 0.0 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
With a brand spankin' new Godzilla set to invade theaters in less than a month, giant monsters movies are lumbering out of the sea by the dozen. Announcements, releases, bargain bin sequels aplenty... if it has Godzilla on the cover, it's suddenly all the Blu-ray rage. Even Universal is diving in headfirst, first with Ishirô Honda's King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962) and then with Honda's King Kong Escapes (1967), the latter sans Godzilla. Normally, such a deluge of lesser Japanese big-creature features would be a godsend for collectors and completists. What could possibly spoil the fun? Particularly for those who have a special place in their hearts for Honda's so-bad-they're-a-blast Toho Company King Kong flicks? Not a whole lot apparently. Priced to sell and backed by fairly decent AV quality, there isn't much here to prevent diehard fans of the towering icons from taking advantage of the catalog-broadening opportunity Sony's Godzilla reboot has provided.
Hug it out, guys.
Print damage is the real monster of King Kong vs. Godzilla. Scratches, nicks, specks, top-edge tape marks, thin vertical lines and other distractions pop up on a semi-regular basis, particularly when the cameras cut away to sequences centered around either creature. Crush takes a slight toll too, although I'm pleased to report there aren't many other issues of note, other than perhaps the unevenness that sometimes affects the grain. And yes, you read that correctly: grain. Rather than make a feeble attempt to eliminate print damage and other inconsistencies with heavy-handed noise reduction (as is often Universal's practice when approaching a catalog title), the studio presents a rather faithful video presentation. It isn't a top-dollar remaster along the lines of a higher profile Warner release, mind you, but it preserves the filmmakers' intentions and strongly resembles film, and each one goes a long way. Optical softness is present throughout, but smearing and waxiness aren't a part of the image. Crisp edges, reasonably well-resolved textures and an overall boost in clarity are the norm, and the movie has never looked better. Skintones and colors are also decently saturated given the overcast, blue-leaning palette, even if a dusty veil of gray haunts Kong and Godzilla's climactic tussle. I have to admit I didn't expect to be impressed with this one. If it weren't for all the print damage, my score would be higher.
King Kong vs. Godzilla and King Kong Escapes offer comparable English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 tracks, neither of which is all that problematic or remarkable. Dialogue is generally clean and clear, minus the usual tininess, ringing and prioritization mishaps that tend to be an inherent part of the sound designs of low-budget 1960s cinema. Effects are relatively weighty too, although I would have liked to see a more invigorating 5.1 remix (with booming LFE support and assertive rear speaker activity) alongside the original audio mix. Still, both tracks get the job done without major incident.
The Blu-ray edition of King Kong vs. Godzilla doesn't include any special features.
King Kong vs. Godzilla isn't the drag-out, icon versus icon smash-em-up fans might expect from the title, but there's a lot of so-terrible-it's-terrific fun to be had all the same. Universal's Blu-ray release has something to offer too, namely a fairly faithful AV presentation. Still, an abundance of print damage and a barebones disc hold back what could have been a better supported monster matchup.
怪獣島の決戦 ゴジラの息子 / Kaijûtô no kessen: Gojira no musuko
1967
ゴジラ・エビラ・モスラ 南海の大決闘 / Gojira, Ebirâ, Mosura: Nankai no daiketto / Ebirah, Horror of the Deep
1966
三大怪獣 地球最大の決戦 / San daikaijû: Chikyû saidai no kessen
1964
モスラ対ゴジラ / Mosura tai Gojira
1964
メカゴジラの逆襲 / Mekagojira no gyakushu
1975
怪獣大戦争 / Kaijû daisensô / Godzilla vs. Monster Zero
1965
ゴジラ対メカゴジラ / Gojira tai Mekagojira
1974
ゴジラ対メガロ / Gojira tai Megaro
1973
地球攻撃命令 ゴジラ対ガイガン / Chikyû kogeki meirei: Gojira tai Gaigan / Godzilla vs. Gigan
1972
怪獣総進撃 / Kaijû sôshingeki
1968
ゴジラ対ヘドラ / Gojira tai Hedora / Godzilla vs. Hedorah
1971
ゴジラ・ミニラ・ガバラ オール怪獣大進撃 / Gojira-Minira-Gabara: Oru kaijû daishingeki
1969
キングコング対ゴジラ / Kingu Kongu tai Gojira
1962
ゴジラの逆襲 / Gojira no gyakushû
1955
1956
ゴジラ / Gojira / The Return of Godzilla
1984
ゴジラ ファイナルウォーズ / Gojira: Fainaru uôzu
2004
ゴジラ2000 ミレニアム / Gojira ni-sen mireniamu / Godzilla 2000: Millennium
1999
ゴジラ×メカゴジラ / Gojira x Mekagojira
2002
ゴジラvsスペースゴジラ / Gojira vs. Supesugojira
1994