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King Kong Escapes

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6.2/10 • 104

1967-07-221h 44m

ActionFantasyHorrorScience Fiction

The electronic monster Mechani-Kong boldly challenges the ruler of the South Seas, King Kong!!

An adaptation of the Rankin/Bass cartoon, "The King Kong Show". King Kong is brought in by the evil Dr. Who to dig for Element X in a mine when the robot Mechani-Kong is unable to do the task. This leads to the machine and the real Kong engaging in a tremendous battle atop Tokyo Tower.

Directors
Ishirō Honda
Editors
Ryôhei Fujii

Top Billed Cast

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  1. Akira Takarada

    Akira Takarada

    Lt. Commander Jiro Nomura

  2. Mie Hama

    Mie Hama

    Madame Piranha

  3. Rhodes Reason

    Rhodes Reason

    Commander Carl Nelson

  4. Linda Miller

    Linda Miller

    Lieutenant Susan Watson

  5. Hideyo Amamoto

    Hideyo Amamoto

    Dr. Who

  6. Yoshifumi Tajima

    Yoshifumi Tajima

    Henchman

  7. Sachio Sakai

    Sachio Sakai

    Henchman

  8. Ryuji Kita

    Ryuji Kita

    SDF General

  9. Ikio Sawamura

    Ikio Sawamura

    Native

Reviews1

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John Chard Avatar

John Chard

Jun 26, 2019

5/10

It's very easy for us to understand. You see, as ridiculous as it may sound, Kong is a male and, uh, Miss Watson is... Well, see for yourselves, gentlemen. King Kong Escapes is directed by Ishirô Honda and written by Takeshi Kimura. It stars Rhodes Reason, Mie Hama, Linda Miller, Akira Takarada and Hideyo Amamoto. Music is by Akira Ifukube and cinematography by Hajime Koizumi. King Kong Escapes' actual Japanese title is King Kong's Counterattack and it was a live action tie-in to the 1966 animated series simply called King Kong (AKA: The King Kong Show). Knowing this really helps to set you up for what to expect from King Kong Escapes, for it is in essence a live action cartoon! Pic on a plot basis is as you would expect all very silly. It features an evil genius who has invented a mechanical robot King Kong, an Asian babe intent on boosting her nuclear arsenal for world domination, a UN submarine crew complete with pretty lady to melt the real Kong's heart, and naturally some creature smack-downs. Naturally the effects work is dicey, but fun with it, though Kong looks too daft for menace value, in fact he looks like he has been on the Columbian Ciggies! There's a cool fight with Gorosauras, a leaping dinosaur whose fight tactic is to repeatedly drop kick its enemy with both feet! While it all builds to the inevitable big face-off finale as the two Kong's tear it up. Who wins? Will Tokyo be obliterated? Well you wont really care but you will have fun getting there! Characterisations are wonderfully cheese laden, none more so than evil Dr Who (Amamoto), resplendent in black cape and with deadly pointed eyebrows. He sets the tone early on, with a devilish glint in his eye as he sets about aiding the sultry Madame X (Hama) with bonkers science fiction pumped machinations. Rhodes Reason sticks his chest out for American heroics, likewise Takarada for the Japanese front, and Miller (appallingly and strangely dubbed) potters about looking pretty and keeping Kong in check. Hooray! 5/10

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Status
Released
Original Language
Japanese
Budget
--
Revenue
$2,800,000.00
Keywords
japangiant monstermad scientistgiant robottokyo, japandinosaurunited nationstropical islandkaijuforeign agenttokyo towerking kongtokusatsucoproduction