King Kong (33) vs Gojira (54)

[fred25_ca]

I think it's pretty funny how this question is being asked on a GODZILLA forum. Like the majority of people AREN'T Going to vote for the original Godzilla? Seriously, a bunch of Godzilla die-hards are being asked which is better, the original Gojira or the first King Kong. That's like asking a bunch of Looney Tunes fans which is better, Mickey Mouse or Bugs Bunny.

Godzilla is a very important film in Japanese cinema, but the original Kong is a very important film, period. Probably one of the most important in cinema history, and certainly the reason why Godzilla himself even exists.

True and looking at the results, it seems you're right. But quite frankly, I figured most Godzilla fans were, like myself, giant monsters fan first. Godzilla might be my favorite giant monster but King Kong 33 for me is the better movie.

But I guess I was wrong and most people here will take Gojira over Kong 33. Not that there's anything wrong with that, seeing as Gojira is also a masterpiece.

[Spuro]

I think it's pretty funny how this question is being asked on a GODZILLA forum. Like the majority of people AREN'T Going to vote for the original Godzilla? Seriously, a bunch of Godzilla die-hards are being asked which is better, the original Gojira or the first King Kong. That's like asking a bunch of Looney Tunes fans which is better, Mickey Mouse or Bugs Bunny.

Godzilla is a very important film in Japanese cinema, but the original Kong is a very important film, period. Probably one of the most important in cinema history, and certainly the reason why Godzilla himself even exists.

On the flip side, Godzilla is such a niche franchise that a lot of people outside the fandom haven't seen the original, and so were to you ask this same question on another forum, I can guaran-damn-tee you that a lot of people would automatically pick Kong over the "sweaty Japanese guy in a rubber suit".

[Rodan]

I think it's pretty funny how this question is being asked on a GODZILLA forum. Like the majority of people AREN'T Going to vote for the original Godzilla? Seriously, a bunch of Godzilla die-hards are being asked which is better, the original Gojira or the first King Kong. That's like asking a bunch of Looney Tunes fans which is better, Mickey Mouse or Bugs Bunny.

Godzilla is a very important film in Japanese cinema, but the original Kong is a very important film, period. Probably one of the most important in cinema history, and certainly the reason why Godzilla himself even exists.

I think it's a little unfair to predict that most posters here don't have a critical eye too.

(Okay, it might be fair.)

I have to give it to Godzilla, though, and not because we're on a Toho forum. It's a little unfair, because Kong does indeed represent an industry sea change and Godzilla wouldn't exist without its direct influence. On a level of cultural significance and special effects innovation, it's no question -- Kong takes it. It also has a tightly written, emotionally evergreen story.

But Godzilla has more than that. It has urgency. It's both universal and distinctly political. This silly monster movie tapped into the formula for using these giant creatures as giant, loud metaphors, and it was this movie that firs communicated to me the real horror of the use of the atomic bomb. The simultaneous guilt and victimization of the filmmakers and their struggle to grapple with the identity of a post-nuclear wold and post-war Japan is all over the film, and its characters become actors in a much larger allegory, while never losing their own threads to it.

I can easily see someone picking Kong here, because Kong is better spectacle, and may be a better film. But Godzilla is more affecting art, and that's worth much more to me.

and so were to you ask this same question on another forum, I can guaran-damn-tee you that a lot of people would automatically pick Kong over the "sweaty Japanese guy in a rubber suit".

Maybe. Not on a film forum, though. It'd be contentious, but Godzilla's been getting its due recently.

[Giga Kaiju]

I think it's pretty funny how this question is being asked on a GODZILLA forum. Like the majority of people AREN'T Going to vote for the original Godzilla? Seriously, a bunch of Godzilla die-hards are being asked which is better, the original Gojira or the first King Kong. That's like asking a bunch of Looney Tunes fans which is better, Mickey Mouse or Bugs Bunny.

Godzilla is a very important film in Japanese cinema, but the original Kong is a very important film, period. Probably one of the most important in cinema history, and certainly the reason why Godzilla himself even exists.

On the flip side, Godzilla is such a niche franchise that a lot of people outside the fandom haven't seen the original, and so were to you ask this same question on another forum, I can guaran-damn-tee you that a lot of people would automatically pick Kong over the "sweaty Japanese guy in a rubber suit".

As of right now, I don't think so. At least not as such like years ago before Godzila getting its attention on the mainstream again.

[The Octopus]

Not a fair comparison. Both movies are masterpieces, but for different reasons.

King Kong (1933) is a special effects masterpiece and the mother of all giant monster movies. Its core story is also very poetic and universal. It's sort of like a paradigm of its concept, carefully crafted to perfection. Personally, I think it's the "last" traditional myth/fairy tale (e.g. Aesop's Fables, Beowulf, Cinderella) that has had a lasting impact on our culture, for various reasons. And probably the only one that was first presented on film. I could write an entire essay on this.

I always looked at Kong as a modern day fable. One of the themes about that film is that it was a commentary of man wanting to harness nature. One of the huge influences for King Kong was Douglas Burden's trip to Komodo. Burden captured 2 Komodo Dragons and brought them back to New York City were he sold them to a zoo. They were billed as "Living Dinosaurs" and drew crowds of thousands. Bare in mind that back then very little was known about this species. The lizards ended up dying in captivity. Cooper was touched because he marveled at the fact that these "prehistoric creatures" could survive so easily in a harsh savage environment like Komodo but couldn't survive being in captivity and in the concrete environment of civilization.

Kong was this powerful animal that rules over a savage prehistoric world as a King. Bring him to civilization and he's a chained up animal that gets cornered and killed by the weapons of man. Fighting a flying foe like a Pteranodon was easy but not fighting the flying weapons of modern civilization that can kill you from a distance.

[Pkmatrix]

But quite frankly, I figured most Godzilla fans were, like myself, giant monsters fan first.

I'm also a more general Giant Monster fan and was also surprised to learn that wasn't the case. A lot of people around here are either primarily Godzilla fans or a little more generally Japanese Sci-Fi/Fantasy fans.

That said, I still voted for Gojira.

[fred25_ca]

But quite frankly, I figured most Godzilla fans were, like myself, giant monsters fan first.

I'm also a more general Giant Monster fan and was also surprised to learn that wasn't the case. A lot of people around here are either primarily Godzilla fans or a little more generally Japanese Sci-Fi/Fantasy fans.

That said, I still voted for Gojira.

Yeah, personally, if there's one genre I'm not critical it's giant monster movies. I'll enjoy pretty much all of them. But I keep being surprised by how many people genuinely hate some them around here. And your observation clears a lot of that. I always though being a Godzilla fan meant you were a giant monster fan. Guess my logic didn't apply here.

[Giga Kaiju]

But quite frankly, I figured most Godzilla fans were, like myself, giant monsters fan first.

I'm also a more general Giant Monster fan and was also surprised to learn that wasn't the case. A lot of people around here are either primarily Godzilla fans or a little more generally Japanese Sci-Fi/Fantasy fans.

That said, I still voted for Gojira.

Yeah, personally, if there's one genre I'm not critical it's giant monster movies. I'll enjoy pretty much all of them. But I keep being surprised by how many people genuinely hate some them around here. And your observation clears a lot of that. I always though being a Godzilla fan meant you were a giant monster fan. Guess my logic didn't apply here.

Some people that are fans of Godzilla fans here, are ALSO kaiju fans overall. But I guess that doesn't apply to a lot of folks though. But yeah, the genre is a one hell of a fun one. One of many that I can't never get tired of it.

[three]

Godzilla is a very important film in Japanese cinema, but the original Kong is a very important film, period. Probably one of the most important in cinema history, and certainly the reason why Godzilla himself even exists.

Godzilla is standing on the shoulder of giants. one leading to the other doesn't mean that one has less value (not that you're saying it does).

i picked Gojira because it had something more significant to offer. playing on what happened to japan to end the second world war and presenting it in a unique way brought emotion and cultural understanding that you can't really explain in words. yes, KK was important to cinema, but G was important in a very different way.

[Stevo_1985]

Gojira for sure. For me anyways. While KK is entertaining, I feel the message Gojira portrays is just much more powerful. I wasnt introduced to Gojira until my later years, having only been accustomed to the america cut. What a difference Ive found. And not that the american cut is bad, but I find the original hits it where it counts.

[LSD Jellyfish]

Abstaining. They're both masterpieces.

Completely agreed. There's a point where films become too good when judging either is really unfair. I will say the two films are pretty different and each do things that the other didn't do as well. Kong had a really good adventure movie vibe and was definitely a big influence on Godzilla and you can't ignore that. 1954 had a really grim tone and sense of destruction that can't be beaten.

[ILL GREEN]

Kong is a freak of nature and Godzilla is a creation of man's atomic science. Two monsters from two different genres. One Fantasy, the other Science Fiction.

I love Kong for the adventure ride it took me through and laid the foundation. And I love Godzilla for its emotional content and making the monster indestructible. So I really can't decide, its like apples and oranges.