Favorite U.S. Double Bills

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MaxRebo320
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Favorite U.S. Double Bills

Post by MaxRebo320 »

As was the case with a majority of "B" pictures at the time, many of Toho's Tokusatsu offerings were paired up with additional features when released to the U.S. theater/drive-in circuits. Mostly everyone here should be familiar with the legendary pairing that was Monster Zero and War of the Gargantuas, but there are a number of other great double bills, sometimes thanks to the films' similarities (Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster and Frogs) or being polar opposites (Mothra and The Three Stooges in Orbit).

Gigantis, the Fire Monster and Teenagers from Outer Space is an endearing, cheesy combo.
Image

The Walter Reade triple-feature that is Night of the Living Dead, Ghidrah, the Three-Headed Monster and Dr. Who and the Daleks is a thing of legends.
Image

I can't find an advert for it, but the pairing of The Abominable Dr. Phibes and Yog, Monster from Space is pretty awesome.
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Re: Favorite U.S. Double Bills

Post by StardustGenius »

I am trying to remember but I want to believe that Harum Scarum was double billed with Ghidorah.

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Re: Favorite U.S. Double Bills

Post by edgaguirus »

Gigantis and Teens from Outer Space would have been a hoot to see. I do have both movies, so........

However, Mothra has done nothing to deserve a double billing with the stooges.
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Re: Favorite U.S. Double Bills

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StardustGenius wrote: Sun Mar 26, 2023 9:07 pm I am trying to remember but I want to believe that Harum Scarum was double billed with Ghidorah.
Actually, if you look up its Wikipedia article, this film was first released in this country in 83 theaters in Boston, MA on a double feature with a 1964 British spy comedy film titled Hot Enough for June in the UK and Agent 8 3/4 in the U.S. (btw, the U.S. release of this film had 20 minutes cut from it) In later areas, this was indeed changed to the 1965 Elvis Presley film Harum Scarum. Both of these films also have Wikipedia articles if you want to know more about them.
Last edited by mikelcho on Tue Mar 28, 2023 7:23 pm, edited 5 times in total.

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Re: Favorite U.S. Double Bills

Post by Thomas Latimer »

Weren't the U.S. versions of WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS and MONSTER ZERO together in a double bill back in 1970?
Because that's so goddamn cool!

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Re: Favorite U.S. Double Bills

Post by mikelcho »

Thomas Latimer wrote: Sat Apr 01, 2023 10:37 am Weren't the U.S. versions of WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS and MONSTER ZERO together in a double bill back in 1970?
Because that's so goddamn cool!
Yes, they were, and in that order on the theatrical release poster.

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Re: Favorite U.S. Double Bills

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mikelcho wrote: Sat Apr 01, 2023 1:04 pm
Thomas Latimer wrote: Sat Apr 01, 2023 10:37 am Weren't the U.S. versions of WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS and MONSTER ZERO together in a double bill back in 1970?
Because that's so goddamn cool!
Yes, they were, and in that order on the theatrical release poster.
Fantastic! Probably my favorite Toho double bill ever!
I also love the poster for the double bill.
Last edited by Thomas Latimer on Sat Apr 01, 2023 1:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Favorite U.S. Double Bills

Post by Thomas Latimer »

GODZILLA VS. THE THING was released in the U.S. in a double bill with VOYAGE TO THE END OF THE UNIVERSE, apparently an americanization of IKARIE XB 1, i haven't seen the original one yet.

It's an interesting combo.

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Re: Favorite U.S. Double Bills

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Thomas Latimer wrote: Thu Jun 01, 2023 12:51 pm GODZILLA VS. THE THING was released in the U.S. in a double bill with VOYAGE TO THE END OF THE UNIVERSE, apparently an americanization of IKARIE XB 1, i haven't seen the original one yet.
That is a pretty interesting one (I haven't watched either version of IKARIE myself yet), but I do think I prefer the UK double-bill with AIP'a The Time Travelers.
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Re: Favorite U.S. Double Bills

Post by mikelcho »

MaxRebo320 wrote: Sun Mar 26, 2023 4:14 pm As was the case with a majority of "B" pictures at the time, many of Toho's Tokusatsu offerings were paired up with additional features when released to the U.S. theater/drive-in circuits. Mostly everyone here should be familiar with the legendary pairing that was Monster Zero and War of the Gargantuas, but there are a number of other great double bills, sometimes thanks to the films' similarities (Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster and Frogs) or being polar opposites (Mothra and The Three Stooges in Orbit).

Gigantis, the Fire Monster and Teenagers from Outer Space is an endearing, cheesy combo.
Image

The Walter Reade triple-feature that is Night of the Living Dead, Ghidrah, the Three-Headed Monster and Dr. Who and the Daleks is a thing of legends.
Image

I can't find an advert for it, but the pairing of The Abominable Dr. Phibes and Yog, Monster from Space is pretty awesome.
Image
According to Wikizilla's page on it, Godzilla vs. Hedorah (under the title Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster) was released as a double feature with Frogs in 103 theaters in New York, NY, with Yog, Monster from Space in five theaters in Houston, TX and with The Thing with Two Heads in the UK in April 1975.

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Re: Favorite U.S. Double Bills

Post by Voyager »

Ghidorah with Harum Scarum starring Elvis, of course. Anything with Elvis is an automatic win.
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Re: Favorite U.S. Double Bills

Post by Thomas Latimer »

Jesus Christ, GHIDRAH with NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD.

I can't stop thinking about it, even after 2 months...

I mean, that's really cool and all but it just doesn't fit at all.

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Re: Favorite U.S. Double Bills

Post by mikelcho »

There's another U.S. double feature I just thought of (I don't have a picture of it, though: can anyone help out here?): Monster from Green Hell and Half Human.

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Re: Favorite U.S. Double Bills

Post by LegendZilla »

IoAM and WoG.

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Re: Favorite U.S. Double Bills

Post by Thomas Latimer »

Ok, so far we've got:

- GIGANTIS, THE FIRE MONSTER and TEENAGERS FROM OUTER SPACE (1959)
- MOTHRA and THE THREE STOOGES IN ORBIT (1962)
- GODZILLA VS. THE THING and VOYAGE TO THE END OF THE UNIVERSE or THE TIME TRAVELERS (1964)
- GHIDRAH, THE THREE-HEADED MONSTER and HARUM SCARUM or AGENT 8 1/2 or NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD with DR. WHO AND THE DALEKS (1965?)
- THE WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS and MONSTER ZERO (1970)
- YOG, MONSTER FROM SPACE and THE ABOMINABLE MR. PHIBES (1971)
- GODZILLA VS. THE SMOG MONSTER and FROGS (1972)

Is there more strange or epic Toho/Tokusatsu double bills?

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