King Kong Escapes

Dir: Ishirō Honda

1967

****

Ishirō Honda's King Kong Escapes is a cult classic, certainly one of Kong's most enjoyable film outings thus far as well as an awesome monster film in general. It doesn't really have much to do with 1962's King Kong vs Godzilla but it certainly seems like the same Kong and it has the same feel to it and of course the same film makers behind the camera. Godzilla is obviously absent this time round as he was enjoying his own franchise of films but Kong gets to flex his fighting skills by fighting a giant robot version of himself called Mechani-Kong. He also has a kerfuffle with Gorosaurus (also performed by Yū Sekida) who would go on to enjoy a larger role in the following year's Destroy All Monsters, although most of his scenes in the later film was unused stock footage from King Kong Escapes. The story is half monster story and half James Bond plot, it's a sort of remake of the animated series, which was partly based on the 1933 original, with added mad scientist. The villainous Dr. Who, who isn't that Dr. Who but is more of a Dr. No (confused yet?) has built a giant mechanical Kong in order to mine the highly radioactive 'Element X' from a glacier somewhere in the North Pole. I think the theory behind it is that Kong is the strongest beast on earth but the radio-activeness might be a problem if a living creature were to go near it. Why Dr. Who didn't just build a giant drill is anyone's guess but King Kong vs Drill would have been a bit dull I suppose. When Mechani-Kong malfunctions due to the radiation of 'Element X' (doh!), Who decides to capture the original Kong and attach a mind control device to his ear, which will of course mean that Kong will obey his every command, because science. The story and many of the film's characters are 'borrowed' from other films of the era, particularly from the spy genre. However, no other film in the late 60s was quite as bizarre as this. The bad acting, puzzling plot and melodrama are all part of why the film has become such a cult hit and watching Kong going nuts when he can't get through a door or past a building is still hilarious are several viewings. It's the model work that I love the most though. Everything from the tiny little tanks to the flying helicopter, every model is detailed but not to the point where it isn't obvious that they are what they are. The facial expression on both King Kong and Mechani-Kong are priceless and the fight between them is far more impressive and aggressive than Kong versus Godzilla. Its faults are part of its enduring charm, it remains one of the better monster movies of the many that were made by Toho and is another great addition to the King Kong legend.