King Kong vs. Godzilla is one of the most famous films in the series, and that is because it pits Godzilla against one of the most famous monsters in cinematic history. It was an epic event when it was released, making it the most financially successful Godzilla film to this day. It had an enormous impact on the franchise going forward. Marking the return of the original film's director Ishiro Honda, King Kong vs. Godzilla is actually a pretty lighthearted film. Godzilla is more fun than frightening, although his suit design is actually one of the best. The same cant be said for poor Kong, who is a shadow of his former self. His suit design is ratty and goofy. The film delivers on its title. The back and forth between Kong and Godzilla on Mt. Fuji makes for a very humorous brawl, with a highlight being when Kong actually gives himself a concussion! For the longest time it was rumored that there were two endings; one where Kong wins and another where Godzilla wins. This rumor was so widespread and believed that even professionally published books reported it as fact. This rumor has since been thoroughly debunked. There is actually only one ending. That doesn't mean that the American version isn't different. A bunch of new scenes featuring American actors were inserted, and Akira Ifukube's score was replaced with stock music from old Universal films. If you want to check this film out, please try to find the original Japanese cut. King Kong vs. Godzilla is a legendary film. It was an incredibly important milestone for the franchise, popularising Godzilla outside of Japan and establishing him as one of cinema's greatest monsters.
