ActionFantasyHorrorScience Fiction

King Kong Escapes

- 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.

Release Date : 1967-07-22

Language :EnglishJapanese

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : TOHORankin/Bass ProductionsTokyo Laboratory

Production Country : JapanUnited States of America

Alternative Titles : King Kong Escapes

Cast

Character Name : Lt. Commander Jiro Nomura

Original Name : 宝田明

Gender : Male

Character Name : Madame Piranha

Original Name : 浜美枝

Gender : Female

Character Name : Commander Carl Nelson

Original Name : Rhodes Reason

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lieutenant Susan Watson

Original Name : Linda Miller

Gender : Female

Character Name : Dr. Who

Original Name : 天本英世

Gender : Male

Character Name : Henchman

Original Name : 田島義文

Gender : Male

Character Name : Henchman

Original Name : 堺左千夫

Gender : Male

Character Name : SDF General

Original Name : 北竜二

Gender : Male

Character Name : Native

Original Name : 沢村いき雄

Gender : Male

Character Name : Henchman

Original Name : 桐野洋雄

Gender : Male

Character Name : Henchman

Original Name : 広瀬正一

Gender : Male

Character Name : Henchman

Original Name : 鈴木和夫

Gender : Male

Character Name : Henchman

Original Name : 伊吹徹

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : 草川直也

Gender : Male

Character Name : Henchman

Original Name : 黒部進

Gender : Male

Character Name : King Kong

Original Name : 中島春雄

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mechani-Kong/Gorosaurus

Original Name : 関田裕

Gender : Male

Character Name : (voice)

Original Name : 田口計

Gender : Male

Character Name : (voice)

Original Name : 山東昭子

Gender : Female

Character Name : Submariner (uncredited)

Original Name : オスマン・ユセフ

Gender : Male

Character Name : Soldier (uncredited)

Original Name : 岡部正

Gender : Male

Character Name : Soldier (uncredited)

Original Name : 久野征四郎

Gender : Male

Character Name : General (uncredited)

Original Name : 堤康久

Gender : Male

Character Name : Reporter (uncredited)

Original Name : Andrew Hughes

Gender : Male

Reviews

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

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