Fellow Svengoolie SvenPals everywhere will be jumping for joy for his big broadcast of a classic Toho Studios–Universal Studios mammoth kaiju creature masterpiece.
“Svengoolie” presents his big broadcast of “King Kong Escapes” (1967)
Original Toho Studios theatrical trailer for the Japanese theatrical release of Ishirô Honda’s classic mammoth kaiju creature masterpiece, “King Kong Escapes” (1967). Universal Studios handled the North American theatrical release of Honda’s production.
Original Toho Studios theatrical poster artwork for the Japanese theatrical release of Ishirô Honda’s classic mammoth kaiju creature masterpiece, “King Kong Escapes” (1967). Universal Studios handled the North American theatrical release of Honda’s production in 1968.
The legendry Berwyn/Chicago-based creature film host will present his big broadcast of “King Kong Escapes” (1967) this Sat., May 22 at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on Me-TV.
Co-produced by Toho Studios of Japan and released in the states by Universal Studios, the classic 1967 mammoth kaiju creature feature film masterpiece was directed by veteran Toho Studios director Ishirô Honda, who received screen credit in the film under the name of Inoshiro Honda. Honda’s best known classic mammoth kaiju creature masterpiece productions for Toho Studios of Japan include “Gojira”/”Godzilla” (1954, released/re-purposed in 1956 as “Godzilla: King of the Monsters!” in the United States with Raymond Burr in the North American dub); “Rodan“ (1956), “Mothra” (1961), “King Kong vs. Godzilla” (1962), “Mothra vs. Godzilla” (1964, released in the United States by Samuel Z. Arkoff and James H. Nicholson’s American-International Pictures under the title of “Godzilla vs. the Thing”), “Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster” (1964), “Frankenstein vs. Baragon” (1965), “The War of the Gargantuas” (1966), “Destroy All Monsters” (1968), “All Monsters Attack” (1969, a.k.a. “Godzilla’s Revenge”) and “Terror of Mechagodzilla” (1975).
Honda’s classic 1967 Toho Studios/Universal mammoth kaiju creature masterpiece was produced by veteran Toho Studios producer Tomoyuki Tanaka. Alongside producing the majority of Honda’s classic mammoth kaiju creature masterpiece productions, Tanaka also served as producer for Akira Kurosawa’s classic mammoth Japanese samurai drama masterpiece with Toshirô Mifune for Toho Studios, “Yojimbo” (1961). The North American dub of “King Kong Escapes” was produced for Universal Studios by veteran producer Arthur Rankin Jr. Rankin was known for working with veteran producer Jules Bass on their numerous classic mammoth “Animagic” stop-motion animation holiday television and feature film productions under the name of Rankin/Bass Productions (a.k.a. “Videocraft International”), including “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (1964) and their classic mammoth Halloween/horror/comedy stop-motion Animagic feature film masterpiece released through Joseph E. Levine’s Embassy Pictures with the vocal characterizations of silver screen horror legend Boris Karloff and comedian legend Phyllis Diller, “Mad Monster Party?” (1967). The North American dub of “King Kong Escapes” (1967) was a joint collaboration between Toho Studios of Japan, Rankin/Bass Productions and Universal Studios.
The screenplay for Honda’s classic mammoth 1967 kaiju creature masterpiece was written by veteran Toho Studios screenwriter Takeshi Kimura, who received screen credit under the pseudonym of Kaoru Mabuchi. Kimura previously wrote the screenplay for Ishirô Honda’s classic mammoth Toho Studios sci-fi/mystery masterpiece, “The H-Man” (1958, released theatrically in the United States by Columbia Pictures). Mabuchi also wrote the screenplay for the latter Toho Studios classic mammoth kaiju creature masterpieces, including “Destroy All Monsters” (1968, under the pseudonym of Mabuchi), “Godzilla vs. Hedorah” (1971, Mabuchi), “Godzilla vs. Gigan” (1972) and “Godzilla vs. Megalon” (1973).
Kimura’s screenplay was partially inspired by screenwriter Edgar Wallace. Wallace wrote the screenplay for the original Ernest B. Schoedsack– Merian C. Cooper–Willis O’Brien–David O. Selznick–RKO Radio Pictures* classic mammoth stop-motion creature/fantasy masterpiece, “King Kong” (1933), which featured Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong, Noble Johnson, Victor Wong, Bruce Cabot, Frank Reicher and the “eighth wonder of the world,” Kong!
This will mark Svengoolie’s fourth big broadcast of Ishirô Honda’s classic mammoth 1967 Toho Studios/Universal kaiju creature masterpiece production on Me-TV. He previously showcased “King Kong Escapes” (1967) back in June 2013 (as a big coast-to-coast broadcast premiere), Jan. 2014 and Jan. 2016 (Fun Fact: I recall that Sven’s big Jan. 2016 Me-TV broadcast of “King Kong Escapes” was shown on my 28th Birthday back on Jan. 16, 2016)! –C.H.
Who was in Ishirô Honda’s classic Toho Studios/Universal Studios mammoth kaiju creature masterpiece production of “King Kong Escapes” (1967)?
The players who appeared in Ishirô Honda’s classic Toho Studios/Universal mammoth kaiju creature masterpiece production of “King Kong Escapes” (1967) were veteran stunt performer Haruo Nakajima (in the “King Kong” suit), Yû Sekita (in the Mecha-Kong/Gorosaurus suits), Rhodes Reason (as Cmdr. Carl Nelson), Mie Hama (as Madame Piranha, a.k.a. “Madame X”**), Linda Miller (as Lt. Susan Watson), Akira Takarada (as Lt. Cmdr. Jiro Nomura), Hideyo Amamoto (as Dr. Who***), credited under the name of Eisei Amamoto), Yoshifumi Tajima, Shôichi Hirose, Susumu Kurobe, Nadao Kirino, Tôru Ibuki and Kazuo Suzuki (as henchmen); Yasuhisa Tsutsumi (as a General), Ikio Sawamura (as a Mondo Islander), Tadashi Okabe and Seishirô Kuno (as soldiers); Andrew Hughes (as a United Nations reporter), the vocal stylings of Paul Frees (for the dubbing of Hideyo/Eisei Amamoto’s characterization of Dr. Who***), the vocal stylings of Julie Bennett (for the dubbing of various characters) and the vocal stylings of David de Keyser (for the dubbing of various characters).
Silver Screen Reflections 