But I desperately wanted to publish something–ANYTHING!–on my blog tonight, so I was forced to break-out the big guns.
Look up! See that photo? It’s from the 1963 movie, “King Kong vs. Godzilla.” I don’t think I’m exagerrating when I say that this movie was the reason that Thomas Edison invented cinema.
I saw KKvs.G no less than *seventeen times* before my tenth birthday. And no…that’s not an exagerration, either. I counted.
To briefly summarize the plot, Godzilla was being naughty…so a group of Japanese guys brought in King Kong to kick his ass.
But the movie was SO much more. There’s a drunken orgy featuring hallucinagenic berry juice. There’s a giant octopus that sounds like an obese man peeling his sweaty buttocks from a vinyl-covered chaise lounge. And of course…there’s incompetently-edited English dubbing; the likes of which the world had not seen since…well, since the previous Godzilla movie.
In case you’re wondering…I rooted for Godzilla. All seventeen times. It was nothing personal against King Kong. In fact, I had a splendid brunch with Mr. Kong at Tavern on the Green in 1973, and I found him utterly charming. But for reasons that I can’t articulate, my heart belonged to Godzilla–as did it also belong to Dick York, Mary Ann and Jan Brady.
During the movie’s final fight scene when Godzilla was playing Jerry Lawler to the King Kong’s Andy Kaufmann, the big ape got a quick boost of energy by chawin’ on a high-tension power line. I briefly considered this treatment as a tonic for my current meloncoly, but was forced to discard it after reading the fine print on my insurance deductible.
So…I think I’ll try to score some of that berry juice, instead.
I know what you mean about the lethargy. Maybe you need to get one of those lamps that beams 5000 watts at you every day?
Godzilla rocks! Sunday afternoon Godzilla movies on TV used to be standard fare in this house, but they’ve stopped showing them now, unfortunately.
Just one question: how exactly do you know what an obese man peeling his sweaty buttocks from a vinyl- covered chaise lounge sounds like??
I preferred Mary Ann too.
If you were a ‘child growing up in the 1950’s’, how old does that make me?
Big Mama
Oh, the Friday nights we stayed up as kids to watch “Creature Feature” which, 9 times out of 10 was a Godzilla movie. I remember trembling under the pillows watching all sorts of crazy beasts bouncing clumbsily on the screen. Yeah, yeah, I was only 9 at the time and Godzilla WAS scary to me then, which gives my kids all kinds of Mom-teasing-fodder.
I also go through a kind of hybernation this time of year. 5 years ago though we added an attached greenhouse to the south side of the house and now I spend all the frigid winter months (Nov thru May…yuck) in sun and warmth. Helps with the creativity!
Well, I was referring to my previous life. Prior to my current incarnation, I was the original Lassie.
Really, Mom…don’t you read Shirley MacLaine?
Lisa:
That’s a great idea. This weekend, I’m going to paint my house green.
As for the other matter, Godzilla (despite my love for the bastard) caused me plenty of childhood trauma also. I had recurring dreams of that scene in which Godzilla and King Kong were (off in the distance) fighting on the outskirts of Tokyo. Yep… I’ll stack that scene against Freddy Krueger any day.
Sure, kids today might find Godzilla laughable. But kids think Brittany Spears is a talented singer; so what the hell do they know?!
Sal
Christina:
Did I say “sweaty buttocks?” Sorry. I meant “bollocks.”
Sal
[None of the Americans will understand that crack, but the Brits will.]
Sal said: None of the Americans will understand that crack, but the Brits will.
The Canadians will understand it as well because we are all wordly and sophisticated and just a little bit naughty.
I had WAY more problems with Lassie than with Godzilla. Couldn’t watch a single Lassie episode without breaking down completely. Good thing I had Keith Partridge to make me feel better.
I’ll read ‘Shirley’ as soon as I get done reading ‘Don Quixote’.
Big Mama
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Oh Sal, you’ve been spammed! Albeit, creatively. (But not with very good spelling… aren’t you glad you “attracked” that guy? lol)