Hello, Children…Granny Creech here…
The other day I was stirring up a pot of brew when I received a phone call from my grandson, Big Abner, and he asked, “Granny, you have more radio spots than there are bodies in Witchwood Cemetery. Which one is your favorite?”
Hmmmm….interesting question. I have been collecting spots for longer than I can remember and his question caused a lot of internal retrospection. I love them all, some more than others – kind of like my relatives (heh heh). Which is my favorite and why? And what makes a great radio spot anyway? Well, it’s kind of like my brew: a lot of good things need to go into the pot to make a satisfying result.
For starters, a good radio spot has to have a quality announcer(s). He has to embrace the overall mood of the movie, whether it be excitement, fear, or humor. If he can elicit the proper emotion through his voice and colorful words, I can usually get excited to see the movie.
Second, a spot should tell the story of the movie somewhat, and include music and/or sound effects.
Lastly, it should appeal to the mind’s eye as well as to the ears. You should be able to visualize what you are hearing. You should be able to “see it on the radio.”
I thought and thought and eventually came up with two or three titles that would rank as my favorites. I finally came up with a winner. My favorite radio spots of all time (so far) are for the 1963 US release of…..King Kong vs Godzilla!
When I first heard them in July of 1963, I just had to see the movie! What a picture they paint! Hank Simms and an unknown (to me) announcer team up to present a powerhouse set of spots, full of excitement and visual imagery. This is one of only a handful of titles I have in which the thirty-second versions are equally as good, if not better, than the longer one-minute version. Listen and see if these spots meet the criteria of what I think a great spot should be composed of. All the ingredients are here. It is hard to beat these!
“All new in color. (Reverb): KING KONG VERSUS GODZILLA!” (Godzilla roar – quick fade out).
10 second spot
30 second spot
30 second spot
30 second spot
60 second spot
Wow! They just don’t make ‘em like they used to. I said that to Big Abner at the end of our conversation and two days later I had the following spot, created for a movie made in 2021 but done in a fashion that you could have heard while listening to your favorite DJ spin the latest hits on Top 40 Radio back in the early sixties. I think it’s pretty good.
Godzilla vs Kong 60 second spot
Do you have any radio spots you would like to share? Contact Granny (Gary Fox) at [email protected].
Hello! Thanks for posting these spots! I am a huge Godzilla fan and love hearing these classic radio spots. Have you ever come across spots for Godzilla vs the Bionic Monster or Godzilla 1985. I have seem promo material stating they exist but never seen or heard them. Keep up the good work!
Hey Rick,
Let me ask Granny about the Big G facing off against Bionic monster spots. I’d like to here those myself. And we do have more radio spots on the way.