-In the one day since reporting on a possible release for Godzilla Minus One/Minus Color coming to our shores the film has been officially announced for a week run staring Jan 26th in the U.S.. Now, you might recall me stating that I think of it as a cash grab from the studio and that it's just a fun way of honoring a film to make it look like it came from the classic era of cinema. Director Takahashi Yamazaki & TOHO have taken it a step further with explaining why the film is now better without color, even though they originally released the film in color.
From the official Godzilla website:
"Godzilla Minus One/Minus Color is not just a simple black and white version," Yamazki said, "The colorist took the care and the time to go through a careful and very complex process. The black-and-white images make Godzilla look very realistic and documentary-like, which leads to even more fear. Even we have seen Godzilla many times, but we felt that something completely different appeared there. It is very scary. So this is not only for those who liked Godzilla Minus One but also those who are seeing it for the first time. They should definitely see this black-and-white version. Especially the scene at the beginning where Godzilla appears in the night - it is so terrifying that it made my knees shake!"
This is just some amazing quotes and marketing from TOHO and good on them for having the director going, "Yeah, it's really cool." Though, from the quote it shows his lack of involvement other than giving a thumbs up. And that also, you might just want to watch that first scene when Godzilla shows up, but they can give up on the movie.
In another quote from Bloody Disgusting he said he was a bit more involved.
“We are now able to announce Godzilla-1.0/C, which we have been working on for a long time. Rather than just making it monochrome, it is a cut by cut. I had them make adjustments while making full use of various mattes, as if they were creating a new movie. What I was aiming for was a style that looked like it was taken by masters of monochrome photography. We were able to unearth the texture of the skin and the details of the scenery that were hidden in the photographed data. Then, a frightening Godzilla, just like the one in the documentary, appeared. By eliminating color, a new sense of reality emerges. Please live and resist further fear at the theater.”
Once again great quote. Great motivator to see his move again or for the first time, now that color is missing from it.
Which, once again I would suggest costs less for the theaters to display as it costs less energy I assume to project black and white films. And the saving should be passed onto us. And, if not for that, because this is still the same movie, minus color. You can say whatever your colorist did or that it's a new experience in the end, it's just watching a fake version of an old movie.
Kind of a nice reveal that he or the studio had planned on the black and white release and that it just wasn't a filter used. Like someone didn't just use their smart phone app. I guess for me, it's how long ago did they plan on having a black and white version? The Japanese got it in October, but we just got the film in December. This is cutting it real close for American audiences. I think TOHO probably said something like, "Nameless colorists, no, go back in and make it black and white, you're gonna be missing Halloween this year." And he was like, "Ayahh." And, he was sad because he did have a Halloween party to go to. TOHO probably ruined a number of colorists Halloween.
I'll just go back to how Director Steven Spielberg went back into E.T. the Extraterrestrial with his 20th anniversary edition and made some changes, like changing the guns held by government agents into walkie talkies. You already made your film the way you wanted. Going back and redoing it again, lessens it and everything you did when you first made it.
Still I have to admit, it's a great name.
Godzilla Minus One/Minus Color is out Jan 26th.
Oh, wait, they've got to make a Godzilla Minus One coloring book, but you're just suppose to enjoy it as is.