In blockbuster filmmaking, there’s a temptation to make everything as big and complicated as possible. 3D effects, cutting-edge SFX technology, and new and bigger aspect ratios are everywhere in major releases. But sometimes keeping it simple is best. When fans are expecting something big, showing them something subtle instead can change their perspective.
Now, one of the greatest monster movies of the 2010s is being re-released in theaters with an entirely new look: a black-and-white version. It’s just the latest take on a trend that completely changes the movie-going experience.
GKIDS has announced that Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi’s 2016 kaiju movie Shin Godzilla will be re-released in theaters on August 31 in a new, black-and-white form called “SHIN GODZILLA:ORTHOchromatic.” This comes after the new 4K re-release, but the new coloring adds an interesting wrinkle.
Orthochromatic coloring, as opposed to monochromatic, means the film will more accurately replicate the black-and-white films of yore. Back when movies used orthochromatic film, reds would appear black, and blues and greens would appear lighter. The result is something that, despite being in black and white, feels more vibrant and full of contrast.
This release is clearly following the pattern established by Godzilla Minus One Minus Color, the black-and-white version of 2023’s Godzilla Minus One. That also wasn’t just the original film run through a black-and-white filter; instead, each shot was specifically tailored to the new color palette. Both versions seek to recapture the magic of the original black-and-white Godzilla movies that created the monster movie subgenre all those years ago.
SHIN GODZILLA:ORTHOchromatic premiered in Japan in 2023, making its western release a long time coming. But it’s easy to see why this perspective change would work specifically for Shin Godzilla. Unlike other Godzilla movies, it’s more focused on the human elements of the monstrous attack. Sometimes, a failure to react adequately can be just as disastrous as a massive lizard running rampant through the city.
Now, for a limited time, American viewers can see that epic story in a way that reflects both the era that sparked Godzilla and a new trend in blockbusters. Sometimes the best way to really see a movie’s true colors is to remove the colors altogether.
