Godzilla first stomped onto our screens in 1954- 70 years ago. Now, despite a vast history that transcends time and continents, Godzilla has been overlooked at various prestigious award ceremonies, such as the Oscars. That’s not to say that every Godzilla movie has been worthy of an award and that winning an Oscar is everything, but it certainly helps highlight other cogs in the movie-making machine, cogs that typically fly under the radar. Godzilla Minus One, on a budget of $10-$15 million, has proved that monster movies can be profound and emotional, while also exhibiting those classic blockbuster elements. People absolutely loved Godzilla Minus One, and it didn’t take too long for the unimaginable to happen… An Oscar nomination for the King of the Monsters.
Competing against big budget and high grossing hollywood movies like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, the competition certainly was tough for the Kaiju, but he prevailed. Godzilla is now officially an Oscar winner.
Godzilla Minus One won the Oscar for “Best Visual Effects” at the 96th Oscars Ceremony. Obviously, this is a huge moment for the franchise, but it’s also a spectacular moment for Japanese cinema. Director Takashi Yamazaki, who was also part of the VFX team, Kiyoko Shibuya, Masaki Takahashi, and Tatsuji Nojima have become Japan’s first-ever winners of the Visual Effects Oscar.
Taking to the stage to accept the Oscar, Yamazaki said he was inspired to become a filmmaker thanks to films like Star Wars and Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
“So far from Hollywood, even the possibility of standing on this stage seemed out of reach,” Yamazaki said. “The moment we were nominated, we felt like Rocky Balboa welcomed into the ring as equals by our biggest rivals, which was already a miracle. But, here we stand!”
Now all we need is a physical release here in the UK. And we’re talking Steelbooks, the black & white version, and limited edition box sets… We’ll take the lot. Thank you.
In our five-star review of the film James says “Godzilla Minus One is a gigantic triumph that encapsulates Godzilla’s legacy beautifully, while also offering a very human & sincere story. With gobsmacking visuals that exceed some of the effects we’ve seen this year, Godzilla makes his return in the biggest and best way possible. This film is the true epitome of a blockbuster. Not only is Minus One a perfect monster movie, it’s also a fantastic film that has plenty to offer besides destruction.”
What did you think of Godzilla Minus One? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
