Godzilla Minus One Did VFX the ’90s Way and That's Why It Won an Oscar

It only took 70 years, but Godzilla has finally gone home with the gold. Godzilla Minus One made history at the 96th Academy Awards, securing the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, a first-time win for the Godzilla franchise. Given how important Godzilla has been to nearly a century of international film, it’s a long overdue accolade that couldn’t have gone to a more deserving entry. Minus One isn’t just a great movie, but a prime showcase of director Takashi Yamazaki’s strong artistic vision and proof that Godzilla’s ability to change with the times is unparalleled among film characters.

But there is another lesson that Hollywood should take away from Godzilla Minus One’s landmark achievement. How did a movie with a small VFX team of 35 artists and a frugal budget of $15 million show up the entire Hollywood blockbuster apparatus? Part of the answer lies in the film’s leaning into a distinctly 1990s way of depicting CG effects.

More so than resources or manpower, I would contend that the issue ultimately comes down to attitude, and how Hollywood has spent the past couple of decades denigrating the entire field of visual effects artistry. What was once a brand new field of exciting technology that was supposed to expand what was possible within the medium by a wide margin has instead spent much of the 21st century being treated like a laborious obligation that many filmmakers and audiences wish would go away. Even though it’s now virtually impossible to find studio movies that don’t implement VFX to some extent or another (you’d be surprised how much invisible effects work is used in mid-budget dramas and action films), many promo tours for even gargantuan blockbusters like Star Wars: The Force Awakens or Top Gun: Maverick spend much of their time touting their reliance on “practical” effects and making bold claims about how everything was done “for real” on camera.
Let's dig in on how Godzilla Minus One recaptured the visual effects magic of the 1990s!
#IGN #Godzilla

[creativechef]

$15 Million to make Godzilla Minus One!!! Every Hollywood Studio, Executive, Producer, etc. is now shitting themselves right now.

[samarwrx]

District 9. Half the time you're second guessing what is CGI and what isn't.

[Trujones]

Godzille chasing the boat is just straight horrifying.

[luigi_border]

To be honest. The main actor in godzilla gave the best perfomance of the year. It made godzilla believable with shock as well as the smallest dramatic moment worthy.

[blackestyang]

Godzilla is 70 years old, starred in 38 movies, and has finally won an Oscar. Never stop following your dreams

[pencilswordfish]

Modern Hollywood is using CGI/VFX as a crutch so producers can make last minute changes, abuse the time of vfx artists, taking the hands of action set pieces from the hands of the director and into another separate team (looking at you Marvel), crutching on VFX so they make up for their lack of planning, lack of pre-production, reshoots upon reshoots, etc

Films like Godzilla -1, the Creator, Dune Part 2, etc with amazing CGI but coming under lower budgets than the bloated budgets of MCU, Disney, etc. is because of PLANNING and preparation, a consistent vision, storyboards, etc.

VFX and CGI vs. Practical was never the problem, great VFX has always been a blend of the two. The problem has always been Producers thinking that "fix it in post" will fix everything. They think they can throw money at a problem and it will be solved, they think that their shitty planning and dumb ideas can be fixed later on by making VFX studios fix all the problems, thereby going waaay over budget.

[rafaelpozo]

It should have been nominated for more, including foreign movie

[jonathaneddy]

"Davy Jones in the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy" Shows shot of skeleton Jack Sparrow.

[sjeunson]

Jurassic Park T-Rex scene still holds up as one of the most amazing fx scenes in film history. Saw it in the 1990s and saw it in its IMAX release. Absolutely flawless!

[MrJayRed]

"GAHZILLA" - Arnold Shwatevegger

[jasperscheerlinck]

5:55 One of the reasons pacific rim still stands out today and looks amazing even though it came out in 2013.

[VoiceoftheRings]

Don't forget Gollum!!! And the lord of the Rings. They won a lot pioneering these CGI.

[DanFarrell]

People need to understand that more money does not equal better art. And so you can still create something great with a small budget

[nickyguidroz]

When is −1 gonna stream? Absolutely, amazing movie.

[hibikigamervlogs]

I’m really happy Godzilla minus one won the oscars it’s really awesome

[emimakeslive]

I’m so glad Godzilla won! This is a huge landmark for TOHO and cinema everywhere!

[spuglyfuglet]

As a VFX supervisor and VES member, who has worked on a number if mid to low $ projects, the key is always, Spend wisely, pick your VFX moments to tell the story. Simply put, 'Smart VFX' over 'Wow VFX'

[guillermovaccarezza]

Man the Trex in Jurassic Park 1 always, always gives me goosebumbs. How well done it is, darn

[MCCABEWORLD]

Well deserved! This was the Best authentic Godzilla movie ever made 👏🏽

[ito]

Still fell like there is some money laundering going on in Hollywood, which is why the budgets are so huge.