The King of Monsters, Godzilla, receives long-awaited Oscars recognition. In an unexpected turn, the Japanese monster movie sensation, “Godzilla Minus One,” crafted on a modest budget of approximately $15 million, won over four high-budget Hollywood blockbusters to claim victory in the Best Visual Effects category.
This marks the first occasion in decades that a non-U.S. studio film has secured this prestigious accolade.
Despite its significant impact on the evolution of visual effects in cinema, this year’s nomination marked the inaugural recognition for the Godzilla franchise in its seven-decade history at the Oscars.
“Godzilla Minus One,” helmed by Takashi Yamazaki, secures Oscars milestone. Written and directed by Takashi Yamazaki, it also saw him leading the film’s VFX team, comprising Kiyoko Shibuya, Masaki Takahashi, and Tatsuji Nojima.
This achievement marks Japan’s inaugural win in the Best Visual Effects category at the Oscars. Furthermore, it’s a rare occurrence for a director to clinch this award, with Stanley Kubrick’s victory for “2001: A Space Odyssey” in 1969 being the only other instance.
Yamazaki and team outshine VFX rivals from major Hollywood productions. Defeating the VFX teams of “Guardians of the Galaxy 3,” “Napoleon,” “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One,” and “The Creator,” Yamazaki and his collaborators claimed the Oscars victory.
During his acceptance speech, Yamazaki revealed that his passion for filmmaking was ignited four decades ago in Japan when he was captivated by the groundbreaking visuals of “Star Wars” and “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” as a child.
“So far from Hollywood, even the possibility of standing on this stage seemed out of reach,” Yamazaki said, fighting back emotion.
“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!”
“Godzilla Minus One” achieves unprecedented success, breaking records worldwide. The film’s remarkable performance at the box office, raking in $56.4 million in the U.S. and Canada alone, cements its status as the highest-grossing Japanese film ever.
Only two other international live-action movies, “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” and “Life Is Beautiful,” have surpassed its earnings in North America.Backstage at the Oscars ceremony, Yamazaki expressed his hopes for the film’s impact back home in Japan.
“I think Godzilla has opened up so many doors for us through this project. I don’t know where those doors are going to lead, but I don’t want to turn down any opportunity,” he said, later adding:
“I do believe that perhaps the success of Godzilla Minus One will open up new opportunity for a lot of Japanese filmmakers. I think that’s important because Japan is such a small country that we need international box office and revenue to sustain the industry.
This should be the start of something bigger, I hope, for the industry as a whole.”
The 37th installment in the Godzilla franchise depicts the iconic monster’s initial appearance in a war-torn postwar Japan. Produced by Toho Studios, the film features a stellar cast including Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Yuki Yamada, Munetaka Aoki, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Sakura Ando, and Kuranosuke Sasaki.
Adding a touch of Kaiju flair to the Oscars red carpet, the VFX team made a memorable entrance with Godzilla-themed shoes, adorned with sculptures of the legendary monster gripping the heels.
They also held figurines of Godzilla, while director Yamazaki and his own Godzilla figurine donned matching bow ties.