So over the last 25 years or so Hollywood has made a number of Godzilla films with Roland Emmerich’s 1998 version earning $379M. But it was in 2014 that Warner bros monster-verse began with director Gareth Edwards version raking in $524m which spawned the monster mash up with King Kong in 2021 which coined in $470m and its 2024 sequel took in a huge $571m. But Japan’s Toho studios, who started the Godzilla franchise way back in the 1950’s, pushed out their film Godzilla Minus One in late 2023. It made only $113m. So why mention all this? Well the Hollywood version were all made for ever increasing nine figures budgets. Godzilla Minus One was made for a minuscule $15m – basically the catering budget for the Hollywood films. And yet Godzilla Minus One blu-ray is the film that won an Oscar for its visual effects , the first non-Hollywood film to do so.
Godzilla Minus One is not a contemporary monster movie like the others but instead takes its story back to a post war Japan. Feeling as if he unfairly cheated death too many times, Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki) , a surviving Kamikaze pilot, is attacked on Odo Island along with many war plane engineers by a gargantuan monster. After the engineers die because of Shikishima failing to distract the monster, an overwhelming amount of guilt weighs on him, especially after a homeless woman and a baby move into his home when he returns. Shikishima, now on a personal mission, teams up with a large group of veterans to finally take down the monster known as Godzilla. Read our review HERE
As enjoyable as the Hollywood movies are its this Japanese version which is far better dealing with a post Hiroshima era in Japan’s history coming to terms with its war effort and a society struggling with the actual fallout of the atomic bomb drop. Written and directed by Takashi Yanazaki he was also the Visual effects supervisor and what effects they are. Godzilla looks phenomenal rising from the ocean stomping into town destroying everything in its path in scenes not encountered since the Montecito staff told Megan Markle that Netflix was no longer taking her calls.
It’s a terrific version of the creature feature and is now released on blu-ray in several editions
GODZILLA MINUS ONE Deluxe Edition is housed on a rigid slipcase containing four discs:
- Disc 1: The film on 4K UHD Blu-ray.
- Disc 2: The film on Blu-ray.
- Disc 3: GODZILLA MINUS ONE/MINUS COLOR on Blu-ray (exclusive to the Deluxe Edition!).
- Disc 4: Bonus Blu-ray packed with special features, all of which are English subtitled.
The release also includes a comprehensive 68-page booklet featuring a message by director Takashi Yamazaki, an introduction to the film, a host of promotional artwork, and a wealth of interviews with key staff and other information, including the colour-grading of GODZILLA MINUS ONE/MINUS COLOR, and the operation to bring the film to global success. The on-disc bonus features include a Making Of feature, VFX featurette, a special behind-the-scenes program, a whole host of event footage, and a collection of trailers for the film.
For the SteelBook enthusiasts, Anime Limited and Toho Co., Ltd are also offering a 4K UHD + Blu-ray SteelBook Edition that alongside the premium collector’s packaging, includes a grand total of three discs:
- Disc 1: The film on 4K UHD Blu-ray
- Disc 2: The film on Blu-ray
- Disc 3: Bonus Blu-ray packed with special features, all of which are English subtitled
All of the disc contents, specifications and bonus features across these discs match those of the respective discs in the Deluxe Edition, with all of the same bonus features which are once again fully subtitled
Finally, for those who want to experience this moment of cinematic history without all the bells and whistles, the film will also be available on Standard Edition 4K, Blu-ray and DVD.
Unfortunately we did not get the bonus discs so are not able to tell you anything about the extras but the blu-ray of the film that we do have looks stunning with a subtitled or English dubbed version available – and though the dubbed version is fine we say stick with the subtitled version.
Godzilla Minus One earned critical acclaim and broke multiple UK & Irish box office records on release, including the largest opening day for a Japanese film (live-action and animated) in over 23 years. If you missed it on the big screen then don’t miss this chance to see it albeit on a smaller TV screen ( unless you own your own IMAX cinema). It is terrific combining spectacle with pathos making it arguably the best Godzilla film to date.
related feature : Godzilla King of the Monsters – London premiere with Millie Bobby Brown
Here’s the Godzilla Minus One blu-ray trailer here…..
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