[KineJapan] ORTHOchromatic SHIN GODZILLA?

[Alexander Fee]

Hi Quentin,

*Orthochromatic* was originally released in advance of *Minus One*'s
release (it can be surmised that the *Minus One Minus Color* version came
as a result of *Ortho*). *Minus One* director Yamazaki was asked to select
his favorite Godzilla films and present them as a leadup to *Minus One*.
When Anno was asked to attend the screening of *Shin Godzilla *(also
selected by Yamazaki), he proposed this Ortho version. The actual process
they undertook is not entirely clear, but the project was overseen by
Shinji Higuchi and Katsuro Onoue. The Japanese announcement of Ortho
described orthochromatic as (this is a DeepL translation FYI) "a type of
black-and-white film with a characteristic of not being sensitive to
reddish colors. It is characterized by a heavier face tone than
panchromatic film, the current mainstream monochrome film, and we aimed for
this texture and incorporated it into the title." (
https://eiga.com/news/20231003/9/).

Best,
Alexander

–––
*Alexander Fee*
*adfee96 at gmail.com <adfee96 at gmail.com>* | *513.473.2232 *| alexanderfee.com


On Wed, Jun 19, 2024 at 7:31 AM quentin turnour via KineJapan <
kinejapan at mailman.yale.edu> wrote:

> Just seen the NY Japan Society announce that they will internationally
> premiere the 'ORTHOchromatic' version of the 2016 franchise's
> re-re-re-re-re-...boot here:
> https://japansociety.org/events/shin-godzilla-orthochromatic-encore/
>
> Does anyone know it the rationale for this - beyond mere novelty and a
> market ploy / excuse to re-release - has been explained in the Japanese
> press?
>
> Japanese film labs have a great tradition of pioneering creative
> optical-chemical film processes. Bleach-bypassing is just one. So I though
> for a moment that this might be the revival of a past process used on a
> Toho release in the past. There's also the argument Dr. George Miller made
> when he re-released FURY ROAD in grey scale; because that's how he saw the
> film in his head, in development. But B&W FURY ROAD emphasised the gleaming
> silvers and chiaroscuro.
>
> This is not so explicable. If it reflects an old-school film process you'd
> hope for a Christopher Nolan-style 70mm film re-release, which is back in
> fashion in the US with VistaVision and similar 1950s big screen format
> originals getting restorations (like the new version of THE SEARCHERS). But
> this is appearing only on DCP.
>
> Obvious, also SHIN GODZILLA is a contemporary-set film, and stands out in
> the franchise for playing in the field of post 3/11 Japanese social
> commentary. Surely a 1950s B&W Tohoscope sort of retro feel would be better
> applied to the newer, overtly retro GODZILLA -1?
>
> Finally and weirdest of all: Is this really Orthochromatic?
> English-language marketing is being coy about what this actually means, but
> silent film- and early photography historians will know its the old,
> pre-1922 B&W film process, which basically could only see blue and green colours
> in the spectrum, and explaining why pre-mid 1920s silent films are often
> drab, often have dense daylight shadows, little detail in clear blue sky,
> and coal-black reds. (This Wiki on this does a better job explaining this
> than me (and I like that the photo they use to illustrate what it did to
> Union Jacks features the famous Australian explorer Douglas Mawson):
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthochromasia. This other Wiki explains
> why panchromatic film can see the whole spectrum:
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panchromatic_film.
>
> So are Toho merely playing with an English loan word they hope no one in
> Japan actually understands? Is this meta-play with some corner of GODZILLIA
> or Toho history? Does the ortho, missing colour-specturm aesthetic make
> this a movie-going experience I need to have (per this article, which
> acknowledges ortho's charms using modern stocks:
> https://thedarkroom.com/orthochromatic-vs-panchromatic-film-a-photo-comparison/
> )?
>
> Or is it all just hype?
>
> Quentin Turnour
> National Archives of Australia / Cinema Reborn Film Festival, Sydney.
>
>
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> KineJapan at mailman.yale.edu
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