Movies
The Matrix’s “Big Lie”: It Didn’t Use Such Vivid Green Colors in Its Premiere
The green tones typically associated with ‘The Matrix’ films were not as present in the first installment in its original context and were introduced later.
The role of Neo in the ‘Matrix’ saga is, along with that of John Wick, one of the most iconic roles in Keanu Reeves’ long career. As it happens, the first film, released in 1999, did not make such extensive use of the green tone so characteristic and associated with the saga, but this element was later introduced in the domestic versions to make it more similar to the two sequels of 2003, which used the green color in a more obvious way, especially for the sequences within the computer simulation.
No, the first ‘The Matrix’ did not have such green colors when it was released
If we had to choose one color to associate with the ‘Matrix’ saga, it would be green. We have seen it in the old phosphor monitors of that color, and it was used extensively in those movies, especially for the scenes that take place within the computer simulation that is the Matrix. But during the original release of the film in 1999, and in some of the first editions in home format on VHS, DVD and laserdisc, the green color was not so predominant.
This green color so associated with the saga was later included in the original film in a new home edition of 2008 with the intention of aesthetically resembling the scenes inside the Matrix with how they were represented in the two sequels of 2003.
And as you can see in the original promotional material, such as the posters, the color green was not predominant in the premiere of the first “The Matrix” as it was in its two sequels:
On the topic of digitally remastering productions originally shot in analog, there is a video on the WatchingtheAerial YouTube channel that covers the process and the decisions involved:
Basically, a 4K remastering of 1999′s The Matrix was released in 2018, based on the original negatives, and it’s a very faithful version of what the movie looked like in the context of its release. That is, without such pronounced phosphorescent green tones. The main difference with the 2008 version, besides the higher resolution (from Full HD to 4K), is that this newer version is correct in terms of colorization.
As in the original film, the 4K remaster still has subtle green tones in the scenes inside the Matrix, but the skin tones of the characters are warmer and look more natural and less desaturated. And that’s how the movie looked originally, because this is a faithful remaster.