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* ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'' series: As part of a marketing build-up to ''Film/GodzillaMinusOne'' and after the commercial and critical success of the latter, ''Film/ShinGodzilla'' and ''Minus One'' respectively got limited theatrical monochrome re-releases in Japan known as ''Shin Godzilla: Orthochromatic''[[note]]Orthochromatic film is a type of film that is not sensitive to red -- which just so happens to be ''Shin Godzilla''[='=]s signature color -- and thus red colors are rendered darker on it[[/note]] and ''Godzilla Minus One/C''[[note]]Pronounced as ''Godzilla Minus One: Minus Color''[[/note]]. The deliberate monochrome was used in both films to evoke the feelings of [[Film/Godzilla1954 the original 1954 film]], since ''Shin Godzilla'' was a RevisitingTheRoots throwback to it and ''Minus One'' was released to celebrate [[MilestoneCelebration the 69th and 70th anniversaries]] of the ''Godzilla'' franchise.
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* ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'' series: As part of a marketing build-up to ''Film/GodzillaMinusOne'' and after the commercial and critical success of the latter, ''Film/ShinGodzilla'' and ''Minus One'' respectively got limited theatrical monochrome re-releases in Japan known as ''Shin Godzilla: Orthochromatic''[[note]]Orthochromatic film is a type of film that is not sensitive to red -- which just so happens to be ''Shin Godzilla''[='=]s signature color -- and thus red colors are rendered darker on it[[/note]] and ''Godzilla Minus One/C''[[note]]Pronounced as ''Godzilla Minus One: Minus Color''[[/note]].Color''[[/note]], which were later released as Blu-ray alternatives. The deliberate monochrome was used in both films to evoke the feelings of [[Film/Godzilla1954 the original 1954 film]], since ''Shin Godzilla'' was a RevisitingTheRoots throwback to it and ''Minus One'' was released to celebrate [[MilestoneCelebration the 69th and 70th anniversaries]] of the ''Godzilla'' franchise.
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* ''Film/GodzillaMinusOne'': After the commercial and critical success of its release, ''Minus One'' would get a limited theatrical re-release in Japan known as ''Godzilla Minus One/C'' (''ゴジラ−１.０／C'')[[note]]Pronounced as ''Godzilla Minus One: Minus Color''[[/note]]. The deliberate monochrome was used to evoke the feelings of [[Film/Godzilla1954 the original 1954 film]], since ''Minus One'' was released to celebrate [[MilestoneCelebration the 69th and 70th anniversaries]] of the ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'' franchise.
to:
* ''Film/GodzillaMinusOne'': After ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'' series: As part of a marketing build-up to ''Film/GodzillaMinusOne'' and after the commercial and critical success of its release, the latter, ''Film/ShinGodzilla'' and ''Minus One'' would get a respectively got limited theatrical re-release monochrome re-releases in Japan known as ''Shin Godzilla: Orthochromatic''[[note]]Orthochromatic film is a type of film that is not sensitive to red -- which just so happens to be ''Shin Godzilla''[='=]s signature color -- and thus red colors are rendered darker on it[[/note]] and ''Godzilla Minus One/C'' (''ゴジラ−１.０／C'')[[note]]Pronounced One/C''[[note]]Pronounced as ''Godzilla Minus One: Minus Color''[[/note]]. The deliberate monochrome was used in both films to evoke the feelings of [[Film/Godzilla1954 the original 1954 film]], since ''Shin Godzilla'' was a RevisitingTheRoots throwback to it and ''Minus One'' was released to celebrate [[MilestoneCelebration the 69th and 70th anniversaries]] of the ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'' ''Godzilla'' franchise.
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* 1976 Creator/PeterBogdanovich film ''Nickelodeon'' eventually saw a black-and-white Director's Cut on a DVD release in 2009. Bogdanovich ''really'' fought for the film to originally be in black-and-white to capture UsefulNotes/TheSilentAgeOfHollywood the story takes place in, but amidst [[TroubledProduction all the other production woes regarding creative direction and management]], it just wasn't meant to be at the time.
to:
* 1976 Creator/PeterBogdanovich film ''Nickelodeon'' eventually saw a black-and-white Director's Cut on a DVD release in 2009. Bogdanovich ''really'' fought for the film to originally be in black-and-white to capture UsefulNotes/TheSilentAgeOfHollywood MediaNotes/TheSilentAgeOfHollywood the story takes place in, but amidst [[TroubledProduction all the other production woes regarding creative direction and management]], it just wasn't meant to be at the time.
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* A select number of games for the Platform/GameBoyColor have black shells to indicate that these are games with alternate monochrome color palettes so they can be played on the original Platform/GameBoy and the Platform/SuperGameBoy accessory for the Platform/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem. These include ''VideoGame/BeautyAndTheBeastABoardGameAdventure'', ''VideoGame/ABugsLife'', ''VideoGame/ConkersPocketTales'', ''Mary-Kate and Ashley: Get a Clue!'', and ''VideoGame/ToyStory2''. ''VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver'' are also playable on the original Game Boy, but unlike these games, they have gold and silver cartridges, as was tradition with mainline ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' games for the first three generations.
to:
* A select number of games for the Platform/GameBoyColor have black shells to indicate that these are games with alternate monochrome color palettes so they can be played on the original Platform/GameBoy and the Platform/SuperGameBoy accessory for the Platform/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem. These include ''VideoGame/BeautyAndTheBeastABoardGameAdventure'', ''VideoGame/ABugsLife'', ''VideoGame/ConkersPocketTales'', the 1999 color remake of ''VideoGame/LooneyTunes (1992)'', ''Mary-Kate and Ashley: Get a Clue!'', and ''VideoGame/ToyStory2''. ''VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver'' are also playable on the original Game Boy, but unlike these games, they have gold and silver cartridges, as was tradition with mainline ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' games for the first three generations.
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* Most major modern operating systems, including Platform/MicrosoftWindows, [[Platform/{{macOS}} Mac OS X]], [=iOS / iPad OS=], and UsefulNotes/{{Android}}, include a system-wide grayscale mode for accessibility reasons, both for people who need a ColorblindMode and people prone to eye strain.
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* Most major modern operating systems, including Platform/MicrosoftWindows, [[Platform/{{macOS}} Mac OS X]], [=iOS / iPad OS=], and UsefulNotes/{{Android}}, Platform/{{Android}}, include a system-wide grayscale mode for accessibility reasons, both for people who need a ColorblindMode and people prone to eye strain.
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* ''Film/MadMaxFuryRoad'' saw limited screenings and home media releases of a black-and-white version of the film, titled the ''Black & Chrome Edition''. Director Creator/GeorgeMiller commented that the main version of ''Fury Road'' is already "monochrome" in spirit with its intense [[OrangeBlueContrast teal of the sky and orange of the desert]], and that the black-and-white version as dropping the pretense and putting the appeal of that stark visual contrast at the forefront.
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* ''Film/MadMaxFuryRoad'' saw limited screenings and home media releases of a black-and-white version of the film, titled the ''Black & Chrome Edition''. Director Creator/GeorgeMiller commented that the main version of ''Fury Road'' is already "monochrome" in spirit with its intense [[OrangeBlueContrast teal of the sky and orange of the desert]], and that the black-and-white version as is merely dropping the pretense and putting the appeal of that stark visual contrast at the forefront.
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Adding some details as well as minor grammar/syntax fixes (banger image caption quote, btw!)
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[[caption-width-right:987:Oh what a gray! What a lovely gray!]]
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Much like DeliberatelyMonochrome as a whole, there are plenty of reasons for why creators would do this. While a full, colorful palette can be appealing and beautiful in its own way that warrants the "main" work being released as such, perhaps there are certain aesthetic benefits that can only be achieved through monochrome. Perhaps by taking away the colors, the images [[{{Retreaux}} seem more old-fashioned and invoke an inherently nostalgic atmosphere]]. Perhaps [[{{Chiaroscuro}} the emphasized contrast and grading]] can make it seem more raw, detailed, cinematic, or otherwise [[LeFilmArtistique "artsy"]]. Perhaps the work itself was strongly influenced by monochrome works, and [[GenreThrowback the option to stick to the same trend can make it feel even closer to home]]. Whichever way, while these versions are rarely treated as the "definitive" versions, they have become an increasingly popular option for creators and audiences looking for a means to view works they've already seen but under a new, significantly different, artistically provocative way.
to:
Much like DeliberatelyMonochrome as a whole, there are plenty of reasons for why creators would do this. While a full, colorful palette can be appealing and beautiful in its own way that warrants the "main" work being released as such, perhaps there are certain aesthetic benefits that can only be achieved through monochrome. Perhaps by taking away the colors, the images [[{{Retreaux}} seem more old-fashioned and invoke an inherently nostalgic atmosphere]]. Perhaps [[{{Chiaroscuro}} the emphasized contrast and grading]] can make it seem more raw, detailed, cinematic, or otherwise [[LeFilmArtistique "artsy"]]. Perhaps the work itself was strongly influenced by older monochrome works, and [[GenreThrowback the option to stick to the same trend can make it feel even closer to home]]. Whichever way, while these versions are rarely treated as the "definitive" versions, they have become an increasingly popular option for creators and audiences looking for a means to view works they've already seen but under in a new, significantly different, artistically provocative way.
light.
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* ''Film/MadMaxFuryRoad'' saw limited screenings and home media releases of a black-and-white version of the film, titled the ''Black & Chrome Edition''.
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* ''Film/MadMaxFuryRoad'' saw limited screenings and home media releases of a black-and-white version of the film, titled the ''Black & Chrome Edition''. Director Creator/GeorgeMiller commented that the main version of ''Fury Road'' is already "monochrome" in spirit with its intense [[OrangeBlueContrast teal of the sky and orange of the desert]], and that the black-and-white version as dropping the pretense and putting the appeal of that stark visual contrast at the forefront.
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* ''VideoGame/LANoire'': The entire game can be played in black-and-white to match the 40s aesthetic.
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* '' VideoGame/ResidentEvil5'': The unlockable "retro" filter applies this trope to the game.
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* The Windows version of ''VideoGame/ChipsChallenge'' has an alternate black and white set of graphics, since at the time of its release cheaper computers were supplied with monochrome displays.
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* ''VideoGame/BatmanTheTelltaleSeries'' includes an optional "Shadows" version that simulates the grayscale of a graphic novel with the occasional SplashOfColor.
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* Shortly after its debut on Netflix, the streaming service released a "Special Edition" of the ''WesternAnimation/BlueEyeSamurai'' episode "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Za2Z_JRxCuk All Evil Dreams & Angry Words]]" on [=YouTube=] that was entierly black and white except for the instances of the show's [[ColorMotif Motif Colors]], [[BlueTropes blue]] (for Mizu) and [[AnIndexOrange orange]] (for Fowler). The special also features a different set of musical interludes compared to the original "broadcast" version.
to:
* Shortly after its debut on Netflix, the streaming service released a "Special Edition" of the ''WesternAnimation/BlueEyeSamurai'' episode "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Za2Z_JRxCuk All Evil Dreams & And Angry Words]]" on [=YouTube=] that was entierly black and white except for the instances of the show's [[ColorMotif Motif Colors]], [[BlueTropes blue]] (for Mizu) and [[AnIndexOrange orange]] (for Fowler). The special also features a different set of musical interludes compared to the original "broadcast" version.
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[[folder:Western Animation]]
* Shortly after its debut on Netflix, the streaming service released a "Special Edition" of the ''WesternAnimation/BlueEyeSamurai'' episode "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Za2Z_JRxCuk All Evil Dreams & Angry Words]]" on [=YouTube=] that was entierly black and white except for the instances of the show's [[ColorMotif Motif Colors]], [[BlueTropes blue]] (for Mizu) and [[AnIndexOrange orange]] (for Fowler). The special also features a different set of musical interludes compared to the original "broadcast" version.
[[/folder]]
* Shortly after its debut on Netflix, the streaming service released a "Special Edition" of the ''WesternAnimation/BlueEyeSamurai'' episode "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Za2Z_JRxCuk All Evil Dreams & Angry Words]]" on [=YouTube=] that was entierly black and white except for the instances of the show's [[ColorMotif Motif Colors]], [[BlueTropes blue]] (for Mizu) and [[AnIndexOrange orange]] (for Fowler). The special also features a different set of musical interludes compared to the original "broadcast" version.
[[/folder]]
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[[caption-width-right:987:Oh what a gray! What a lovely gray!]]
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* Done InUniverse in a Bartman story of ''ComicBook/TheSimpsons'', where Dolph, Jimbo, and Kearney are working for a company that is printing comics. On the side they are dipping issues in chrome to make all-chrome "accidentally-made" variants to sell on the side, knowing collectors will pay top dollar for these rare, one-of-a-kind "misprints".
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* A select number of games for the Platform/GameBoyColor have black shells to indicate that these are games with alternate monochrome color palettes so they can be played on the original Platform/GameBoy and the Platform/SuperGameBoy accessory for the Platform/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem. These include ''VideoGame/BeautyAndTheBeastABoardGameAdventure'', ''VideoGame/ABugsLife'', ''VideoGame/ConkersPocketTales'', ''Mary-Kate and Ashley: Get a Clue!'', and ''VideoGame/ToyStory2''.
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* A select number of games for the Platform/GameBoyColor have black shells to indicate that these are games with alternate monochrome color palettes so they can be played on the original Platform/GameBoy and the Platform/SuperGameBoy accessory for the Platform/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem. These include ''VideoGame/BeautyAndTheBeastABoardGameAdventure'', ''VideoGame/ABugsLife'', ''VideoGame/ConkersPocketTales'', ''Mary-Kate and Ashley: Get a Clue!'', and ''VideoGame/ToyStory2''. ''VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver'' are also playable on the original Game Boy, but unlike these games, they have gold and silver cartridges, as was tradition with mainline ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' games for the first three generations.
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* A select number of games for the Platform/GameBoyColor have black shells to indicate that these are games with alternate monochrome color palettes so they can be played on the original Platform/GameBoy and the Platform/SuperGameBoy accessory for the Platform/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem. These include ''VideoGame/BeautyAndTheBeastABoardGameAdventure'', ''VideoGame/ABugsLife'', ''VideoGame/ConkersPocketTales'', ''Mary-Kate and Ashley: Get a Clue!'', and ''VideoGame/ToyStory2''.
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** ''Film/Mother2009'' saw a black-and-white cut being shown in select film festivals and seeing home media release around 2013.
** ''Film/Parasite2019'' saw a black-and-white version, alternatively labelled the ''Black-and-White Edition'' or the ''[[ReCut Director's Cut]]'', released in a limited theatrical capacity and later on home media.
* ''{{Film/Logan}}'', while a color film, was reportedly shot with an expectation that it would play well as a black-and-white film, and sure enough, it received an alternate black-and-white version titled ''Logan Noir''. Despite having been re-graded and timed shot by shot, it managed to be released for a limited theatrical run only a few months following the main color version, and is available as a Blu-Ray alternative.
** ''Film/Parasite2019'' saw a black-and-white version, alternatively labelled the ''Black-and-White Edition'' or the ''[[ReCut Director's Cut]]'', released in a limited theatrical capacity and later on home media.
* ''{{Film/Logan}}'', while a color film, was reportedly shot with an expectation that it would play well as a black-and-white film, and sure enough, it received an alternate black-and-white version titled ''Logan Noir''. Despite having been re-graded and timed shot by shot, it managed to be released for a limited theatrical run only a few months following the main color version, and is available as a Blu-Ray alternative.
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** ''Film/Mother2009'' ''Film/{{Mother|2009}}'' saw a black-and-white cut being shown in select film festivals and seeing home media release around 2013.
**''Film/Parasite2019'' ''Film/{{Parasite|2019}}'' saw a black-and-white version, alternatively labelled the ''Black-and-White Edition'' or the ''[[ReCut Director's Cut]]'', released in a limited theatrical capacity and later on home media.
*''{{Film/Logan}}'', ''Film/{{Logan}}'', while a color film, was reportedly shot with an expectation that it would play well as a black-and-white film, and sure enough, it received an alternate black-and-white version titled ''Logan Noir''. Despite having been re-graded and timed shot by shot, it managed to be released for a limited theatrical run only a few months following the main color version, and is available as a Blu-Ray alternative.
**
*
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* ''Literature/TheMist'' saw a black-and-white version released as a DVD extra. Director Creator/FrankDarabont claims that he always wanted to film the movie in black-and-white as a GenreThrowback to the pre-color work of Creator/RayHarryhausen and classic horror films like ''Film/NightOfTheLivingDead1968'', and -- while it's not listed as a "director's cut" -- he considers the black-and-white cut as his preferred version.
to:
* ''Literature/TheMist'' saw a black-and-white version released as a DVD extra. Director Creator/FrankDarabont claims that he always wanted to film the movie in black-and-white as a GenreThrowback to the pre-color work of Creator/RayHarryhausen and classic horror films like ''Film/NightOfTheLivingDead1968'', ''Film/{{Night of the Living Dead|1968}}'', and -- while it's not listed as a "director's cut" -- he considers the black-and-white cut as his preferred version.
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* ''Film/NightmareAlley2021'' was shot in color, but true to its homage to classic FilmNoir, the colors were already quite limited and dark, with director Creator/GuillermoDelToro going in envisioning that it would be easy to adapt into a true monochrome version later on. Said black-and-white version would manifest in a limited theatrical run and also become available for streaming.
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* ''Film/NightmareAlley2021'' ''Film/{{Nightmare Alley|2021}}'' was shot in color, but true to its homage to classic FilmNoir, the colors were already quite limited and dark, with director Creator/GuillermoDelToro going in envisioning that it would be easy to adapt into a true monochrome version later on. Said black-and-white version would manifest in a limited theatrical run and also become available for streaming.
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* ''Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague'' came with an alternate black-and-white release not long after the main film's debut on {{Creator/Max}}, titled the ''Justice is Gray'' edition.
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* ''Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague'' came with an alternate black-and-white release not long after the main film's debut on {{Creator/Max}}, Creator/{{Max}}, titled the ''Justice is Gray'' edition.
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* ''VideoGame/RetroCityRampage:'' The game settings allow you to choose from a variety of color palettes, several of which are monochrome to mimic specific retro game systems such as the UsefulNotes/GameBoy and UsefulNotes/VirtualBoy.
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* ''VideoGame/RetroCityRampage:'' The game settings allow you to choose from a variety of color palettes, several of which are monochrome to mimic specific retro game systems such as the UsefulNotes/GameBoy Platform/GameBoy and UsefulNotes/VirtualBoy.Platform/VirtualBoy.
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[[quoteright:987:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/blackandchrome.png]]
->''"Something about black and white, the way it distills it, makes it a little bit more abstract. Something about losing some of the information of color make it somehow more iconic. [...] Overall, for me, it’s the best version of the movie. It’d be interesting to see if you agree."''
-->-- '''Creator/GeorgeMiller''' on ''Film/MadMaxFuryRoad: Black & Chrome Edition''
A vast majority of visual media of the modern age is depicted in color, and for plenty of good reasons, but the appeal of a limited, DeliberatelyMonochrome color palette remains undeniable, resulting in some creators deliberately engineering either individual elements or perhaps the entire work to operate within limited colors, usually black and white. However, one newer approach to the trend, and one that gained increasing popularity starting from TheNewTens, is the act of making and releasing a work in full color, [[UpdatedRerelease then releasing an additional, optional version of the same work]] in monochrome, usually in the form of a "black and white edition".
Much like DeliberatelyMonochrome as a whole, there are plenty of reasons for why creators would do this. While a full, colorful palette can be appealing and beautiful in its own way that warrants the "main" work being released as such, perhaps there are certain aesthetic benefits that can only be achieved through monochrome. Perhaps by taking away the colors, the images [[{{Retreaux}} seem more old-fashioned and invoke an inherently nostalgic atmosphere]]. Perhaps [[{{Chiaroscuro}} the emphasized contrast and grading]] can make it seem more raw, detailed, cinematic, or otherwise [[LeFilmArtistique "artsy"]]. Perhaps the work itself was strongly influenced by monochrome works, and [[GenreThrowback the option to stick to the same trend can make it feel even closer to home]]. Whichever way, while these versions are rarely treated as the "definitive" versions, they have become an increasingly popular option for creators and audiences looking for a means to view works they've already seen but under a new, significantly different, artistically provocative way.
Note that this trope doesn't cover media that were always DeliberatelyMonochrome to begin with -- this specifically covers works that were primarily made with full color in mind, but have the option to view it in monochrome. This includes VideoGames that come with an in-game option to turn on a color filter, and can theoretically be played from beginning to end without colors.
Contrast with {{Colorization}}, which does the opposite approach of taking an originally-monochrome work and making it full color (something that tends to be far more controversial than an Alternate Monochrome Version, usually due to being seen as [[GeorgeLucasAlteredVersion implicitly supplanting the original, unaltered monochrome work]]).
----
!!Examples:
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:Comic Books]]
* Starting from the late 2010s, Creator/DCComics has sometimes released "Noir" editions of their most popular stories in this mold. Recipients so far have included ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'', ''ComicBook/BatmanTheLongHalloween'', and ''ComicBook/TheKillingJoke'' (Oddly, ''ComicBook/VForVendetta'' has yet to receive such a release, even though it was originally serialized in black-and-white and many fans dislike the coloring on the collected editions).
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Film -- Live-Action]]
* ''Film/DoctorX'' was [[ZigZaggingTrope a complicated case]]: shot in 1931 for a 1932 release, the film was shot simultaneously in both black-and-white and two-color Technicolor cuts. When the movie saw syndication to TV in the 1950's, only the black-and-white version was present due to the color version appearing to have [[MissingEpisode become lost]], but a print was eventually found in 1978 and successfully preserved. For decades, this color version effectively became the definitive print of the film when it came to home media distribution, and it wasn't until 2021 that an HD restoration of the original black-and-white cut saw wider distribution as a Blu-Ray bonus feature.
* ''Film/GodzillaMinusOne'': After the commercial and critical success of its release, ''Minus One'' would get a limited theatrical re-release in Japan known as ''Godzilla Minus One/C'' (''ゴジラ−１.０／C'')[[note]]Pronounced as ''Godzilla Minus One: Minus Color''[[/note]]. The deliberate monochrome was used to evoke the feelings of [[Film/Godzilla1954 the original 1954 film]], since ''Minus One'' was released to celebrate [[MilestoneCelebration the 69th and 70th anniversaries]] of the ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'' franchise.
* ''Film/JohnnyMnemonic'' saw an alternate black-and-white recut in 2022 in the form of the ''Johnny Mnemonic: In Black and White'' Blu-Ray. The original film was known to have suffered a lot of behind-the-scenes trouble, with tons of executive-mandated edits done to make the film more "mainstream", including rejecting director Robert Longo's desire to have it filmed in black-and-white (a tribute to classic sci-fi cinema like ''Film/{{Alphaville}}'' and ''Film/LaJetee''). While not listed as a "director's cut", this recut is a version Longo describes as being closer to his original vision.
* Creator/BongJoonHo has done this with two of his movies. He's stated in interviews that he has a strong personal preference for black-and-white cinema, but the only reason he hasn't made a film specifically for black-and-white is the lack of financing in such an idea. Until then, he has alternate cuts:
** ''Film/Mother2009'' saw a black-and-white cut being shown in select film festivals and seeing home media release around 2013.
** ''Film/Parasite2019'' saw a black-and-white version, alternatively labelled the ''Black-and-White Edition'' or the ''[[ReCut Director's Cut]]'', released in a limited theatrical capacity and later on home media.
* ''{{Film/Logan}}'', while a color film, was reportedly shot with an expectation that it would play well as a black-and-white film, and sure enough, it received an alternate black-and-white version titled ''Logan Noir''. Despite having been re-graded and timed shot by shot, it managed to be released for a limited theatrical run only a few months following the main color version, and is available as a Blu-Ray alternative.
* ''Film/MadMaxFuryRoad'' saw limited screenings and home media releases of a black-and-white version of the film, titled the ''Black & Chrome Edition''.
* ''Literature/TheMist'' saw a black-and-white version released as a DVD extra. Director Creator/FrankDarabont claims that he always wanted to film the movie in black-and-white as a GenreThrowback to the pre-color work of Creator/RayHarryhausen and classic horror films like ''Film/NightOfTheLivingDead1968'', and -- while it's not listed as a "director's cut" -- he considers the black-and-white cut as his preferred version.
* 1976 Creator/PeterBogdanovich film ''Nickelodeon'' eventually saw a black-and-white Director's Cut on a DVD release in 2009. Bogdanovich ''really'' fought for the film to originally be in black-and-white to capture UsefulNotes/TheSilentAgeOfHollywood the story takes place in, but amidst [[TroubledProduction all the other production woes regarding creative direction and management]], it just wasn't meant to be at the time.
* ''Film/NightmareAlley2021'' was shot in color, but true to its homage to classic FilmNoir, the colors were already quite limited and dark, with director Creator/GuillermoDelToro going in envisioning that it would be easy to adapt into a true monochrome version later on. Said black-and-white version would manifest in a limited theatrical run and also become available for streaming.
* While not an official release, Creator/StevenSoderbergh did a ReCut of ''Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk'' in 2014 titled ''Raiders'', which both renders the film in black and white and [[SilentMovie strips it of its native sound]], done as an exercise to emphasize how much of Creator/StevenSpielberg's directing abilities were shown off in the film.
* ''Film/TheRockyHorrorPictureShow'' was originally intended to open in black and white [[MonochromeToColor before switching to technicolor]] when Brad and Janet enter Frank's castle, in a parody of ''Film/TheWizardOfOz''. That cut of the film survived as a hidden Easter egg on the 25th anniversary edition DVD.
* ''Film/SympathyForLadyVengeance'' has a {{downplayed|Trope}} case of this with its alternate "Fade to Black and White" version. In this version, the film starts in full color and with vibrant primary colors just like the main version, but slowly as it goes on and its {{Revenge}} fable gets darker and darker, colors begin to desaturate until things become mostly black and white, sans the violent SplashOfColor here and there.
* ''Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague'' came with an alternate black-and-white release not long after the main film's debut on {{Creator/Max}}, titled the ''Justice is Gray'' edition.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* Starting with "The Power of the Daleks" in 2016, official animated recreations of [[MissingEpisode Missing Episodes]] of ''Series/DoctorWho'' are made in full color to appeal to mass market audiences. However, home releases always include an alternate version in black and white to fit with the original episodes being monochrome.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Video Games]]
* The original release of the Platform/Atari2600 had a [=B&W/Color=] switch on the system that changed most (but not all) games to a monochrome palette. This was because black-and-white televisions were still very common in the [[The70s late '70s]] and [[The80s early '80s]], and merely playing color mode on a black-and-white set often resulted in poor contrast which made parts of the games hard to see. Using the [=B&W=] switch ensured that the game's colors remained sharply separated from each other. Later releases of the [[VideoGameLongRunners abnormally long-lived]] system removed the switch, however, as black-and-white televisions [[TechnologyMarchesOn became exceptionally rare]] by the time support ended in 1991, though its loss caused other issues as a few third-party games which did not have a B&W mode [[NotTheIntendedUse used it for other game toggles]].
* The reward for finishing the platformer levels of ''VideoGame/{{Cuphead}}'' in [[PacifistRun pacifist mode]] unlocks a black and white filter option for the game, as another homage to classic cartoons. This mode makes the game substantially harder to play, as it obscures the pink parry items.
* ''VideoGame/GhostOfTsushima'' features an alternate filter titled "Kurosawa Mode", rendering the game in black and white while adding film grain, altering the sound mixing, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and also adding in more]] DramaticWind to make the game resemble the many classic samurai films of Creator/AkiraKurosawa.
* Some versions of ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'' (between 1.7.2 and 1.9) featured a "Super Secret Settings" button that placed [[PostProcessingVideoEffects a filter over normal gameplay]], originally done to test the functionality of "shaders" and alternate means to render the game. Most of the shaders range from subtle to [[SillinessSwitch silly]], and among the more drastic ones was a "Pencil" shader that renders the game in black/white and ratchets up the color contrast, giving the game the general look of a pencil sketch.
* ''VideoGame/PokemonChannel:'' Several of the different [=TVs=] available will apply a filter to the shows. The first one you get that does this is the Retro TV, which applies a black-and-white filter. It's given to you as an emergency replacement after your Pikachu accidentally destroys the set you start with, but even after you get a new one, you can swap back to the Retro TV at any time.
* ''VideoGame/RetroCityRampage:'' The game settings allow you to choose from a variety of color palettes, several of which are monochrome to mimic specific retro game systems such as the UsefulNotes/GameBoy and UsefulNotes/VirtualBoy.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Other]]
* Most major modern operating systems, including Platform/MicrosoftWindows, [[Platform/{{macOS}} Mac OS X]], [=iOS / iPad OS=], and UsefulNotes/{{Android}}, include a system-wide grayscale mode for accessibility reasons, both for people who need a ColorblindMode and people prone to eye strain.
[[/folder]]
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->''"Something about black and white, the way it distills it, makes it a little bit more abstract. Something about losing some of the information of color make it somehow more iconic. [...] Overall, for me, it’s the best version of the movie. It’d be interesting to see if you agree."''
-->-- '''Creator/GeorgeMiller''' on ''Film/MadMaxFuryRoad: Black & Chrome Edition''
A vast majority of visual media of the modern age is depicted in color, and for plenty of good reasons, but the appeal of a limited, DeliberatelyMonochrome color palette remains undeniable, resulting in some creators deliberately engineering either individual elements or perhaps the entire work to operate within limited colors, usually black and white. However, one newer approach to the trend, and one that gained increasing popularity starting from TheNewTens, is the act of making and releasing a work in full color, [[UpdatedRerelease then releasing an additional, optional version of the same work]] in monochrome, usually in the form of a "black and white edition".
Much like DeliberatelyMonochrome as a whole, there are plenty of reasons for why creators would do this. While a full, colorful palette can be appealing and beautiful in its own way that warrants the "main" work being released as such, perhaps there are certain aesthetic benefits that can only be achieved through monochrome. Perhaps by taking away the colors, the images [[{{Retreaux}} seem more old-fashioned and invoke an inherently nostalgic atmosphere]]. Perhaps [[{{Chiaroscuro}} the emphasized contrast and grading]] can make it seem more raw, detailed, cinematic, or otherwise [[LeFilmArtistique "artsy"]]. Perhaps the work itself was strongly influenced by monochrome works, and [[GenreThrowback the option to stick to the same trend can make it feel even closer to home]]. Whichever way, while these versions are rarely treated as the "definitive" versions, they have become an increasingly popular option for creators and audiences looking for a means to view works they've already seen but under a new, significantly different, artistically provocative way.
Note that this trope doesn't cover media that were always DeliberatelyMonochrome to begin with -- this specifically covers works that were primarily made with full color in mind, but have the option to view it in monochrome. This includes VideoGames that come with an in-game option to turn on a color filter, and can theoretically be played from beginning to end without colors.
Contrast with {{Colorization}}, which does the opposite approach of taking an originally-monochrome work and making it full color (something that tends to be far more controversial than an Alternate Monochrome Version, usually due to being seen as [[GeorgeLucasAlteredVersion implicitly supplanting the original, unaltered monochrome work]]).
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!!Examples:
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:Comic Books]]
* Starting from the late 2010s, Creator/DCComics has sometimes released "Noir" editions of their most popular stories in this mold. Recipients so far have included ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'', ''ComicBook/BatmanTheLongHalloween'', and ''ComicBook/TheKillingJoke'' (Oddly, ''ComicBook/VForVendetta'' has yet to receive such a release, even though it was originally serialized in black-and-white and many fans dislike the coloring on the collected editions).
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Film -- Live-Action]]
* ''Film/DoctorX'' was [[ZigZaggingTrope a complicated case]]: shot in 1931 for a 1932 release, the film was shot simultaneously in both black-and-white and two-color Technicolor cuts. When the movie saw syndication to TV in the 1950's, only the black-and-white version was present due to the color version appearing to have [[MissingEpisode become lost]], but a print was eventually found in 1978 and successfully preserved. For decades, this color version effectively became the definitive print of the film when it came to home media distribution, and it wasn't until 2021 that an HD restoration of the original black-and-white cut saw wider distribution as a Blu-Ray bonus feature.
* ''Film/GodzillaMinusOne'': After the commercial and critical success of its release, ''Minus One'' would get a limited theatrical re-release in Japan known as ''Godzilla Minus One/C'' (''ゴジラ−１.０／C'')[[note]]Pronounced as ''Godzilla Minus One: Minus Color''[[/note]]. The deliberate monochrome was used to evoke the feelings of [[Film/Godzilla1954 the original 1954 film]], since ''Minus One'' was released to celebrate [[MilestoneCelebration the 69th and 70th anniversaries]] of the ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'' franchise.
* ''Film/JohnnyMnemonic'' saw an alternate black-and-white recut in 2022 in the form of the ''Johnny Mnemonic: In Black and White'' Blu-Ray. The original film was known to have suffered a lot of behind-the-scenes trouble, with tons of executive-mandated edits done to make the film more "mainstream", including rejecting director Robert Longo's desire to have it filmed in black-and-white (a tribute to classic sci-fi cinema like ''Film/{{Alphaville}}'' and ''Film/LaJetee''). While not listed as a "director's cut", this recut is a version Longo describes as being closer to his original vision.
* Creator/BongJoonHo has done this with two of his movies. He's stated in interviews that he has a strong personal preference for black-and-white cinema, but the only reason he hasn't made a film specifically for black-and-white is the lack of financing in such an idea. Until then, he has alternate cuts:
** ''Film/Mother2009'' saw a black-and-white cut being shown in select film festivals and seeing home media release around 2013.
** ''Film/Parasite2019'' saw a black-and-white version, alternatively labelled the ''Black-and-White Edition'' or the ''[[ReCut Director's Cut]]'', released in a limited theatrical capacity and later on home media.
* ''{{Film/Logan}}'', while a color film, was reportedly shot with an expectation that it would play well as a black-and-white film, and sure enough, it received an alternate black-and-white version titled ''Logan Noir''. Despite having been re-graded and timed shot by shot, it managed to be released for a limited theatrical run only a few months following the main color version, and is available as a Blu-Ray alternative.
* ''Film/MadMaxFuryRoad'' saw limited screenings and home media releases of a black-and-white version of the film, titled the ''Black & Chrome Edition''.
* ''Literature/TheMist'' saw a black-and-white version released as a DVD extra. Director Creator/FrankDarabont claims that he always wanted to film the movie in black-and-white as a GenreThrowback to the pre-color work of Creator/RayHarryhausen and classic horror films like ''Film/NightOfTheLivingDead1968'', and -- while it's not listed as a "director's cut" -- he considers the black-and-white cut as his preferred version.
* 1976 Creator/PeterBogdanovich film ''Nickelodeon'' eventually saw a black-and-white Director's Cut on a DVD release in 2009. Bogdanovich ''really'' fought for the film to originally be in black-and-white to capture UsefulNotes/TheSilentAgeOfHollywood the story takes place in, but amidst [[TroubledProduction all the other production woes regarding creative direction and management]], it just wasn't meant to be at the time.
* ''Film/NightmareAlley2021'' was shot in color, but true to its homage to classic FilmNoir, the colors were already quite limited and dark, with director Creator/GuillermoDelToro going in envisioning that it would be easy to adapt into a true monochrome version later on. Said black-and-white version would manifest in a limited theatrical run and also become available for streaming.
* While not an official release, Creator/StevenSoderbergh did a ReCut of ''Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk'' in 2014 titled ''Raiders'', which both renders the film in black and white and [[SilentMovie strips it of its native sound]], done as an exercise to emphasize how much of Creator/StevenSpielberg's directing abilities were shown off in the film.
* ''Film/TheRockyHorrorPictureShow'' was originally intended to open in black and white [[MonochromeToColor before switching to technicolor]] when Brad and Janet enter Frank's castle, in a parody of ''Film/TheWizardOfOz''. That cut of the film survived as a hidden Easter egg on the 25th anniversary edition DVD.
* ''Film/SympathyForLadyVengeance'' has a {{downplayed|Trope}} case of this with its alternate "Fade to Black and White" version. In this version, the film starts in full color and with vibrant primary colors just like the main version, but slowly as it goes on and its {{Revenge}} fable gets darker and darker, colors begin to desaturate until things become mostly black and white, sans the violent SplashOfColor here and there.
* ''Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague'' came with an alternate black-and-white release not long after the main film's debut on {{Creator/Max}}, titled the ''Justice is Gray'' edition.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* Starting with "The Power of the Daleks" in 2016, official animated recreations of [[MissingEpisode Missing Episodes]] of ''Series/DoctorWho'' are made in full color to appeal to mass market audiences. However, home releases always include an alternate version in black and white to fit with the original episodes being monochrome.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Video Games]]
* The original release of the Platform/Atari2600 had a [=B&W/Color=] switch on the system that changed most (but not all) games to a monochrome palette. This was because black-and-white televisions were still very common in the [[The70s late '70s]] and [[The80s early '80s]], and merely playing color mode on a black-and-white set often resulted in poor contrast which made parts of the games hard to see. Using the [=B&W=] switch ensured that the game's colors remained sharply separated from each other. Later releases of the [[VideoGameLongRunners abnormally long-lived]] system removed the switch, however, as black-and-white televisions [[TechnologyMarchesOn became exceptionally rare]] by the time support ended in 1991, though its loss caused other issues as a few third-party games which did not have a B&W mode [[NotTheIntendedUse used it for other game toggles]].
* The reward for finishing the platformer levels of ''VideoGame/{{Cuphead}}'' in [[PacifistRun pacifist mode]] unlocks a black and white filter option for the game, as another homage to classic cartoons. This mode makes the game substantially harder to play, as it obscures the pink parry items.
* ''VideoGame/GhostOfTsushima'' features an alternate filter titled "Kurosawa Mode", rendering the game in black and white while adding film grain, altering the sound mixing, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and also adding in more]] DramaticWind to make the game resemble the many classic samurai films of Creator/AkiraKurosawa.
* Some versions of ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'' (between 1.7.2 and 1.9) featured a "Super Secret Settings" button that placed [[PostProcessingVideoEffects a filter over normal gameplay]], originally done to test the functionality of "shaders" and alternate means to render the game. Most of the shaders range from subtle to [[SillinessSwitch silly]], and among the more drastic ones was a "Pencil" shader that renders the game in black/white and ratchets up the color contrast, giving the game the general look of a pencil sketch.
* ''VideoGame/PokemonChannel:'' Several of the different [=TVs=] available will apply a filter to the shows. The first one you get that does this is the Retro TV, which applies a black-and-white filter. It's given to you as an emergency replacement after your Pikachu accidentally destroys the set you start with, but even after you get a new one, you can swap back to the Retro TV at any time.
* ''VideoGame/RetroCityRampage:'' The game settings allow you to choose from a variety of color palettes, several of which are monochrome to mimic specific retro game systems such as the UsefulNotes/GameBoy and UsefulNotes/VirtualBoy.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Other]]
* Most major modern operating systems, including Platform/MicrosoftWindows, [[Platform/{{macOS}} Mac OS X]], [=iOS / iPad OS=], and UsefulNotes/{{Android}}, include a system-wide grayscale mode for accessibility reasons, both for people who need a ColorblindMode and people prone to eye strain.
[[/folder]]
----
