Documentary Creature Designers: The Frankenstein Complex Highlights Monster Makers
There’s nothing we love more here on Dread than practical monster effects, which unfortunately have fallen by the wayside in favor of CGI. But it’s the fans who are keeping that old school spirit alive, and there are perhaps none who love monsters more than Alexandre Poncet and Gilles Penso.
The duo has spent the past two and a half years visiting dozens of effects studios and interviewing the top artists in the game, as well as filmmakers like John Landis, Kevin Smith, Joe Dante and Guillermo del Toro. Their goal? To celebrate “a world of human imagination and unparalleled artistry.”
In addition to the footage they shot for the documentary, titled Creature Designers: The Frankenstein Complex, Poncet and Penso have also gathered hours of exclusive footage from classics like Gremlins, Ghostbusters, The Abyss, Terminator 2, Jurassic Park, Starship Troopers and Spider-Man 2.
You can find the doc’s synopsis and trailer below, and learn more by “liking” Creature Designers on Facebook.
Synopsis:
Finding its roots in ancient folklore and mythology, the art of creating monsters for the big screen is on the other hand as old as cinema itself. From early experiments with apes and dinosaurs to the birth of special make-up effects, from the pinnacle of animatronics to the digital revolution, Creature Designers: The Frankenstein Complex explores a century of cinematic thrills and wonders. Most importantly, the feature film focuses on the relationship between the creatures and their makers: like modern Frankensteins, special effects wizards create life out of raw material, art and complex machinery.
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