SFX Legend Giannetto De Rossi Has Now Passed Away
Mike Sprague
|
Giannetto De Rossi has passed away at the age of 79. Rossi was best know for his special effects work with director Lucio Fulci. His classics include Fulci’s Zombie, The Beyond, and The House by the Cemetery. You know, the best ones.
RELATED: Lucio Fulci Documentary/Biopic FULCI FOR FAKE Hits Blu-ray Next Week
Giannetto De Rossi also did SFX for some of the great filmmakers. Including Sergio Leone (Once Upon a Time in the West), Federico Fellini (Casanova), and Bernardo Bertolucci (1900). Also the cult classic The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue.
Then Hollywood came knocking. And Giannetto De Rossi did the SFX for first-time director James Cameron’s Roger Corman production, Piranha II: The Spawning. You may have heard of Cameron in the years since. He’s made a few small movies like The Terminator, T2: Judgment Day, Aliens, The Abyss, True Lies, Titanic, and Avatar.
RELATED: Lucio Fulci’s THE HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY with SFX By Giannetto De Rossi Hits 4K Ultra HD 8/25
Then big-time Flash Gordon producer Dino De Laurentis, hired Giannetto De Rossi for Dune and Conan the Destroyer. Since then De Rossi also did the special effects for Rambo III, Daylight, The Man in the Iron Mask, Kull the Conqueror, and Dragonheart.
The last notable movie Giannetto De Rossi worked on was Alex Aja’s masterpiece of gore and suspense, High Tension. The film told the tale of a beautiful young woman (Maïwenn Le Besco) who travels to visit her family and brings along her friend (Cécile de France). Soon after they get settled in the secluded home, Maïwenn’s family is brutally murdered by a psychotic truck driver (Philippe Nahon). When Nahon kidnaps Maïwenn, France tries and rescue her. And then the bloodshed really begins.
The film sports a 41% approval rating over on Rotten Tomatoes. The Critics Consensus reads: “There is indeed a good amount of tension in this French slasher, but the dubbing is bad and the end twist unbelievable.” Yeah, maybe. But the SFX were killer!
What’s your favorite movie Giannetto De Rossi worked on?
Make sure to let us know in the comments below or on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram! You can also hit me up over on Twitter @MikeSpregg325.
Categorized:News
