Inspector Hammer!
Senior HTF Member
Happy Halloween everyone! I was watching Night of the Living Dead(90), and it never ceases to amaze me how disgusting and realistic the zombie make up is in that film, and it got me thinking about all my favorite film creatures and monsters that are the most lifelike and believable. A case can be made for such classic creations such as Frankenstein, Dracula, Mummy, and the Wolfman, but i'm speaking of creatures in film that actually make you believe they'r alive as real living creatures.
Here are my top 6 favorites...
1. Gizmo from Gremlins. I watched this classic again the other day, and my heart still melts when they show that adorable little face! He was created by Chris Walas, and I think that this little Mogwai is perhaps his greatest creation, he looks like he could possibly exsist as a real living creature somewhere, in fact, when I first saw this movie as a kid, I was convinced that he REALLY WAS real, I actually thought that they found some rare species of animal somewhere! I also remember being a little heartbroken when I found out he was indeed a creation of special effects.
The voice talent of Howie Mandel complete the illusion very well. Not even the title creatures themelves, as great as they are, can equal the believability of this single creature. I remember clearly saying to my dad that I wanted one, a REAL one, alas, I had to settle for a stuffed one, but I loved it just the same.
2. E.T. from E.T. The Extra Terrestrial. He is perhaps, the most beloved movie creature of all time! When a film creature can make you absolutly believe without question that it's a real living thing, with feeling's, emotions, and it's own thought process, and THEN move you to tears on top of all that, well that is the ultimate testiment as to what special effects can do, and Carlo Rambaldi pulled off a miracle with E.T., he created nothing short of life!
3. The Predator from Predator. This thing ranks among the most fearsome and totally believable alien creations ever! Created by the man himself, Stan Winston, the Predator is one of his crowning achievments. Whether it's squaring off with Arnold in full reptillion regalia, or swinging from the treetops in it's refracted light mode, it's all done to make you believe it has come to earth, and is here! Sadly, the man who played the Predator, Kevin Peter Hall, passed away in 1991, but, in addition to the Predator, he did leave behind one other great performance, and that is...
4. Harry from Harry and the Henderson's. As with Gizmo the Mogwai, Harry is absolutly adorable if not BIG and clumsy! I saw this film back when it was released in 87 I think, and I was totally convinced that Harry was a real Sasquatch(Bigfoot). Indeed, as created by, once again, Stan Winston, his believability was without question, and he remains one of my favorite creature creations and a great movie to boot. After seeing this film for the first time, Harry left a rather large footprint on my heart.
5. The Sick Triceratops from Jurassic Park. O.k., we all know that the T-Rex was THE MAN, er, um, CREATURE in this moderen classic, but for me, the single greatest creation in that film was not the most fearsome beast, but the most gentle, living, breathing miracle of moderen creature effects, the Triceratops. I can see why Laura Dern got emotional FOR REAL while working on the set with this magnificent animal. In my opinion, this IS the crown jewel in Stan Winston's crown as a craftsman and giver of life to things that cannot live. Nothing else he does in his career will rival what he and his team did in this film.
6. Godzilla from Godzilla(98). Now say what you will about the quality of the movie itself, and i'll admit it's pretty bad, but I don't think that anyone would argue that the creature itself designed by Patrick Toutopolis, is a magnificent creation in terms of making us believe that it TRULY is a living, breathing reptile of gargantuan proportions!
Well, those are my pics, now it's your turn, what are your all time favorite believable creatures in the movies?
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God bless the USA and the men and woman of our military and their families!
[Edited last by John Williamson on October 09, 2001 at 08:19 AM]
[Edited last by John Williamson on October 09, 2001 at 08:32 AM]
[Edited last by John Williamson on October 09, 2001 at 08:37 AM]
Here are my top 6 favorites...
1. Gizmo from Gremlins. I watched this classic again the other day, and my heart still melts when they show that adorable little face! He was created by Chris Walas, and I think that this little Mogwai is perhaps his greatest creation, he looks like he could possibly exsist as a real living creature somewhere, in fact, when I first saw this movie as a kid, I was convinced that he REALLY WAS real, I actually thought that they found some rare species of animal somewhere! I also remember being a little heartbroken when I found out he was indeed a creation of special effects.
2. E.T. from E.T. The Extra Terrestrial. He is perhaps, the most beloved movie creature of all time! When a film creature can make you absolutly believe without question that it's a real living thing, with feeling's, emotions, and it's own thought process, and THEN move you to tears on top of all that, well that is the ultimate testiment as to what special effects can do, and Carlo Rambaldi pulled off a miracle with E.T., he created nothing short of life!
3. The Predator from Predator. This thing ranks among the most fearsome and totally believable alien creations ever! Created by the man himself, Stan Winston, the Predator is one of his crowning achievments. Whether it's squaring off with Arnold in full reptillion regalia, or swinging from the treetops in it's refracted light mode, it's all done to make you believe it has come to earth, and is here! Sadly, the man who played the Predator, Kevin Peter Hall, passed away in 1991, but, in addition to the Predator, he did leave behind one other great performance, and that is...
4. Harry from Harry and the Henderson's. As with Gizmo the Mogwai, Harry is absolutly adorable if not BIG and clumsy! I saw this film back when it was released in 87 I think, and I was totally convinced that Harry was a real Sasquatch(Bigfoot). Indeed, as created by, once again, Stan Winston, his believability was without question, and he remains one of my favorite creature creations and a great movie to boot. After seeing this film for the first time, Harry left a rather large footprint on my heart.
5. The Sick Triceratops from Jurassic Park. O.k., we all know that the T-Rex was THE MAN, er, um, CREATURE in this moderen classic, but for me, the single greatest creation in that film was not the most fearsome beast, but the most gentle, living, breathing miracle of moderen creature effects, the Triceratops. I can see why Laura Dern got emotional FOR REAL while working on the set with this magnificent animal. In my opinion, this IS the crown jewel in Stan Winston's crown as a craftsman and giver of life to things that cannot live. Nothing else he does in his career will rival what he and his team did in this film.
6. Godzilla from Godzilla(98). Now say what you will about the quality of the movie itself, and i'll admit it's pretty bad, but I don't think that anyone would argue that the creature itself designed by Patrick Toutopolis, is a magnificent creation in terms of making us believe that it TRULY is a living, breathing reptile of gargantuan proportions!
Well, those are my pics, now it's your turn, what are your all time favorite believable creatures in the movies?
------------------
God bless the USA and the men and woman of our military and their families!
[Edited last by John Williamson on October 09, 2001 at 08:19 AM]
[Edited last by John Williamson on October 09, 2001 at 08:32 AM]
[Edited last by John Williamson on October 09, 2001 at 08:37 AM]
