Some horror films have managed to reduce their dependence on special effects and deliver experiences that strike directly at the mind and the gut. Others require heavy computer use because of the natural complexity of their plots and characters, and then there are the hybrids that take the best of both worlds. Obviously, the use of special effects is no guarantee of success, but many projects out there would never have left the draft stage without the FX experts.
A classic case: Poltergeist
Last November we talked about the movie Poltergeist. Carol Anne's famous “They're here” is unforgettable, but if there is another scene that forever marked audiences, it’s the skeletons in the pool… which turned out to be real. Building those skeletons from scratch would have been far too expensive, and that’s without counting the time factor. According to JoBeth Williams (the actress who played Diane Freeling) the scene demanded four or five days of work, putting a great deal of pressure on a team that was already at its limit. The introduction of computer special effects may have changed horror movies forever. Each fan will have to decide for themselves whether that change was for better or for worse, but over the years, those directly responsible haven’t hesitated to share some details about their work:
Modern examples from the video
The video begins by citing none other than Hollow Man, a 2000 film directed by Paul Verhoeven. In spite of its poor reception, the special effects were so good that it ended up nominated for an Oscar (losing to Gladiator). Kevin Bacon’s effort turned out to be impressive; he had to cover himself with a special paint, wear a suit, dentures and contact lenses of intense green to give the effects a base. Crimson Peak by Guillermo del Toro is another solid example. The effects team created the ghosts with a hybrid strategy, combining real actors with prosthetic makeup and a good dose of CGI. The Shallows is a striking case: the seagull is real, while the shark is pure computer.
Then we find Prometheus (can we even call that a horror movie?), where the Engineers were created from a mixture of the Statue of Liberty, Michelangelo’s David, and Elvis. The scene of the wall of Jerusalem in World War Z had more than 8,500 digital zombies, and other shots made heavy use of green screen (even in situations where it doesn’t look like it), but the spontaneous movements of the zombies are the result of training among the actors. To close, the video mentions I Am Legend, which had very low-quality effects. Director Francis Lawrence said the alternative (live versions) wasn’t working, and that they needed at least six months to optimize the CGI situation, but the schedule didn’t allow it. Do you think another horror movie with good effects deserves to be here? Leave a comment.
