Comments on: Horror Roundtable Week Ninety-Eight http://www.thehorrorblog.com/2008/05/09/horror-roundtable-week-ninety-eight/ Better Living Through Terror Sun, 12 Oct 2008 16:29:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.1 By: Jeff Allard http://www.thehorrorblog.com/2008/05/09/horror-roundtable-week-ninety-eight/#comment-100125 Jeff Allard Sat, 10 May 2008 05:55:20 +0000 http://www.thehorrorblog.com/2008/05/09/horror-roundtable-week-ninety-eight/#comment-100125 An "all-time" favorite is tough to single out but CREEPSHOW was a huge movie for me as a kid and Savini's effects were a major part of its appeal. I just loved that in a movie that suffered no lack of grisly highlights that they were able to save the best for last. The eruption of what looks like millions of cockroaches from Upson Pratt's lifeless body may have had a few telltale phony details working against it but who cares? Even though it might be an obvious dummy of E.G. Marshall lying on that bed, as soon as the first cockroach crawled over the lips of that dummy's open mouth, I was sold. And I also have to give an honorable mention to the transformation scene in THE BEAST WITHIN. That's a scene that proves there's something to be said for leaving nothing to the imagination. An “all-time” favorite is tough to single out but CREEPSHOW was a huge movie for me as a kid and Savini’s effects were a major part of its appeal. I just loved that in a movie that suffered no lack of grisly highlights that they were able to save the best for last. The eruption of what looks like millions of cockroaches from Upson Pratt’s lifeless body may have had a few telltale phony details working against it but who cares? Even though it might be an obvious dummy of E.G. Marshall lying on that bed, as soon as the first cockroach crawled over the lips of that dummy’s open mouth, I was sold.

And I also have to give an honorable mention to the transformation scene in THE BEAST WITHIN. That’s a scene that proves there’s something to be said for leaving nothing to the imagination.

]]> By: Unkle Lancifer http://www.thehorrorblog.com/2008/05/09/horror-roundtable-week-ninety-eight/#comment-100174 Unkle Lancifer Sat, 10 May 2008 13:26:07 +0000 http://www.thehorrorblog.com/2008/05/09/horror-roundtable-week-ninety-eight/#comment-100174 Jeff A, I gotta agree with you about THE BEAST WITHIN, love that scene and I think much of it was left on the cutting room floor. I remember seeing some great images in Fangoria that never made it into the picture. Tom Burman's effects work is never mentioned enough! Jeff A,
I gotta agree with you about THE BEAST WITHIN, love that scene and I think much of it was left on the cutting room floor. I remember seeing some great images in Fangoria that never made it into the picture. Tom Burman’s effects work is never mentioned enough!

]]> By: Jeff Allard http://www.thehorrorblog.com/2008/05/09/horror-roundtable-week-ninety-eight/#comment-100180 Jeff Allard Sat, 10 May 2008 14:04:13 +0000 http://www.thehorrorblog.com/2008/05/09/horror-roundtable-week-ninety-eight/#comment-100180 Thanks, Unk! I'm with you all the way on Tom Burman, he's definitely an unsung hero of '80s effects! His work on Paul Schrader's CAT PEOPLE remake blew me away - the moment where Ed Begley Jr.'s arm is ripped off remains one of the most convincing effects I've ever seen. Thanks, Unk!
I’m with you all the way on Tom Burman, he’s definitely an unsung hero of ’80s effects! His work on Paul Schrader’s CAT PEOPLE remake blew me away - the moment where Ed Begley Jr.’s arm is ripped off remains one of the most convincing effects I’ve ever seen.

]]> By: Joshua Hoffine http://www.thehorrorblog.com/2008/05/09/horror-roundtable-week-ninety-eight/#comment-100428 Joshua Hoffine Sun, 11 May 2008 16:33:25 +0000 http://www.thehorrorblog.com/2008/05/09/horror-roundtable-week-ninety-eight/#comment-100428 Rob Bottin's work on THE THING is the coolest thing I've ever seen. I would also mention Tom Savini's masterpiece DAY OF THE DEAD - in particular, the scene where a living man is torn in half. The exploding head in David Cronenberg's SCANNERS by pioneer Dick Smith is the bomb. The projectile vomit rig Dick Smith made for THE EXORCIST is also genius. The squib effects by KNB for PLANET TERROR are off the chart. And finally, though overshadowed by the transformation scenes in THE HOWLING and AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON, I've always loved the werewolf concepts by Christopher Tucker and Stuart Robinson for THE COMPANY OF WOLVES. Rob Bottin’s work on THE THING is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. I would also mention Tom Savini’s masterpiece DAY OF THE DEAD - in particular, the scene where a living man is torn in half. The exploding head in David Cronenberg’s SCANNERS by pioneer Dick Smith is the bomb. The projectile vomit rig Dick Smith made for THE EXORCIST is also genius. The squib effects by KNB for PLANET TERROR are off the chart. And finally, though overshadowed by the transformation scenes in THE HOWLING and AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON, I’ve always loved the werewolf concepts by Christopher Tucker and Stuart Robinson for THE COMPANY OF WOLVES.

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