The Best Practical Effect EVAR
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ก.ย. 2024
- What's Adam Savage's favorite in-camera practical effect from a movie? What special-effect gag still blows Adam away? What does Adam think is the best movie or TV makeup job, and does he think there is space for independent FX makers in today's film industry? In this live stream excerpt Adam answers these questions from Tested members Seth Huckstead, Ian Rigby, Dori Ownbey and Kenny Tait, whom we thank for their support. What's your favorite practical effect?
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Is there not a nod to "Blendo" in Revenge of the Sith opening shot, a kitchen sink goes flying out from a Space Cruiser. 😂
Would you consider doing the foil ball challenge again?
Adam, Happy Moon Day and Armstrong Landing on the Moon. Taking new steps))) ❤
To fully appreciate the evolution of CGI, in the early 1980's creations on the level of "Money For Nothing" cost $50k per second of animation, so ten seconds was a half million dollars, one minute and forty seconds was five million dollars!
When I first watched John Carpenter's The Thing in the early 80's (when it first came on HBO), right when the head pulls itself down off the table, then sprouts legs and starts walking away, I said to myself (seriously not joking) "you got to be kidding me" right before the character did. I remember I laughed when he repeated it.
I was already interested in movie special FX and makeup by that time and these types of effects were still relatively new back then. For me, it was perhaps a reaction to not only what the "thing" was doing, but also to the effect itself. Blew my mind. I never saw anything like it. Still amazing.
_Little Shop of Horrors._ Rick Moranis acting at half speed with a fullsize Audrey II puppet, all that choreography, is just mindblowing. I don't know if it counts but still. Such a fun movie as well.
If you haven’t seen the directors cut, I highly recommend it
@@zaphod100 They were right to change it, but it's so cool and that (original) ending works brilliantly in the stage version where Audrey takes over the whole theatre!
Little Shop of Horrors is my favorite movie of all time (not what I’d consider the _best_ movie of all time, but my personal favorite), and personally I think the one thing that holds the original ending back is how long the Don’t Feed the Plants segment goes on for, if that was trimmed down from the 8 minutes it is to maybe like 5 minutes I think it would’ve worked a lot better
I like both endings but the original ending will always be the better one to me
When it comes to in-camera effects, the all-time greatest has to be _2001: A Space Odyssey._
The movie is awe-inspiring enough on its own, but it reaches another level of mind-blowing when you realize everything you're seeing on screen was exactly what the camera saw.
I had a moment of stunned silence when, after showing my daughter Raiders of the Lost Ark, I asked her what she thought, and she said "It was kinda boring"
Lowering your expectations going in to situations like this helps. 😁
It’s true old movies seem boring from the new blockbusters that have come after
Is adoption an option ? 😅
@@EastyyBlogspot Luckily we were able to agree to disagree and now she lives in Minnesota :)
@@chaichantheshiba5902 A movie being boring is subjective. These days many people are adjusted to scrolling hours a day and getting constant dopapine hits so sitting through something that doesn't hit like that, may be difficult.
I'm in my mid-30s and somehow didn't watch The Thing until about 3 years ago, and I was blown away by how good that movie is. Truly a masterpiece and I'm glad Adam has such a love for it.
I'm in my 40s and only saw it for the first time about 2 weeks ago.
Its so damn good. The prequel might've been too but due to meddling ended up being aight. The John Carpenter one is just something really special and still holds up if you let your imagination get the best of you.
ROB BOTTIN!
The movie that blew me away was Metropolis from 1927. The effects and creative use of camera "tricks" really sold this future world.... made at the dawn of cinema nearly 100 years ago now.
Everyone tells me the self-repair scene in The Terminator when he's removing his damaged eye looks terrible but I love that effect. I saw that movie when I was 7 and it blew me away. It was the coolest thing I'd ever seen.
Same and approximately same! 28 now and I rewatched it approximately 8 years ago but still enjoyed the effects. Can't say the same for Godzilla 2000's water emergence CGI...
Adam Savage just made my day. First he talks glowingly about Brazil, one of my all time favorite movies. Then he gives props to the best practical effects movie ever, The Thing. Rob Bottin was on fire back then and that dog scene was truly spectacular. Once it started transforming, it didn't stop until Childs hits it with the flamethrower. Hideous and mesmerizing at the same time.
A scene also aided by none other than special guest artist Stan Winston, but gotta give it up to Bottin's crazy design ideas like the flower claw made up of tongues sprouting dog teeth.
Genuinely gasped when you said *_Brazil_* came out a couple years after *_Batman._* But then I knew there was NO POSSIBLE WAY you hadn't meant to say "before."
Some of my favorite practicals;
1. The tremor breaking into the survivalists' gun room in Tremors. A beautiful back and forth between miniature and live action. Near perfect.
2. The killing of Lestat in Interview with a Vampire. The slitting of his neck after drinking dead blood and the draining of his body. So fantastic.
3. The full flying car scene in the beginning of Blade Runner.
4. The uncut flying into the estate in the opening scene of Citizen Kane.
5. The blowing up of John Ratzenbergers head in the opening of Outland.
"Broke into the wrong god damn rec room, didn't you, you bastard!"
I think best makeup for TV, I generally think Star Trek TNG and DS9, Farscape, Babylon 5, and the walking dead. While those characters are not always blow you away amazing I think something has to be said for consistency across different actors and day-in-day out complexity. TV has a unique challenge when you are running for years and years of shooting to not make mistakes and deliver consistent skin tones and placements of prosthesis. As well as having to be faced with new actors and different characters on a potentially weekly basis. That is extremely difficult to get right.
Space Precinct was one of many Gerry Anderson productions, and that's a name that definitely deserves credit for his model work; Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet, plus the live action shows UFO and Space 1999 all showcased his expertise and imagination with miniatures.
Showing your favorite movies to kids isn't just for parents, as I can attest. I've had the honor of introducing _Labyrinth, The Dark Crystal_ and _E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial_ to my two nephews a few years back.
My younger nephew cried during the scene where E.T. was dying.
I heard a story about the spider head scene from the Thing. There's a reaction shot of the guys seeing the spider head and one guy says, "You gotta be fuckn' kidding" Apparently they didn't tell them what was going to happen and just filmed them reacting to the puppet spider head and that was ad-libbed.
That shot of DeNiro’s character zip-lining has always stood out to me from the first time I saw it in the late 80s. It looks so unique and cool and always makes me ask “man, how did they make it look like that!” It is movies like Brazil and Time Bandits (the camera scroll going over Evil’s castle, whew!) that made me disappointed to see Gilliam dip into digital weirdness like in Dr. Parnassus, but maybe it’s time for a rewatch.
"There's this moment when everything stops-"
Ad break.
Just hilarious
Exact same thing happened to us at that moment. Our reaction: “Really TH-cam?!”
@@briandeschene8424 pretty sure creators can manually set where ad breaks should happen, seems like it would be intentionally done
I think so too, and I can't help but wondering why they put them at the spots where we are the most like to skip ads and get back to the show
That iconic chestburster scene in Alien was the best. The authenticity in the actors reaction came from them not knowing it was going to happen. They were told a creature would emerge from John Hurt's character - No further details were shared.
Time Bandits is an all time favorite of mine.
Yes. Yes. Yes.
"Brazil" is one of my top three movies of all time. I have watched it probably 30 times and I still find something new every time. It and "Time Bandits" have an amazing density of detail and imagination by Terry Gilliam and his crew. I truly love those movies.
I worked at a movie theater and drive-in theater in my teens through college and had the privilege to see some classic movies before they actually opened, at midnight screenings to "make sure there weren't any problems with the print". Die Hard, Batman, Batman Returns, Terminator 2, Jurassic Park, Pulp Fiction. It was fantastic to see them without having any idea what to expect.
That said, I also saw the endings of many, many movies before I saw the rest of the movies before I saw the full movie and spoilers really don't bother me. It's not about what happens in the end, it's how it happens that matters and the journey to get there.
My philosophy is (mostly), if the story can't stand up to me knowing what's going on before I watch/read it, the story isn't told well enough. I know that there are possible exceptions, but it's served me well so far in my encounters with storytelling.
How do you feel about Baron Munchausen?
My favorite is Citizen Caine. Most do not realize that film used many then novel in-camera effects. Orson Wells invented several never before used effects, in-camera and post-process, partly because he was new to the medium and did not know what "couldn't be done."
The only good thing about that movie. Boring plot, unlikable characters, terrible pacing, but it gets a lot of respect for pioneering and perfecting new techniques. You might as well just read the Wikipedia entry and avoid watching it entirely.
@@Squant You win the edgelord olympics!!
Not to nit-pick, but Burton's 'Batman' was 1989, Gilliam's 'Brazil' was 1985 ....
I think he just mixed up the release years in that sentence.
He states the correct release year, 1985, later on.
Came here to say this
But doesn't state the release year of TBs Batman@@TomVCunningham
@@stephencornish1877 Yea but he said it came before Brazil. Eh, everyone has brainfarts.
I also scratched my head when he said that.
The baby in ERASERHEAD. That's my vote for best single in-camera effect.
Your right. It's so disturbing. That still effects me.
Showing your kids your favourite films - I showed my kid Iron Giant when they were about 2 1/2 and they loved it, and continue to. A couple of weeks back (about two years on from their first viewing) they told me "I understand why it makes you sad but it's a happy sad..."
😭
Ok
I guarantee you homie, no one thinks that crap is as adorable as you. Because they’re your kid. Thanks for sharing though I guess idk
Just watched Iron Giant with my son for the first time an hour ago...he loved it. The spinning car, and the flying scene were his favourite parts.
@@austins.2495 bro shut up. someone had an emotional moment and you show up to push your lack of empathy on others? Get a therapist homie because alot of people found this heart warming.
@@austins.2495 did writing that make you feel a little bit better? Did it exorcise some of your bad childhood memories?
Brazil is an absolute masterpiece. The effects, bouncing between ridiculous and far too real, the comedy, the pain. Especially when you know the battle between Gilliam and Sheinberg to be able to show it as he wanted it.
I was a young kid remembering Brazil and wanting to see that more than Batman over again.
I'll have to rewatch Brazil. It's a wild film.
I was wondering if Adam has ever met Terry Gilliam. It seems like a wonderful meeting of the minds and oh to be a fly on the wall for that.
You talked about Alien, but I was hoping for AlienS. The queen puppet is my favorite practical effect. A 9 foot animatronic with 2 puppeteers inside, 4 more outside, and a crane permanently attached to its back (which is kept off-screen through framing)? Yes please, that's what I'm here for.
Who would have thought Terry Gilliam would become such a great film maker off his days as an animater and skit performer with Monty Python?
"You could show me 15 seconds of Brazil and I can tell you what cut it is" sounds like a myth that needs busting.
Totally agree with your opinions on the movies you mentioned. Brazil is fantastic. Gilliam has such a unique visual style that works perfectly for the future/retro setting. I'd often wondered about those flying sequences, so thanks for explaining that.
What I love about Dracula, is that it's set 100 years previously, and Coppola is using techniques from early cinema to evoke the period. There's some CGI, but the best, and scariest, scene for me, is after Dracula has transformed into a wolf. You get this POV shot of him running up some steps, and the frame-rate keeps changing. An awesome "'camera trick".
Now I want a video where Adam explains the differences between each version of Brazil.
Gotta love Adam's knowledge and passion for this field, it rubs off, and I'm already a similar person
I remember my older brother got to see The Thing and him telling me all the gruesome details. He must've done a pretty good job because when I saw it everything was how I imagined it.
Not that anyone asked, but for me the best practical effect is from Laverne & Shirley, because it's also my favorite sight gag. I've only seen it once and it was obviously a long time ago, so the details might be a little off. The girls are in the locker room at the brewery and in walk Lenny & Squiggy wearing bath robes, fresh from the showers or maybe a sauna. Lenny who has his towel hooked over his finger holds it out to Laverne who grabs it at the mid point, and as Lenny pulls his hand away the towel remains completely upright instead of falling over as you'd expect. Absolutely brilliant.
Brazil has been on my top 5 since I saw it when I was in highschool. The aesthetics of that movie are just incredible.
My son, 19 yo now, has been fed many kinds of movies, music and art alike. My goal was to let him experience a lot to learn to enjoy a variety of creativity. We still watch quite some movies together. I asked him whether he does this for pity of his father or because he likes it too. He loves it he told me, though when he watches a movie with his friends he notices that he's clearly harder to bribe with CGI effects.
Unless of course, he doesn't know he's looking at CGI effects. Then he loves it without bias.
@@Squant that's correct, obviously. But being bribed is in general noticeable, making it bigger than the story. Compare Lord of the Rings to the Hobbit, or Fury Road to Furiosa. It's a kind of hyperrealism that doesn't make it more true or engaging.
I think the final scene of 1993’s “Much Ado About Nothing” is an excellent example of amazing practical effects. It is complex 2 minute unbroken sequence with one camera, hundreds of cast members and done in one take.
We need a special episode where Adam and Jonathan Pryce discuss Brazil and the 3 Body Problem!
The cargo ship in the desert from Close Encounters, totally convincing.
If someone sat next to you at a bus stop and started describing the plot to The Thing you'd be like "I gotta get outta here..." 🤣🤣🤣
I just watched the trailer for Brazil and heard the plumber say, 'There's your problem' and I was like, 'A HA!'
Alien is my all-time favorite sci-fi / hoirror movie...followed closely by the thing...stay safe Adam...and thanks for the autographed picture!
Alien is a superior film in my opinion and my "favorite" Sci-fi horror and The Thing is close second...
BUT, I enjoy watching The Thing more often than Alien. I watch Alien once or twice a year and The Thing twice as often.
I find it interesting that just about all of us that were film projectionists ultimately went into film and film related occupations. Animation is perhaps the purest form of filmmaking, in my opinion.
Dude I'm a 50-year-old man and I just watched Back to the Future with my 9-year-old nephew and it was such an awesome experience I can't even tell you
Like, my favorite feature of a movie you can't get on a DVD extra is to be in the theater on opening night of a huge widely anticipated movie, like say the Star Wars prequels or something, a new Star Trek movie, and this was just as great and I can't believe I never thought of it before. What a great thing it was. He had literally never heard of it before and he had such a great time we watched the second two movies on the following two nights
Watching classic awesome movies with little kids is super fun
I love this, beautifully described and I'm glad you both got so much out of it!
Only saw Brazil recently and it's immediately one of my favourite films
Love it. Parenting isn't all sunshine and lollipops, but these kinds of moments are priceless.
The scene in Poltergeist where one character peels his face off bit by bit with the maggots still gets me every time!!!!!
I love that you giving some love for Brazil. It was my favorite movie for 25 years (until Scott Pilgrim vs the World came out). One note ... Brazil (1985) was actually 4 years before Tim Burton's Batman (1989).
I talk about the pacing of Alien quite a lot. It's perfect. The first act is establishing them as boring space truckers with employment grievances. The second act has a similar pace. You're right there with them. Discovering as you go. The third act crescendos with the self destruct and immediately the protagonist is back to comfort again. BUT THEN...
I cannot find fault with it.
Good morning Tested team.
Morning!
end of ''the terminator'' 1984 is my favorite practical effects,
Hey, I was 10 years old the first time I saw The Thing and I turned out fine!
And let's not forget the chest crack/head spider scene culminates with David Clennon's perfectly delivered "You've gotta be kidding me."
I literally had those words go through my mind a split second before he uttered them: “You gotta be kidding me.” And I wrote it without an exclamation mark which is as I thought it and how it was said in the movie.
Great movie watching moment of my life.
Your Mtv sound effect instantly projected that image that you referenced to my brain. Well done. 😅
Perfect usage of "hella", Adam - you continue to make the Bay Area proud to have you!
I agree about how The Thing has the best practical effects put to film; just incredible.
I wasn’t sick of the “tosses to membership” until you started asking me if I was sick of them.
I think the best physical effect ever was in "The Thing." When the doctor is trying to use the paddles, and the chest opens and bites his arms off. Amazing. Was actually done by a double amputee, and the arms were prosthetics, and they were actually bitten off (the prosthetics) to film the scene. Still sends chills up the spine.
That's the effect I have the most issue with it the movie because I could just not buy into the chest shattering like glass like that.
I rewatched it and funny how memory works but I guess the way the chest suddenly vanishes combined with the presence of triangles (teeth) registered in my brain as the way something brittle suddenly gives way and shatters into shards.
@@DKNguyen3.1415 I always saw it as opening suddenly, like a mouth with teeth. Which then chomped the arms off. But it's been a while since i have seen the movie too.
And you are 100% correct in that memory plays tricks on you. ^-^
Brasil was amazing! Ductwork!
I'm proud of my son Henry for doing stuff like this too❤
The Abyss has some super famous and ground breaking cgi, but I love the practical parts - the underwater vehicles, the base, the SHIP! Not huge on James Cameron but he does incredible stuff 🐟🫧
Yeah, that CGI was the test bed for what he wanted to do in T2, as I'm sure you know.
I'm a big fan of Cameron's earlier work but he lost his way once he got stuck on Avatar and it's repeats IMI. The first was an amazing technical achievement but not much more. What I've seen of the second one didn't impress me at all and so far, it's the only movie of his I haven't seen.
love that you know of Space Precinct! Loved it as a kid (found all episodes on youtube last year), shame it only got a short run.
Brazil is a wild film. I own the Criterion release.
I can relate to showing kids the Thing. My daughter was blown away when I showed her & now shows it to her friends to freak them out!
I see the Dino head in the back there. What happened to the raptor costume build? It was ongoing, then just disappeared.
Well, for people with a photography background like me, everything is immediately clear and within 50 seconds of viewing pictures of style and post-production. All movies are great
Entirely correct about the joy of showing your kids one of "your" movies and it hitting. It's incredible. I've had some bad misses, but how they reacted to Who Framed Roger Rabbit I will hold in my heart for as long as it beats
That movie kick ass. Wish there were more movies like that.
Somehow I never saw Brazil. Gotta see it now! I love the effects of Batman Returns. I'm a huge fan of both Matte Paintings, clever composites and especially miniature! The Thing is Rob Bottin at his absolute best, incredible effects.
Brazil is definitely worth a watch, even if you don't end up liking it. It has much to say about how bureaucracy works but does it with a dark sense of humour. It's highly likely you'll recognise parts of it as they've been used elsewhere and parodied quite a bit.
my best "in-camera" shot would have to be a scene in Aliens.
yes, there's a ton of in-camera effects going on throughout the film, including mirrors, miniatures, lighting, shots being played in reverse, etc. but, the effect that stands out. as the best, would have to be the effect of misdirection towards the end.
the scene, where Ripley has opened the outer loading bay hatch, and Newt is being sucked towards the opening. Bishop reaches out to save her. But in doing so, the fake torso lifts up to reveal the real body in a hole in the floor.
it's the best because, even though it fails as an effect, no one sees it due to your focus is on Newt. this failed effect wasn't even seen on the big screen either, and still holds up today - unless you read this post and then rewatch this scene, without allowing the misdirection to influence your viewing experience. then you'll see the effect that was prominent on the screen all this time!
P.S.
the original chest burster scene from Alien was a total surprise for all but one of the cast - but not the crew. they were told that he was going to choke on this food only and nothing about what the scene was really about. hence the surprised looks
When I think of "two different executions of a very similar kind of vision" I think of two autobiographies: "Wild" by Cheryl Strayed, and "Digging Up Mother" by Doug Stanhope. Read them back to back; it would make a great subject for a book club discussion.
Gerry Anderson practical effects were cool.
I was thinking Time Bandits but Brazil is awesome.
Adam, long before you started talking about it, I was thinking about that very scene in The Thing. It terrified me in a way that I wanted to know how they did it. And as I am 54 now, you explained it, and it made perfect sense to me with all of my practical knowledge being a prototype engineer.
I remember recording the Thing on VCR as a kid and LOVING it. Scared the crap out of me and glad I was I was watching on a Saturday afternoon. But it's SO GOOD!
I'm really looking forward to the day my kids are old enough to show them The Thing. It's my all time favorite movie.
Superman The Movie had amazing and revolutionary effects. Christine had amazing practical effects.
Dark City changing skyline effect one of my favorites.
The Thing is my all time favorite movie of all time, not just for practical FX. Man.
STILL holds up.
I think of what the FX team for Everything Everywhere All at Once accomplished as a six-person group, and I very much am excited for what independent FX makers can bring to the modern film industry!
After lurking for years, I had to subscribe when you mentioned 'Brazil.' Best Christmas movie ever.
Brazil came out 4 years before Tim Burton's Batman ... Brazil (1985), Batman (1989)
lol... but once you live past 50, a 4 year span is around the same time.
The Chestburster Scene was epic, the Spaceballs spoof was hilarious.
I wish I had been able to show my son more movies that would bring joy to him; as is, he rarely liked sitting for a movie. At least I've seen him opening up some; during a recent visit to help him with projects on his new house purchase, he was enjoying Deadpool.
As a huge fan of 1970s british sci-fi television, I agree entirely
Brazil os one of the greatest films ever.
Its the dystopia that touches me the most
lmao, I'm so pleased Adam said "The Thing" regarding the question on special effects gag.... As I heard the question I immediately thought The Thing where Norris' head slowly separates from his body. :o)
Me and the Next Generation, watching "Alien", at night. Kid: "...can we finish watching this tomorrow? It's too...moist."
Brazil is such a great movie! One of my favorite Terry Gilliam movies.
Stan Winston's Kennel Thing was a masterpiece.
The “once you’ve grown up on spirited away”. comment had me rolling because it’s so true… absolute proof of the genius of Miyazaki…
Trouble is, I'd seen The Thing, Predator, Terminator etc. long before I ever saw Spirited Away...
Oh, the Head Spider, one of the scariest things I have ever seen, still creeps me out, it is so good.
Brazil is one of my favorites. I really like your videos!
Brazil is amazing. I also love Little Shop of Horrors(1986). Audrey II is incredible
Aliens dropship miniature landing and apc rolling out is for me the great miniature sequence.
I showed my daughter "Highlander" and "The Crossroads" - she loved them both.
Central Services might be my favourite fictional company. They've stuck with me for some reason and I even printed their logo on a t-shirt a long while back. I hope Adam has a set of their overalls somewhere. It would be cool to see him in them one day but not mention or reference the overalls once.
"I am getting off track" I love it when that happens :-)
the special effects in brazil are incredible, such a slept on movie too!!!!!!!!!!!!
Happy Saturday 🎉🤙🏻🇺🇸, watching Adam is a great start to what’s shaping up to be a rainy weekend in Alabama 🅰️
Adam covered most of the best. I am amazed that he did not mention 2001 or 2010 especially considering that it predates most of what is mentioned by 2-3 decades.
The 80s were the best for horror/syfy for what was starting to happen with effects: The Thing, Alien(s), Hellraiser, and The Fly are all classics. Really, there is a huge list of cheesy but good movies from the 80s.
For effects and imagery, it is hard to beat Coppola's Dracula though. So amazing.
The Dark Crystal, though, forever has a special place in my heart. Sure, you can see the (mat?) lines of things getting composited together but the creativity and puppeteering is amazing.
Philip Kaufman's 1983 film, The Right Stuff has my favorite practical effects. The sense of speed and danger captured in the sound barrier scenes are still just as thrilling today as they were over 40 years ago. The blending of stock / archival footage with the what the crew shot is as seamless as Forrest Gump over a decade later, and the space scenes are just as convincing as what Stanley Kubrick had in 2001: A Space Odyssey. The Right Stuff stands besides Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy as a masterclass on practical effects.
I was never too interested in most of the movies you talked about, but hearing you talk about special effects and how it all works was really awesome! I don’t think I’ve seen that anywhere, especially with your passion. I can see why you look at those movies differently than the casual viewer.