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[Danis Saur]

Anyone on GAF suggest any horror movies with great use of Animatronics/Puppetry? I've grown to love them in any movie, but don't know many horror movies with them.

Examples:

(The Fly)

(Child's Play)

 

[Platy]

1982 The Thing is still the top winner for me

American Werewolf in London (specialy the transformation scene) is a close second

 

[Salsa]

Alien bruh

 

[klownboots]

The Thing.

 

[tkscz]

1982 The Thing is still the top winner for me

American Werewolf in London (specialy the transformation scene) is a close second

Came to post that. Dear god the animatronics, and practical effects were masterful.

 

[Citizen_Insane]

Alien bruh

Why was this not in the op

 

[Lightning Count]

Gremlins should be first post.

 

[The Lamonster]

The Thing is king.

Alien/Aliens and Terminator/2 are also pretty fantastic.

 

[creationtheory]

Little Shop of Horrors. GOAT puppet.

 

[Tony Redgrave]

Alien.

IIRC The big chap's head was a puppet/animatronic and the slime was originally used to lubricate the mechanism, then they saw it looked good and it became an iconic element of the creature.

 

[chifanpoe]

Puppet Master series

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puppet_Master_(film_series)

 

[InfiniteBento]

I was going to say The Fly, Alien, and The Thing, but it looks like those bases are covered

 

[Platy]

Little Shop of Horrors. GOAT puppet.

Not sure if I count that as a HORROR movie but yeah ... Audrey is top puppet

 

[glow]

Critters 2

 

[plentyofmilhouse]

Since all my go-to movies for this were already posted right at the start of the thread, I'll add Gremlins. It leans heavily into the comedy department, but it has some decent jump scares and truly great puppet/animatronics work for the time.

[edit]

Beaten, darn.

 

[Sephzilla]

The Thing, The Fly, Gremlins, Alien, and I'll also throw out Aliens for the Queen

 

[FloatOn]

Terrorvision

don't watch this movie though. it sucks!

 

[eXistor]

I could watch Gremlins 2 every day and be enthralled every time. Fuck CG. I hope they never make a Gremlins (soft) reboot.

 

[glow]

Terrorvision

don't watch this movie though. it sucks!

I've loved TerrorVision since I was a kid 😐

 

[wanderingprostheyltite]

Rambaldi's creature from Possession is pretty damn good. Creepy as all get out with shades of Giger (director originally tried to get him for the build). Can't find a gif unfortunately.

Saw this quote from an article on Rambaldi's work:

http://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/carlo-rambaldi/

For A Lizard In A Woman’s Skin (1971), Rambaldi created vivid scenes of dog mutilation so realistic that Fulci was prosecuted for offences relating to animal cruelty. Fulci was facing a two-year prison sentence until Rambaldi showcased his creations to a court proving no animal was harmed during the making of the production. It is the first case of a special effects artist legally proving his work is not “real”.

 

[fart town usa]

1982 The Thing is still the top winner for me

American Werewolf in London (specialy the transformation scene) is a close second

Yup. First post nails it. The Thing is amazing.

 

[Count Dookkake]

Society

Pumpkinhead

 

[GhaleonEB]

Terrorvision

don't watch this movie though. it sucks!

That ending made it all worthwhile, though.

Pumpkinhead is pretty fantastic, some of Stan Winston's best work.

 

[Garlador]

Stan Winston was SOOOO good at what he did best.

 

[Fudgepuppy]

Krampus creeped the bejeebuz out of me.

But The Thing, The Fly and Aliens are essentially god-tier.

 

[Lactose_Intolerant]

The Dark Crystal

 

[HStallion]

Harbinger Down is not a great movie but it has some great practical effects. The team that was working on the practical special effects for The Thing prequel were fairly annoyed when they covered up their work with CGI so the made Harbinger Down.

 

[GhaleonEB]

Stan Winston was SOOOO good at what he did best.

Thank you. I was just off looking for a good .gif, then refreshed and you had one. It's a great film over all, too. Lance Henriksen was fantastic in it.

 

[GabeTheGrouch76]

I see The Thing, as well as the first two Alien and Terminator films and the Gremlins films have already been covered, which is good. They all have great practical animatronics/puppetry effects.

I would throw in Jurassic Park too, but that's not really a horror movie anyway (despite containing scary scenes).

EDIT: The Predator also had solid puppetry work. Coincidentally, almost all of the films I listed were by Stan Winston and his crew, who was an absolute master of his craft.

 

[Dr.Acula]

It's been like 20 years since I've seen it, but I recall The Gate (1987) having cool monster effects. Mostly miniatures/stop motion though.

edit: http://youtu.be/ZOX6-Rw5PWc

that trailer is tight! I should rewatch this movie. Getting a Stranger Things vibe.

 

[Leatherface]

Harbinger Down is not a great movie but it has some great practical effects. The team that was working on the practical special effects for The Thing prequel were fairly annoyed when they covered up their work with CGI so the made Harbinger Down.

Whoa!

 

[Mortimer Brewster]

Terrorvision

don't watch this movie though. it sucks!

Blasphemy, Terrorvision is the best.

 

[Owari]

Tusk.

 

[nkarafo]

There is a short documentary on Youtube about the practical effects they were going to use in THE THING 2011 movie.

These were the best practical effects i have ever seen. I couldn't believe the stupidity of the execs who decided to use CGI instead. I still can't get over it, a complete missed opportunity to bring the art back.

 

[Mr. Hyde]

Fright night 1985 had some bizarre stuff going on near the end of it.

 

[HStallion]

There is a short documentary on Youtube about the practical effects they were going to use in THE THING 2011 movie.

These were the best practical effects i have ever seen. I couldn't believe the stupidity of the execs who decided to use CGI instead. I still can't get over it, a complete missed opportunity to bring the art back.

You should check out Harbinger Down then. They did the effects work on that movie and it was basically their visual rebuttal that practical effects can look damn good even compared to CGI. The story is eh but it has Lance Henrikson and some incredible effects work. Its basically "The Thing" movie except trapped on a boat in the arctic instead trapped on a science base in the arctic with shape shifting horror that can infect people.

Edit: Another great special effects movie that is on itself not a great flick is Frankenstein's Army.

 

[Space Runaway]

I don't know about "great use" but Carpenter's In the Mouth of Madness had some neat animatronics and full body costumes (of varying quality) used in various places throughout the movie.

Also I ascribe to the opinion that it was Carpenter's last good film.

 

[Raptor]

Stan Winston was SOOOO good at what he did best.

What movie is this?

Jeez.

 

[Space Runaway]

What movie is this?

Jeez.

Pumpkinhead

 

[thenexus6]

Man RIP Stan Winston, what a dude.

 

[Raptor]

Pumpkinhead

Thanks.

On to watch list.

 

[Cosmozone]

The Thing, The Fly, Gremlins, Alien, and I'll also throw out Aliens for the Queen

Hmmm, if I look at it now, it looks a bit unconvincing TBH. Like the lips are raised using strings and are a bit unelastic.

Edit: And good call regarding Dark Crystal. Wouldn't say it's horror, alas, despite the creepy bits.

 

[Mayor_McCheeze]

Not on par with the animatronics and puppetry of old, but I thought the troll in Hansel and Gretel Witch Hunters was pretty good.

Honestly, I was just surprised to see actual animatronics these days.

I thought the movie was pretty dope too.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=g57OOdGC-E4

 

[Danis Saur]

Thanks for the suggestions GAF, I have a lot to watch this October now.

 

[commedieu]

+ American wherewolf in london
+ Jaws

 

[Bamboo]

I was recently very impressed by the puppet in the german film Der Nachtmahr. It's more of a coming-of-age story, but plays with setpieces from the horror genre. Don't expect a full fledged horror film though.
The trailer luckily doesn't give away too much, since you only see it late in the film. While watching it I asked myself if it was CGI or not, but was glad to learn that it was just a puppet. The director is also a scuptor and made the puppet himself. And there really wasn't a budget to do it digitally.

Very cool film (esp. the great techno soundtrack) but as I said, don't expect it too much horror.

Trailer:
https://youtu.be/c1QkXO-VqVc

 

[Freeza Under The Shower]

You should check out Harbinger Down then. They did the effects work on that movie and it was basically their visual rebuttal that practical effects can look damn good even compared to CGI. The story is eh but it has Lance Henrikson and some incredible effects work. Its basically "The Thing" movie except trapped on a boat in the arctic instead trapped on a science base in the arctic with shape shifting horror that can infect people.

It's still the weirdest ass story that they did it all in practical and then for no good reason changed it to CG. The director fought long and hard to do everything in practical too, so that whole thing feels weird. Will check out Harbinger Down though.
The same guys who did Starship Troopers too, apparently.

 

[QuantumSquid]

was coraline puppetry? it's not a horror movie strictly but it is creepy af

 

[Brakke]

The Thing and Alien are the obvious winners, so tip of the hat to them.

Hellraiser has a couple misses but there's some great work there, too.

 

[Jesus Carbomb]

Killer Klowns From Outer Space has some really fun prosthetic makeup and puppetry. It's not a great movie by any means. Just a campy 80's horror comedy that's worth at least one viewing.