See How They Created the Amazing Aliens for MEN IN BLACK
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| Men in Black (1997) - Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) and Mikey |
Baker is a makeup artist and S/FX designer who's done films like Ed Wood (1994), The Nutty Professor (1996) and How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000). He actually won an Oscar for working on MIB. At one point his advanced animatronic effects were supposed to be in the whole film, but some were replaced by CGI because they were too slow. In the end, the film features almost 250 visual effects from Industrial Light & Magic. One good example of his creature designs was "Mikey" from the beginning of the film. Baker's FX crew spent 10 months on a huge eight foot tall alien but the requirement to make Mikey run through the desert meant they had to use CGI for parts of it. Watch this behind-the-scenes clip to see what it took to make the alien come to life.
As a bonus, watch how they made the "little dude in the big dude's head."
What do you think of the videos? Which is your favorite alien from the Men In Black films?
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Things seem a lot easier, these days, with computer graphics and all. Either way, though, Rick Baker will go down as a legend in the fx field.
ReplyDeleteMakes sense they'd use two Chucky figures. Baker is just amazing. It doesn't look as good now, but I still remember watching the transformation in American Werewolf in London at the theater in awe.
ReplyDeleteVery cool stuff. It's so amazing what they can do these days.
ReplyDeletei really prefer the old school creatures to the digital, digital has come along way... but we won't need actors anymore. just their likeness.
ReplyDeleteThe next bit of malarkey you're going to try and sell me is that Michael Jackson wasn't an alien. The truth is out there, Twins.
ReplyDeleteHe really is. When it switches from practical to CGI there’s a noticeable shift. It’s not as fluid, but much more realistic.
ReplyDeleteThat’s still the benchmark for all werewolf transformations Alex. It’s dated, but still really effective and ground-breaking for the time.
ReplyDeleteI prefer them too Jeremy. Although Andy Serkis (King Kong, Gollum) always gives a strong performance.
ReplyDeleteHis stuff is still cutting edge MPax! Mind-blowing.
ReplyDeleteI can’t think of anyone better Mark!
ReplyDeleteCurse you Tony! How did you know!? ;)
ReplyDeleteI have always liked it better when they actually made robots and puppets instead of blatantly using cgi. cool to see how the combined the two :)
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