Tag: rick baker

“Werewolf” TV Series Coming to DVD

Werewolf TV Series Ad

Back in 1987, when I was six and too young to care about what was on TV after the cartoons were over, Fox ran a series called Werewolf. It only lasted for 28 episodes (plus a 2-hour pilot), but today it still lives on in the form of extremely thorough fan sites, bootleg DVDs and episodes posted to YouTube. The plot was nothing ground-breaking (werewolf evades bounty hunter while searching for a cure to his “curse”), but the werewolf effects were handled by everyone’s favourite werewolf creator, Rick Baker.

Now, after 22 years of VHS copies and sketchy DVD bootlegs, TVShowsOnDVD.com has learned that Werewolf is being re-released on DVD. Shout! Factory is currently working on a package called Werewolf – The Complete Series. Details of the package’s contents aren’t available yet, but with a tentative release date of September 1st 2009, Shout! Factory has got the summer to (hopefully) cram the DVDs full of extras. I know I’m not alone in hoping there’s an extended featurette on Baker’s kick-ass seven-foot-tall werewolf costumes!

Rick Baker’s Transformation Concept Art for The Wolfman

In the past, special effects legend Rick Baker has expressed a cetain reluctance about the use of computer-generated creature effects in film. Apparently this hasn’t stopped Rick from messing around with ZBrush, and he’s been sharing his progress and experiments over at the ZBrushCentral forum. Starting two weeks ago, he started posting concept art for The Wolfman. Judging from some of his back posts, these are probably proofs-of-concept instead of anything official, but it’s really exciting to see the different stages of the creative process getting posted to a forum by the artist. Amazing stuff!

Wolfman Concept 1Wolfman Concept 2Wolfman Concept 3Wolfman Concept 4Wolfman Concept 5Wolfman Concept 6


Rick Baker on “The Wolfman”

Crave Online has a two-page interview with Rick Baker, whose special effects genius brought us pretty much every fantastic silverscreen werewolf of the past 30 years. A lot of the interview is similar to ones conducted by MTV and ShockTilYouDrop back in August– Baker talks about how The Wolfman star Benicio del Toro already sort of looks like a werewolf, his rocky relationship with CG effects and his reasons for continuing to develop “old school” makeup and prosthetic techniques despite CG’s capabilites (hint: he says “I like making the sh*t.”).

What’s interesting are Baker’s comments on the challenges of making a dramatic transformation sequence out of a werewolf that’s relatively low-key compared to the ones in AWIL and The Howling.

I kind of said, “To be honest with you, I don’t know how we do this transformation. I don’t know how we make an American Werewolf in London kind of a thing out of this slight change.” His nose is only this much longer. His teeth grow and some things… he’s not a four-legged thing. His feet do get a little more doglike and the hands grow claws and stuff. There’s things we can do but also how do you do it and try to make it original. After Werewolf and the Howling movies, how many times can we see these stretchy faces and claws busting through and all that stuff.

Rick, I think I speak for werewolf fans everywhere when I say that the stretchy faces and claws busting through are exactly what we want… but if anyone can some up with something better, it’s you.

Rick Baker Talks About Wolfman Makeup & Effects

Now that the SDCC Wolfman panel frenzy has tapered off a bit, I think it’s safe to talk about the recent interviews with Rick Baker. Baker, if you didn’t know, is the special effects guru who brought on the fur and claws in An American Werewolf in London, The Howling, Werewolf (the TV series), Wolf, Cursed, and most recently, the forthcoming Wolfman remake. Basically, if you need a werewolf designed for the screen, Baker’s your man. MTV Movies and the always-awesome shocktillyoudrop.com both recently spoke with Baker regarding his werewolf work on The Wolfman.

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“The Wolfman” Preview at San Diego Comic-Con

If you’re lucky enough to be attending the San Diego Comic-Con on Friday the 25th, check out Hall H at 2:00 PM for a sneak peak at footage from The Wolfman, and a presentation from the film’s official werewolf-creator and special effects god, Rick Baker. From the SDCC site:

For its upcoming action-horror film The Wolfman, Universal will showcase new footage and a presentation from the title monster’s creator, six-time Oscar-winning special effects artist Rick Baker.

The Wolf Man: Effects Photos Released

Two promotional images of Benicio Del Toro in full “Wolf Man” makeup were recently released to the public. (more…)