Cool News
Carlo Rambaldi
1925-2012
Carlo Rambaldi, like Stan Winston and Ray Harryhausen, dreamt of wonderful creatures and made them reality. Before coming to Hollywood, Rambaldi worked with such great Italian directors as Mario Bava and Dario Argento. His work made a real impact in science fiction and horror filmmaking. He helped create the head mechanics of H. R. Giger's Alien (for which he won an Oscar), helped design the aliens from CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, the sandworms for DUNE, and worked on many other films. He made these wonderful creatures exist, and gave them real personality.
Of course, it is Rambaldi's Oscar-winning work with E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL that will be the most fondly remembered - E.T. is squat, ugly, and completely loveable, and that's due to Rambaldi's ability to make him as real as possible, not only to the audience, but even to the actors on set. I remember Drew Barrymore's reaction in the movie when they fibrillated E.T. - a genuine, shocked cry from the aching heart of a child. You can't fake that, and that's due to Rambaldi giving E.T. life. Here's Rambaldi talking about his wonderful, timeless creation:
Carlo Rambaldi passed away today, at the age of 86. We here at Ain't It Cool give our deepest condolences to his family. Thank you from the bottoms of our heartlights for your beautiful work throughout the years.
Readers Talkback
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Aug. 10, 2012, 1:43 p.m. CST
Didn't he also built a life size King Kong for the 70's movie?
by DerLanghaarige
Yes, it didn't work as it should, which is why it's only seen in the movie for one brief shot, but come on! Who else built a life sized King Kong? Anybody? I don'T see any hands. RIP, man.
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When people use acronyms as entire eulogies. Surely the man who brought us ET is worthy of something more than an obsolete practice to save money on tombstone engravings.
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It reminds me of Halloween more than anything meaningful
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Aug. 10, 2012, 1:46 p.m. CST
Sad to hear it. He did live a long life, though, and was a true artisan.
by AlienFanatic
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All the practical effects wizards of the 70's and 80's are leaving us, and it hurts, especially with no one left to carry on the legacy of rubber, latex and animatronics when some chubby ILM employee can simply move his mousepad around.
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Another genius from the field of special effects is gone? Damn!
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Ciao, maestro. Yeah, Alien petrified me, ET awed me, Possession ... yeah, that thing in possession...
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Someone is actually praising his life sized Kong debacle? Even AICN knew better than to mention that misstep.
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Don't tell me those were the hand models veins pumping like that...
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Didn't Arvin Sloan on Alias chase all his stuff down for like 3 seasons after that show jumped the shark? (Someone was gonna say it)
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Sad news. R.I.P.....
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is freaking hilarious. Looks like the late Mr Rambaldi had a great sense of humor.
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I thought he lived during the Renaissance and created all of these documents and artifacts.
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...and the late, great Stan Winston, my childhood would feel incomplete. With so many great creature creations and characters between them it's hard to fathom which movies we'd cling to from our childhoods without them.
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Aug. 10, 2012, 3:02 p.m. CST
absolute legend, his work on the full size kong 76 was bat shit crazy:
by Grace_Panda
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-miErr1YOD0I/TX0AczCUyRI/AAAAAAAAEJU/x_hVTrKv0P4/s1600/tumblr_lhhr0eYPpJ1qza3vro1_1280.jpg
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Aug. 10, 2012, 3:15 p.m. CST
The Alien and E.T...two of the most iconic creature designs (aside from the Universal monsters) ever.
by openthepodbaydoorshal
But think about it..the alien head, the Dune sandworms, even ET to a degree (the head did elevate)...the man liked his phallic designs...
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I'm sure many here have and still do, but maybe for different reasons. I cry because I relate to Elliott. I grew up alone with few friends. Elliott is the same, but then he finds a friend in E.T. Then he has to say goodbye, but before he leaves he tells Elliott. "I'll be heart" and points at his heart. Basically telling Elliott that he'll never be alone because you'll have me in my heart...I'm gonna cry just writing about it lol! John Williams music is of course part of the reason and E.T.'s facial expressions. Thank you Mr. Rambaldi RIP.
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Aug. 10, 2012, 3:50 p.m. CST
I remember when John Belushi played him in an SNL sketch. "When you see my Kong you cry. Everybody cry."
by Doctor_Nefario
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I meant to say...Funny how I typed that and instinctively typed, heart, because that's what that scene makes me think of lol.
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Oh fuck it
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When Jaws die nobody cry, when Konga die, everybody cry..
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Aug. 10, 2012, 4:02 p.m. CST
He was a true artist and a genius, and I'm glad he didn't work on Jaws...
by Ricardo
... or else the shark WOULD have worked perfectly and the movie wouldn't be the same.
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Aug. 10, 2012, 4:56 p.m. CST
don't worry, ricarleite4, if Carlo had built the JAWS shark
by Kirby and Ditko
it would not have worked any better than his big Kong, or his CE3K Alien that hardly worked, or his Alien head mechs that did not work and had to be rebuilt by the Brits. Good thing he had Rick Baker to do all the work for him on KONG to get him an Oscar. Sad that he's gone, though...
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Aug. 10, 2012, 7:06 p.m. CST
Magic is being lost. Death to computer animation. Our childhoods were magical because of wizards like him, not a roomful of hipsters behind computers.
by sasquatch_with_a_swatch_watch
https://www.facebook.com/groups/219054224788100/
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E.T. farted and is blaming it on Carlo.
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Aug. 10, 2012, 7:54 p.m. CST
RIP Carlo - BTW You forgot to mention his work on the '76 King Kong
by KillaKane
Bat shit crazy and proflgate Dino backing the build of a fullscale proto-animatronic Kong (that only made the cut for about 5 seconds and cost a shitload). The giant hand was passable, good ol' old school practical gigs. Good job Rick Baker came through for them.
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I love that skit ;-)
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Aug. 10, 2012, 8:32 p.m. CST
One of the first "behind the scenes" names I learned as a kid in the 70's
by ufoclub1977
And severely underrated by some people on this talkback. KING KONG, Close Encounters, Dune, ALIEN, but the crowning achievement, the most personality, emotion, and soul ever rung from a foam rubber/cable pulley creation.... E.T. Let's forget about Conan 2.... I've never seen "Possession"
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Shit yeah. Also RIP.
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Aug. 10, 2012, 9:04 p.m. CST
Goddamnitt. I mean it is inevitable that he'll die. Born in 1925 for God's sake...but the old school legends are dropping one by one.
by Sean
When Ralph McQuarrie died, i posted it on my Facebook page. I had no responses...and though most of my friends there aren't major film geeks like myself, it is painful when their due respect can go ignored. When artists like Rambaldi pass on...behind the scenes effects guys, directors and writers, at least here, we can mourn and mourn unanimously.
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And may Huell Howser live a long, long life. Man, he looked young there.
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Aug. 10, 2012, 11:05 p.m. CST
I would love to see anything on that thing he designed for POSSESSION
by Monroville
Has anyone seen that movie? Weird isn't the word. And I have to wonder if that, as well as GALAXY OF TERROR, were what inspired the Japanese to create tentacle porn.
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True story...a flat bed truck passed my grammar school in West Long Beach CA and on the back of the flat bed was the 76 full size Kobe strapped down with its arms detached. Im guessing it was being shipped from the Port of Los Angeles to some location.
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Rest in peace, thanks for years of amazing memories.
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Aug. 11, 2012, 1:01 a.m. CST
Bizarrely, saw that same ET half-puppet in person this morning
by drgahnzo
Was visiting a colleague who's currently at ILM. That prop is on display there, with the photo as part of its documentation. Bizarre that it would be today of all days. RIP Mr. Rambaldi - thanks for all the great work and all the great memories.
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Aug. 11, 2012, 1:04 a.m. CST
Fuck a duck Kirby and ditko. No place to discuss particulars. The guild navigator pisses in your face boy. Clean it up!
by UltraTron
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Aug. 11, 2012, 1:16 a.m. CST
Ok so this is no place to tell you to just shut your mindles fucking mouth.
by UltraTron
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Aug. 11, 2012, 1:19 a.m. CST
Ok so I'm typing fast. Anyways big fan. Like. I have the mechanism that extends the inner mouth right here.
by UltraTron
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Aug. 11, 2012, 1:20 a.m. CST
just floored. Dedicated my life to visual effects after seeing alien. Didn't even know it. Just started drawing the alien.
by UltraTron
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I thought the terrible plot device from Alias had died.
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Creepy movie. The scenen at the bridge with the fireworks still gives me the creeps.
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He had to bring the dog puppets from A LIZARD IN A WOMAN'S SKIN to a courtroom to prove they were just special effects otherwise Fulci would've gone to jail. Loved the sandworms in Dune too, erupting from the desert floor both erotically and dreamily.
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but the worms were pretty good and the spice guy was not too bad either, certainly some of the best work Carlo has taken credit for - I wonder who built them?
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Aug. 11, 2012, 6:28 p.m. CST
can't have your picture taken with a bullshit CGI creature.
by FleshMachine
nope
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Never a big E.T fan, but as a kid, I never really gravitated towards "kids" films, as they were. Regardless, R.I.P. to the man. An undeniably great talent.
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Aug. 12, 2012, 6:52 a.m. CST
Kermit the Frog talks about "bullshit CG"
by sasquatch_with_a_swatch_watch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9CxJtmRhJ0
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Aug. 12, 2012, 9:06 a.m. CST
Say what you will about Conan the Festroyer, but his Dagoth creature was a showstopper...
by Stegman84
One of the great unheralded screen creatures of 80's cinema. Too bad the film itself wasn't of the same quality. Alas, another old school cinematic magicmaker gone.
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What kind of bullshit predictive text decides that Festroyer is the corrected spelling of Destroyer anyway?
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...I always found a Geppetto quality to the guy, a very honest, hands-on approach to his work, a bit like an old days toymaker. My favorite still remains the little grey from CE3K that says "hi" at the end of the movie. To be able to inject such an expression of genuine curiosity, awe, puzzlement and empathy into the face of a puppet surely requires truckloads of talent.
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...and leave that to the comic book pages for the 6 years old kids to enjoy.
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would have been created via stop motion/go motion or just high speed miniatures and matted in like the UFOs in CE3K, the ships in STAR WARS, etc. - not that hard...
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Seriously, I've always thought the best way to render fantasy was to animate it on cels. The last cel features in America were the Little Mermaid and Princess Mononoke, and the last films to realize the potential of of how animation could depict fantasy were like... Fire and Ice and The Secret of NIMH. Now that was a golden age of fantasy, 1982, and I don't care how many Rings movies Peter Jackson makes in the meantime, nothing they can do now can touch the old fashioned showmanship of the Dragonslayer or the Secret of NIMH. Nothing has that patina of soul, the technicolor grain and real, breathing texture. There are literally no limitations in animation, only the limitations on what the audiences will pay for (animation still carrying the kiddie stigma), and limitations on what the studios are imaginative or daring enough to provide. I haven't seen the Avengers yet, and I'm sure I'll like it... but yeah, that texture and and that craftsmanship is lost. There's something about seeing the human spirit behind something and having a real sense of its texture... The difference between the films that Rambaldi and George Pal worked on was that a kid could see one of those movies and actually imagine doing that, having his hands on the monster and moving it frame-by-frame. Those kinds of games of imagination are impossible in the blockbuster movies of 2012.
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Aug. 12, 2012, 9:59 p.m. CST
God Princess Mononoke is so fucking incredible. A digital live prop stop motion Miyazaki film like that would be good.
by UltraTron
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Aug. 12, 2012, 10:11 p.m. CST
Sasquatch you are so lost. Please see the wonderful Avengers and have your sense of wonder re-ignited before you die. It is the Jules Verne adventure of the ages where a band of heroes like no other join on a Verne-esque vehicle for
by UltraTron
adventures. The effects are by your favorite ILM boys using miniatures and everything under the sun. Watch in 24P so the rack-focus reminds you of altered states. Trust me movies still look like movies. You need to update your home theater and seek out more cinema. You haven't even seen avengers and nobody could possibly respect your opinion. Avengers has an ultra moment in it that rivals ultra moments like ed209 destroying mr Kenny. You have missed out. There are still diamonds to be picked on this planet. That's why the aliens are devouring south Africa like Krispy Kreme
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Aug. 12, 2012, 10:37 p.m. CST
Rimbaldi is alive and well. We make your effects. We were Rimbaldi fans. We use every tool on the planet for the creation of images. Relax.
by UltraTron
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Aug. 12, 2012, 10:47 p.m. CST
Just look at 70mil IMAX Dark Knight with the real bat puppeteered through the city only
by UltraTron
becoming digital when it gets far away. Looked like it was happening. Have you seen it in real IMAX?
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but god damn does that puppet look bad! I wonder how it would have turned out mechanically if Carlo did not have Rick Baker's Night Skies puppets to work from?
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