The Importance of Practical Effects
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When it comes to great effects in the horror genre, which movies come to mind? What are the scenes that have stuck with you throughout the years?
For me, it’s some of the usual suspects: Alien, The Thing, and An American Werewolf in London. From the shock of the Chestburster, the horrific reveal of the Thing, and David Kessler’s gruesome transformation into a werewolf, these are moments that have become ingrained in pop culture. And although these movies are more than three decades old, they are still regarded as the best of the best when in comes to practical effects.
Why are practical effects so important and why did they make these movies so special?
When it comes to horror, immersion is key; you want the audience to believe what they’re seeing, whether it’s a creature, a monster, or some gruesome injury. It needs to feel real, and for that, practical effects are best. The materials used to create these effects are physical things, and when you see them, you know that right away. You believe it.
With movies like Alien, The Thing, and An American Werewolf in London, the attention to detail and craftsmanship put into the practical effects is second to none. The looks, movements, and finer details are all given careful attention to appear as genuine as possible, which is what makes these movies so memorable. The moment we watch them, the effects are so believable that we forget it’s a fictional world. We get sucked into their stories and experience the horror alongside the characters. For a time, it’s not so hard to believe that these monsters could be real, that these stories are not stories but real events… and that’s terrifying.
Practical effects is the key to good horror. They make us believe in the impossible. The amazing practical effects in these classics have given them an agelessness, and that’s why they have lived on for so long, and why they will continue to do so.
“Daniel Paternostre is a second-year Professional Writing student at Algonquin College. Above all, he enjoys reading and writing and hopes to someday become a published author.”
