VFX Voice

The award-winning definitive authority on all things visual effects in the world of film, TV, gaming, virtual reality, commercials, theme parks, and other new media.

Winner of three prestigious Folio Awards for excellence in publishing.

Subscribe to the VFX Voice Print Edition

Subscriptions & Single Issues


June 08
2021

ISSUE

Summer 2021

In This Corner Weighing In At…

Godzilla vs. Kong is the newest iteration of the Monsterverse (see article, page 30) with a special effects legacy that dates back to 1933. That’s when the original black-and-white movie of King Kong debuted to stunned audiences. Even today, it ranks as one of the greatest monster/horror features of all time. It displayed the genius of special effects pioneer Willis O’Brien who was able to blend stop-action animation with live action, revolutionary at the time. 

For a while, many people believed Kong was a stuntman in a gorilla suit, but Kong was, in fact, 18- to 24-inch models with rabbit fur, metal skeletons and joints. The film also used rear projections for certain special effects sequences. The filmmakers built a giant hand that was raised in the air by a crane. There was also a 20-foot head constructed with three men inside operating levers to enable Kong’s facial expressions for closeups. 

The 1954 original Godzilla did have a man in a 200-pound suit for special effects creator Eiji Tsuburaya. The team built highly-detailed miniature buildings and sets that Godzilla could stomp through. Director Ishiro Honda also dialed down the action since slow motion gave the monster a more realistic feel. Hand puppets were used as inserts for close-up action on Godzilla’s face. 

The original King Kong and Godzilla movies seem quaint by today’s standards. Little did these creatures know at the time that they would meet in 2021 with the help of hundreds of VFX and SFX artists from around the globe. 


Share this post with

Most Popular Stories

CELEBRATING THE INVENTIVENESS OF WALLACE & GROMIT: VENGEANCE MOST FOWL
28 January 2025
Final Frame
CELEBRATING THE INVENTIVENESS OF WALLACE & GROMIT: VENGEANCE MOST FOWL
An ongoing Wallace and Gromit theme is technology being invented with good intentions but being subverted for nefarious purposes.
GOING FULL THROTTLE WITH COLORS FOR DAN DA DAN
11 February 2025
Final Frame
GOING FULL THROTTLE WITH COLORS FOR DAN DA DAN
Crunchyroll, Netflix and GKIDS present the high school anime series Dan Da Dan.
DIGITAL DOMAIN ALWAYS KNEW IT WAS AGATHA ALL ALONG
04 February 2025
Final Frame
DIGITAL DOMAIN ALWAYS KNEW IT WAS AGATHA ALL ALONG
WandaVision spin-off Agatha Harkness, the main antagonist in the Disney+ miniseries Agatha All Along, must travel the Witches’ Road to regain her powers.
SENNA FAST-TRACKS BRAZIL ON THE GLOBAL VFX CIRCUIT
11 March 2025
Final Frame
SENNA FAST-TRACKS BRAZIL ON THE GLOBAL VFX CIRCUIT
For Overall VFX Supervisor Marcelo Siqueira, Netflix’s mini-series Senna was a chance to pay tribute to the Brazilian Formula 1 racing legend Ayrton Senna.
ADAM VALDEZ & MPC EMBARK ON A REMARKABLE JOURNEY FOR MUFASA: THE LION KING
18 February 2025
Final Frame
ADAM VALDEZ & MPC EMBARK ON A REMARKABLE JOURNEY FOR MUFASA: THE LION KING
The production team for Mufasa: The Lion King was aware of the legacy of The Lion King and the responsibility of doing justice to the story and characters.