Feature films & Television: From Alien to Godzilla attacks the Netherlands, Greystoke to Terug naar Oegstgeest, Nighthawks to Terrahawks, Gerry Andersons follow up to Thunderbirds.
Gerry Andersons follow up to Thunderbirds was a more Hi-tech and tongue in cheek Television series that took three years to
A feature fim for Emmanuele Boeck in Germany involved some more violence, various murder methods
create 66 episodes. The slightly wacky humour has since developed quite a cult following. All manner of spaceships, land vehicles, landscapes and effects were created during this period at Bray Studios. In Holland the first feature film was 'Terug naar Oegstgeest' a story containing much animal cruelty, so many models and tricks were devised to avoid real cruelty. Animals featured again later for a vetinary TV series where realistic wounds were needed on dogs horses and sheep, as well as various smoke and water pollution effects. Another Dutch Feature, 'Romeo' involved a still born baby which needed to be extremely realistic, this was sculpted and moulded and then cast in a semi-transparent gelatin, complete with tiny coloured flocking which gave a frighteningly real impression of blood vessels. 'De Provincie' was another film that needed some gore, what happens when the best man sleeps with the bride on the wedding night when the groom is a bit unstable and likes his knives...? Here the John Hurt Alien trick was used backwards.. a hole in the floor for the actress to hide her head in while the dressed medical skull lay in its place..
including a running through with a Japanese sword, achieved with a retracting blade and a bit of fast timing with an extra sword tip on a fast springlever fitted to the actors back.. then of course he falls in the pool. In Films of course there is something else that always accompanies violence, so for short films, 'Dick and Maria' and 'Miss T's Teaserama' a variety of animated rubber penises were needed. For the same director as Miss T, Sietske Tjallingii, Godzilla needed a holiday, so many different sets, effects and models were created in order for him to
Large and small parts of various films in England, America, Holland and Germany since 1978. Alien of course was the biggest claim to fame, after discarding the Ron Cobb drawings, under Ridley Scotts guidance, the spaceships (apart from Gigers detailed designs of course) were basically created from imagination.The art of 'wiggeting' was applied, basically cladding the surface of a model shape with many choice parts from plastic aeroplane kits to all manner of plastics and other materials from various sources
For the film Nighthawks, there was a great deal of preparation needed for the explosions and shootings at the beginning of the film
systematically destroy all typical Dutch symbols and landmarks, as he would of course. Many other small parts of film and television
have been done over the years, including a few music videos and amateur and student productions for new up and coming directors straight out of film school. Be sure to visit the Archives to see stills and Quicktime clips.
where an entire department store full of people had to be blown up in the middle of London one Sunday morning. For the Tarzan Film Greystoke, a team of four took full body casts of all the actors who were to play the monkeys, and then full body casts created so the suits could be made to fit.
