The new Stranger Things season has premiered on Netflix after almost a three-year wait, and it’s getting all sorts of hype due to the dark themes and much longer episode run-times. But one of the most anticipated things to look forward to in the show is what the new “beast” looks like—and instead of computer graphics, the show’s makers insisted that lube would be the best way to achieve the “beast’s” slimy look.
Not to spoil too much (because I haven’t seen the new season yet, either), the new beast—Vecna—joins the Demogorgon and the Mind Flayer as an iconic “Stranger Things” monster. But showrunners Matt and Ross Duffer tapped prosthetics designer Barrie Gower for the first time to help bring the monster to life… and with good reason.
“Practical effects are such a huge thing with the nostalgia of the ‘80s, and we were losing that so much in our show… So finally having somebody with Barrie’s expertise come in, it really levels the show up,” said makeup department head Amy Forsythe, who has worked on the show since the beginning.
Vecna, the slimy main creature, is what Gower says “most humanoid monster featured in the show”. The goal was to “create the character as close to 100 percent practical as possible”. So they opted for more practical effects than CGI.
Instead of a rubber suit, Vecna’s costume consists of a few different pieces glued directly to the actor’s skin. This provided a few advantages—it gives the actor more freedom to move, and they are less likely to buckle, which doesn’t look great on camera. However, the application process took an average of 6.5 to 7 hours to complete, and the suit has a problem with heat. The actor could be seen hanging out in an air-conditioned tent to cool down in between takes.
“On the day he has to be super slimy, so we use products like K-Y Jelly. There’s a product called UltraWet, which is kind of like a clear gel that we’d slather all over him… It’s the kind of thing where on set you’d put your hand on his shoulder and regret you did it because you’re covered in slime,” explained Gower.
Basically, lube is considered a classic monster-making technique. Animatronics designer Gustav Hoegen even said that the goopiness “adds life to the creature“.
“The more you lube it up, the more realistic it looks. It’s sort of an old-school trick,” said Hoegen.
With more modern monsters and movie creatures being made with CGI in movies, there’s something about practical effects done well that makes the movies look more creepy and realistic—like the creatures done by Guillermo Del Toro. Sometimes there’s something unsatisfying about a CGI monster, so the fact that Stranger Things opted for the old-school approach makes the new season even more exciting.
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