Makeup and special effects specialist Rick Baker and actor David Naughton starred in the talk following the screening of An American Werewolf in London held at the Isla Calavera Festival. The rest of the day was rounded out by the releases of Jim Button and Luke the Engine Driver y Ropesthe last two films selected for the competition.
The feature film Jim Button and Luke the Engine Driver (2018) was in charge of opening the seventh and penultimate day of the third edition of the Isla Calavera Fantastic Film Festival at 5:00 pm. A fantastic film for all audiences that is based on the famous novel by Michael Ende, also creator of The Neverending Storya classic in both literature and cinema with its famous 1984 adaptation, which was also part of the program, specifically last Wednesday, November 27.
The story introduces us to Jim Button, an orphan boy searching for his identity and Luke, a machinist. Both will set out to find a new place to live but not before saving a princess kidnapped in the city of Dragons. His presentation was directed by Manuel Díaz Noda, who explained the origins of this film and described it not as a modern fantasy but rather as having a "timeless spirit". This film was the penultimate screening of the Official Selection of Feature Films.
The stellar moment of the day was approaching. At 7 p.m., the audience that filled the hall received a first dose of what was to come. A short performance by Stunts Leal Group (film specialists in the Canary Islands) about a lycanthrope attack and then, after the screening, the classic of fantastic and horror cinema was screened An American Werewolf in London (1981) directed by John Landis and starring David Naughton, Griffin Dunne and Jenny Agutter. This cult work marked a before and after both in the perception of the figure of the werewolf and in the makeup and special effects, in charge this time by the legendary Rick Baker, creator of monsters. All this was presented by Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Villar.
The climax materialized with the arrival of two of the pillars that made the film possible, Rick Baker and David Naughton, both recipients of the Isla Calavera Honor Award. Those in charge of presenting the statuettes to the actor and the artist respectively were Daniel Fumero, co-director of the festival, and Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, screenwriter and film director.
With a warm welcome from the audience, the two celebrities thanked the awards and the audience for their stay. Then, the co-directors of the festival, Daniel Fumero and Ramón González, led the discussion with the protagonists, but not before taking a photo with those present wearing masks with the face of David Naughton himself in a sequence of the feature film. First of all, both wanted to emphasize their surprise that, 38 years after its release, there are still people who are interested in the film. Fresnadillo intervened for a moment to show his special appreciation for the film, revealing that he saw it when he was 14 years old and that it had an "absolute impact" on him. It was also one of the masterpieces that pushed him to dedicate himself to the world of cinema.
In his speeches, David Naughton emphasized that the film was well written and his character well defined, which he found very interesting to participate in it. The time he met Rick Baker, he showed up at his studio and the stuntman told him "I feel sorry for you". At first she didn't understand what he meant but once on set she understood how much effort and work it was to get under the skin of a lycanthrope and the process involved. He met John Landis after a meeting arranged by his agent and they got along very well. He really liked the script and understood the character well. He studied acting in London and knew what it was like to take a backpack and go abroad. He also added that after the film he didn't want to do anything else with makeup.
He was offered many horror films but he chose whether or not to do it based on his script: "if there wasn't a good script, I wasn't interested," he said. When talking about the relationship with Hollywood in his day, he commented that filming in England gave them a lot of freedom as they were away from the context of the industry and that being under the orders of one person (John Landis as director, producer and screenwriter) gave them a freedom that today is impossible. He also explained that, with the possibility of a remake, he would get angry. He would say "make your own movie." Still, he sees the opportunity for a new generation to connect with the film. However, he calls for the original to be seen as well, to keep it fresh for new generations.
For his part, Rick Baker wanted to first highlight his charm for the island and its people. He also clarified that both he and John Landis were interested in the transformation of the werewolf in previous adaptations. They wanted the process to be painful and not a simple change. It took 10 years from the time they planned the film until it materialized and so he had time to devise how to create that transformation. He also confessed that the actor spent more than 10 hours with the makeup on.
He revealed that the monster is based on his dog Bosko as, for example, the color of his fur. To the question related to CGI, he answers that he is in favor of special effects but does not like them to be used just because they exist. He believes that sometimes a practical effect can be more beneficial. He also exemplifies this with actors, who, when it comes to doing their job, find it easier when they experience the transformation process firsthand or are on a real location and not a chroma key. "The fact that you can do it doesn't mean you should do it," concluded the artist. He also spoke of the evolution of makeup specialists in film, revealing that "when An American Werewolf was released in London, we became the stars of the film; when digital effects came along, we became dinosaurs."
At the end of the talk, the two stars spent some time signing and taking photos with the fans present. To close the day, at 11:00 p.m., a screening was held, Cuerdas (2019) by José Luis Montesinos, which closed the Official Feature Film Section. It was presented by Manuel Díaz Noda.
