The Weird Eccentric Flair Of Screaming Mad George

In the realm of special effects artists, a few names come to mind immediately in regard to horror. You’ve got the titans of the genre, like Rick Baker and his untouchable work in An American Werewolf In London (and not to mention his work on Spielberg’s original version of the film that would become E.T.). You’ve got Rob Bottin and his work on Carpenter’s The Thing, in which he brought to life a Protean creature capable of whatever nightmare form it imagined. And, perhaps reigning over not just horror but all genre films, you have the late Stan Winston, a man whose impact and contribution to the realm of visual effects cannot be overstated.

There is, however, a man whose work isn’t entirely ignored but isn’t really given the credit I think it should be. The artists I mentioned are undeniably talented, but none of them have the weird eccentric flair of Japanese special effects artist Joji Tani, better known by the professional title Screaming Mad George. George’s work has a distinct and chaotic touch to it, a rubbery and fleshy feel that somehow looks artificial and genuine at the same time. Too repulsive to be real, but too realistic to be easily dismissed, George’s work is almost instantly recognizable… read more >