Inspired by Science, Guillermo del Toro's Hollywood Monsters Come to Life
Del Toro begins his creature creation with "the National Geographic approach" Consider the plant monster from Hellboy II or the eyeless creep in Pan's Labyrinth: Director Guillermo del Toro has a genius for putting bizarre beings on screen. But no matter how grotesque the vision, he always begins his creations with what he calls "the National Geographic approach." Start with a nightmarish idea, and then look to nature for details. "You want to make the creatures outlandish enough that they'll thrill the imagination," he says, "but recognizable enough that they feel real." Striking that balance requires study in physiology and evolution and a meticulous use of sculpture, computer modeling and 3-D animation. Case in point: the 10-inch homunculi that star in this summer's thriller Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, written and produced by del Toro and in theaters August 12. Del Toro knew the nocturnal creatures scurried through the walls of...