Today's CGI vs Make-up Effects of the 70s-80s
 

A particular reply in my Deaths tournament thread got me thinking...has today's CGI really killed the scare factor which was so dominant in 70s and 80s horror cinema?



In more ways than one, CGI has been a single big contributor to the genre of late. But, the movies of the Golden Age which depended solely on prosthetics and make-up had a better scare-effect on the audiences.

What say, folks?

Movies from the 70's are especially scary for me. I get so shakey watching Suspiria or Tenebre. I miss the prosthetics, the glorious amounts of fake blood!

Doing effects like that are so fun too. You have to put so much more work into it that way. Molding wax, blending makeup, it's hard work and it's so much fun. I just think movies should stick with a majority of the effects being makeup and if you have an idea you can't acomplish with makeup then you use CGI.

Cgi, generally move quick which takes away the scare factor, video games have never scared me, this deffinatley is a huge downfall in the genre we love...

Obviously all the old make-up and prosthetics make movies great and seem more realistic but I do also enjoy CGI stuff if they can pull it off and make it not look choppy or obvious that it's CGI.

This question is like "chicken parmesan sandwich or nutrients from a tube?"

prosthetics, miniatures, and all practical effects look real because they are real. CGI looks fake because it is fake.

Give me latex or give me death...
or should that be "and give me death" heh heh heh.... :confused:

While I prefer old school effects I do see CGI progressing to a point where the two are indistinguishable (except maybe because of a bad actor's performance). It'll just take time.

I think CGI is fine when used to enhance prosthetics or make-up.

agreed

it is a wonderful tool for enhancing a make-up effect, not a substitute for make-up effects

It depends on the movie, two recent examples:

Cloverfield-Yes, it worked well for the giant monster.

I Am Legend-No, good movie but the mutants looked like shit to me, I'd have preferred make-up.