Horror film fanatics have been left baffled at how a classic black-and-white Hollywood film from 1937 ‘achieved the impossible’ with its mind-blowing special effects.
Though movie fans nowadays are used to seeing robotic dolls come to life in films like Megan, and realistic zombies staggering around in The Walking Dead, it wasn’t that easy nearly a century ago.
But one film – Sh! The Octopus – had fans hiding behind the couch cushions with its shocking effects.
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The plot is as follows. Two pretty useless detectives are charged with pursuing a master criminal, known as The Octopus.
They soon find themselves trapped in a haunted lighthouse full of sinister characters. And that master criminal? Appears to be an actual octopus.
Starring Hugh Herbert and Allen Jenkins, the film quickly became a cult classic – remembered for one scene in particular.
Towards the end of the film, ‘harmless old lady’ Nanny – played by Elspeth Dudgeon – is revealed to be the Octopus. In a shocking scene, the kindly old lady rips off her neat silver wig and transforms into a grisly hag right before our very eyes.
Complete with warts on her nose, blackened teeth and damp, straggly strands of dark hair, the change is instantaneous.
But how was such an effect achieved?
Essentially, the ‘hag’ make-up was put onto Elspeth’s face in one consistent colour, according to Film School Rejects.
Filmmakers then added a tinted lens in front of the camera in the same tone as said make-up, which effectively made it invisible. A slow shift or removal of that lens makes it seem as though the make-up suddenly appeared, when really it was there all along.
(Image: LMPC via Getty Images)
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After rediscovering the iconic scene, modern horror movie lovers are in awe – and took to social media to share their bafflement.
One fan penned: “Bruh how was this a visual effect from 1937?”
“I’d have nightmares!” someone else echoed, while a third fan wrote: “Old movies were amazing! Best storylines, and such creative minds using the little bits of technology they had to create magical effects like this.”
“It looks better than today’s visual effects!” another social media user agreed.
Somebody else posted: “Black and white camera, check. Off-coloured make-up, check. Genius lighting, check. Old school Hollywood magic is a go!”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
