I remember seeing this 20/20 report when I was twelve and a HUGE monster make-up fan. They teased the segment early in the evening and I begged to stay up and watch it but I got sent to bed since it was a school night(20/20 was on Thursday's at 10:00pm if I remember right, past my bed time). So I did what any kid would do, I turned the volume down low on my little black and white TV and watch it with a blanket covering both me and the tiny set.
Sure the report kind of simplifies the foam latex process, making seem like all you have to do is sculpt something and paint it with latex (in reality a new negative mold is made and foam latex is injected in then baked, and even that explanation is a simplification), but the fact that I got to see Rick Baker, John Chambers and Dick Smith talking about movie monster make-up thrilled me. This was back in the days before Internet video and 24 hour access to information. The only way I knew about these people was through Famous Monsters and a new magazine called Fangoria that just came out. I never really knew what they looked like or how they sounded when they spoke. So it was a surprise to me when I heard Rick Baker talk, that he sounded like a shy kid talking about monsters. It made me realize he was just like me, a monster fan. That was cool to a twelve year old.
With all the advances in computer technology, I still prefer Rick Baker's American Werewolf in London transformation to the CGI ones we have today. My favorite quote from Baker in this piece was when asked if he ever got nightmare from his creations he says, "No, these are my friends". Very cool.
Until Next Time, Stay Insane!
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