Sun Mar 09 08:00:00 UTC 2025: ## “The Monkey” VFX Supervisor Details the Surprisingly Practical (and Hilarious) Gore

**Los Angeles, CA** – The new horror-comedy, “The Monkey,” based on a Stephen King short story, is shocking audiences with its over-the-top, ridiculously violent deaths. But behind the blood and mayhem lies a surprisingly practical approach to special effects, according to VFX supervisor Edward J. Douglas.

Douglas revealed in a recent interview that director Osgood Perkins frequently requested even *more* humor in the film’s already outrageous kill scenes. “We were constantly revising these moments,” Douglas said, “and sometimes the notes would be, ‘It’s working, but how can we make this funnier?’ That’s something I’ve never experienced before.”

While the film is drenched in blood, a significant portion of the gore is achieved through practical effects. Douglas credits Perkins’ love of 80s Amblin films and his unique aesthetic – described as “Robert Zemeckis with a little drop of acid” – for this approach.

The opening scene, for instance, features a harpoon gun impaling a pawnshop clerk. While a dummy was used for the impalement, the effects team meticulously crafted and added 30 feet of prop intestines, which were then seamlessly integrated with the real actor’s footage using VFX.

Other scenes, such as Adam Scott’s character using a flamethrower (a fully practical effect which Scott enthusiastically embraced), and a character’s fiery demise involving a gas stove and “For Sale” sign, relied on a combination of practical stunts, prosthetics, and VFX to create a seamless blend of practical and digital effects. Even the most complex death scene, involving an electrified pool, utilized a “blood cannon” and thrown prosthetic limbs, supplemented by digital enhancements to meet Perkins’ vision of a “Disney fountain” level of blood.

Douglas emphasizes the collaborative nature of the process, highlighting the choreographed interplay between stunt performers, special effects technicians, makeup artists, and the VFX team. The director’s unique feedback – often laughter instead of notes – was a testament to the team’s success in achieving Perkins’ darkly comedic vision. “That’s Oz,” Douglas commented, referring to the director. “Instead of ‘cut,’ sometimes you just hear him giggling.” The film’s success lies in its unique blend of practical effects, creative ingenuity, and a healthy dose of darkly comedic absurdity.

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