Let's be honest, special effects artist just don't get enough recognition, even though they're the bread and butter of the horror movies we all love, and Matt Rose is one name that should always be spoken with the all-time greats. Rose designed many iconic movie characters, most notably The Monster Squad's Gillman and the title character in Guillermo del Toro's Hellboy.
That's why we're very saddened to hear that Rose passed away over the weekend.
Other projects that Rose contributed to include Aliens (creature effects crew), Predator (creature effects unit), Beetlejuice (special makeup effects artist), Invaders from Mars (special makeup effects artist), Gremlins 2 (creature crew), and so many more.
Artist and personal friend Jordu Schell mourned the loss of Rose on Facebook, “I’m getting PM’s asking me who Matt Rose was. If you’re in this industry and don’t know, you should. Matt was, arguably, the best sculptor this business has ever known. His credit list is astonishing, and the art and design he gave us raised the bar for every single artist who does this work. I stood in absolute awe of his talent, and I learned so much from him in the time I spent with him that it’s difficult to measure. Imagine having Rick Baker working for you for months, creating perfect piece after perfect piece that need zero art direction; imagine the stories and knowledge and information contained in that mind; imagine knowing a sculpting legend, becoming friends with him after years of reading about his work as a teenager, having hours of discussions and laughs and story exchanges. Imagine the respect and admiration and love that I —and everyone else— felt for this man. And now he’s gone. How doesn’t matter. We’ve lost a precious thing. And there aren’t enough tears to express the depth of that loss.”
If you would like to learn more about Matt Rose, Daily Dead's Heather Wixson recently wrote a wonderfully heartfelt tribute to the legendary artist. We highly recommend that you check it out.
The film industry has lost one of its best and we extend our deepest condolences to Rose's family and loved ones.