To faithfully recreate Stephen Gammell‘s iconic illustrations in the real world, the team behind Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, led by producer Guillermo del Toro and director André Øvredal, enlisted the help of makeup effects company Spectral Motion, who focused on using classic practical effects to bring the various nightmare creatures to life.
Believe it or not, both the Jangly Man and the toeless woman from the classic tale of "The Big Toe" were in large part practical creations, with "Twisty'" Troy James and Javier Botet, respectively, doing their thing inside of a practical suit.
A new featurette this week from Insider gives us a behind-the-scenes look at Spectral Motion’s work on Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, showcasing the insane amount of work that went into doing justice to Gammell’s illustrations. The video does feature spoilers, so make sure you've seen the film before watching!
"The popular children’s books 'Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark' have hit the big screen, thanks to Guillermo del Toro. The chilling illustrations that defined the Alvin Schwartz books were made by practical-effects company Spectral Motion. INSIDER’s Joe Avella visited the team in Los Angeles to find out how they brought the monsters to life."
