Phil Tippett, one of the most legendary visual effects artists in Hollywood history, has directed his very own stop-motion movie—which looks quite awesome. He’s especially known for his work with stop-motion animation and boasts cult classics like Star Wars, Indiana Jones, RoboCop and Jurassic Park in his kitty.
The movie is called Mad God and it’ll have its world premiere in August at the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland and its North American premiere at the Fantasia International Film Festival in Canada. The newly released trailer looks gruesome, explosive and has got the fans intrigued.
The teaser begins with a character clad in a gas mask exploring the dangerous stop-motion environment that Tippett has created. Viewers are then offered glimpses at some disturbing creatures, including beings who resemble zombies and arachnids. Tons of horrifying imagery is also on display, including mass electrocution, apocalyptic explosions, and some ghastly images smeared all throughout the teaser.
For the last 30 years, Tippett has been toiling away at Mad God, an experimental animation set in a “ghost world of mankind.” The film was funded in large part by a Kickstarter campaign, has no describable plot, and almost drove Tippett insane.
Tippett began working on Mad God during RoboCop 2 and filmed a few scenes, but after working on Jurassic Park, he thought practical effects and stop-motion would probably go extinct. He basically forgot about it and continued to work on projects like Starship Troopers, Willow, Dragonslayer, and the final four Twilight films. However, a little while ago, some of Tippett’s colleagues found his original work on Mad God and encouraged him to get back to work on it. During 2020, he had plenty of time on his hands, so he ended up doing just that. The result is an experimental, adult-themed showcase of a whole new world.
“I wanted to make something that grabs people’s attention and takes you to some place where you had never been before, and you have no idea where it’s going. That’s very clear to some people. Others who are in it for a more conventional theatrical experience are going to be disappointed. I’ve moved through these different environments before, and I’m thinking what’s next,” Tippett told Variety.
Tippett will be receiving this year’s Vision Award Ticinomoda at the Locarno Film Festival. Mad God will premiere at the Locarno Film Festival on 5 August.