The Frankenstein Complex

The art of creating monsters for the big screen is as old as cinema itself, and movie creatures have never been more popular than they are today. From early experiments with apes and dinosaurs to the birth of special make-up effects, from the pinnacle of animatronics to the digital revolution, THE FRANKENSTEIN COMPLEX explores a century of cinematic thrills and wonders. Focusing on the relationship between these creatures and their makers like modern Frankensteins, special effects wizards create life out of raw material, complex machinery, and vision. In THE FRANKENSTEIN COMPLEX, directors Gilles Penso and Alexandre Poncet visit dozens of creative studios, interview all the greatest artists in the genre — including iconic creature-makers Rick Baker and Phil Tippett, and monster-movie mega-director Guillermo del Toro — and gather hours of exclusive footage from classics like STAR WARS, GREMLINS, TERMINATOR 2, JURASSIC PARK, and STARSHIP TROOPERS. The result is an exciting and inspiring documentary that celebrates a cinematic world of human imagination and unparalleled artistry, while also showcasing how fragile traditional crafts have become in the wake of futurist technologies.