The Gate was one of the first horror movies I was brave enough to watch, but only on VHS. I’d scene the trailer in theaters and the guy falling to the floor and splitting into little minions was too much for me. But in the safety of my home, the notion of kids fighting off creatures in their home appealed to me. By the time Gate II opened, I was there opening weekend.
I was a teenager by then, though not old enough to drive myself. I just couldn’t believe there was a sequel. And by the way, whenever I hear minions, this is what I think of. These minions are more adorable to me too.
I sorta can’t believe I saw this on the big screen, but it probably didn’t even look this good on opening weekend. The picture is clear and bright, and since it’s all practical you see all the detail in the effects without going through layers of printing.
The trio of writer Michael Nankin, director Tibor Takacs and VFX creator Randall William Cook give a 27 minute interview. They explain why Stephen Dorff’s parents passed on the sequel. They said he needed a break from acting but he was still doing TV at that time. Behind the scenes photos of the full size minion make you appreciate how seamless the old school effects are. Some rough footage shows you the pieces too, and only after that do they show shots of the forced perspective sets.
Another 14 minutes with Makeup artist Craig Reardon covers a lot of the same stuff but with more attention to the prosthetics. No one addresses why it’s just Gate II and not THE Gate II. I guess once there’s another gate you can’t claim to be THE gate anymore.
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