Movies
R.I.P. Robert Hall: Special Effects Makeup Artist Who Directed ‘Fear Clinic’, ‘Laid to Rest’, and “Teen Wolf”
One of my first jobs in Los Angeles was at Brainstorm Media, a production/sales entity in Beverly Hills that would provide me with the initial taste of the Hollywood business.
Knowing I had a horror website, one of the executives there asked me if I wanted to attend a premiere for one of his friend’s genre films, which would end up being Robert Hall‘s directorial debut, the independent thriller Lightning Bug (2004).
I hit it off immediately with Rob, an incredibly gifted special effects makeup artist who founded Almost Human FX, and the more recent PostHuman FX. I spent a lot of time with him on sets and connected with his love of the genre. He was one of the very few people who welcomed me as a friend, and not someone they could use for coverage on Bloody Disgusting. He never talked about himself or boasted about his talents. He let his work do the talking for him. He was an extremely hard worker who brought his “A” game, even when he was on smaller projects like Room 6 or House of the Dead 2.
Rob was a huge part of the horror community who regularly invited people into his life and shared his success with them, often throwing house parties or even Halloween parties at his warehouse. Everyone loved being around him.
While Rob got his start in special effects makeup, he channeled his love for practical effects with his second feature, Laid to Rest, an absurdly violent slasher that starred his longtime friend Nick Principe as Chromeskull and ex-wife Bobbi Sue Luther. It would lead to a sequel, as well as the popular “Fear Clinic” series (and film) starring Robert Englund, and MTV’s “Teen Wolf”.
His talents can be seen all over the place, from The Island of Dr. Moreau to Wishmaster, “The X-Files”, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, “Firefly”, “Angel”, Dead Birds, Vacancy, Superbad, Prom Night, Pineapple Express, The Burrowers, Quarantine, “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles”, The Crazies, Devil, Paranormal Activity 2 + 3 + 4, No One Lives, and The Collection, among many, many others.
I lost touch with Rob over the years, but he was an important part of my life and someone I think about often. I took him to see Metallica, he slathered me in zombie makeup. But it was more than that. A huge part of the Bloody Disgusting family can be traced back to those years I spent around Rob. When I look back and say, “Those were the times,” Rob is a centerpiece.
He will be missed greatly. Andrea and I send our thoughts and prayers to all of his friends and family.
Nick Principe offered the following statement to Bloody Disgusting:
“With an extremely heavy heart, it crushes me to announce that late afternoon on May 24th, my dearest friend and brilliant filmmaker Robert Hall has passed away in LA County.
“Official Cause of Death is presently unreleased and awaiting an autopsy.
“He leaves us with so many beautiful dark creations … too many to count. But his sly smile and big heart will be sorely missed.
“Chromeskull gave me a career in acting in films. Rob gave me Chromeskull. Everything I have is because of him.
“A memorial will be held in Los Angeles in the near future.”
Rob’s personal assistant Shaun Blayer shared the horrible news on Facebook last night.
“RIP ROBERT GREEN HALL.
“ONE OF THE BEST SPECIAL EFFECTS ARTIST AND DIRECTOR
“I LOVE YOU BROTHER. I LOVE YOU BROTHER
“I am Robert Hall’s Personal Assistant. I just heard my best friend, my brother from another mother PASSED AWAY today at 1pm. Not only was he a friend but the best damn boss. I helped him when he was down. He helped me so much when I was down.
“He’d ALWAYS make special visits to me. Always checked on me. He was such an amazing guy I am honored to have him as a boss. He picked me up and bought me business cards anything I needed.
“He ALWAYS ALWAYS made sure I been ok and always checked on me. That’s what a real friend is. I never cared how many films and tv shows he did. I cared about him as a person. I’m still in fuckin shock and don’t know how to handle this.
“RIP BROTHER. I FUCKIN MISS YOU
Shaun Blayer.”
From Alan Robert:
“I had the pleasure of knowing and working with Rob a few times over the years. He created some incredible makeup for my Wire Hangers graphic novel cover and most recently for Ghouliana from The Beauty of Horror in some commercials. We met over a decade ago through my buddy Nick Principe who played the iconic Chrome Skull from Rob’s Laid to Rest series. He was a true talent and had a huge heart. He will surely be missed. Gone too soon. Rest in peace, my friend.”
Movies
’28 Years Later’ – Ralph Fiennes, Jodie Comer, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson Join Long Awaited Sequel
Danny Boyle and Alex Garland (Annihilation, Men), the director and writer behind 2002’s hit horror film 28 Days Later, are reteaming for the long-awaited sequel, 28 Years Later. THR reports that the sequel has cast Jodie Comer (Alone in the Dark, “Killing Eve”), Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Kraven the Hunter), and Ralph Fiennes (The Menu).
The plan is for Garland to write 28 Years Later and Boyle to direct, with Garland also planning on writing at least one more sequel to the franchise – director Nia DaCosta is currently in talks to helm the second installment.
No word on plot details as of this time, or who Comer, Taylor-Johnson, and Fiennes may play.
28 Days Later received a follow up in 2007 with 28 Weeks Later, which was executive produced by Boyle and Garland but directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo. Now, the pair hope to launch a new trilogy with 28 Years Later. The plan is for Garland to write all three entries, with Boyle helming the first installment.
Boyle and Garland will also produce alongside original producer Andrew Macdonald and Peter Rice, the former head of Fox Searchlight Pictures, the division of one-time studio Twentieth Century Fox that originally backed the British-made movie and its sequel.
The original film starred Cillian Murphy “as a man who wakes up from a coma after a bicycle accident to find England now a desolate, post-apocalyptic collapse, thanks to a virus that turned its victims into raging killers. The man then navigates the landscape, meeting a survivor played by Naomie Harris and a maniacal army major, played by Christopher Eccleston.”
Cillian Murphy (Oppenheimer) is on board as executive producer, though the actor isn’t set to appear in the film…yet.
Talks of a third installment in the franchise have been coming and going for the last several years now – at one point, it was going to be titled 28 Months Later – but it looks like this one is finally getting off the ground here in 2024 thanks to this casting news. Stay tuned for more updates soon!
Looking for New Episodes of “Chucky” on Peacock? Here’s What Changed
Five Underseen Vampire Horror Movies to Stream This Week
Dev Patel’s ‘Monkey Man’ Is Now Available to Watch at Home!
‘The Blair Witch Project’ – Original Stars Release a Statement Asking Lionsgate for Residuals & Recognition
‘Mountain Man’ – Joe Manganiello Will Battle Zombies in Upcoming Horror Movie
You must be logged in to post a comment.