“Let’s hope that the MPAA is nice to us,” said special make-up FX designer & department head Christopher Allen Nelson of the onscreen mayhem in the upcoming feature film Halloween Kills, when we recently sat down with him to chat all things Halloween.
An Oscar and Emmy award winning FX artist, Nelson’s impressive career began in the heyday of the FX-heavy genre pictures so prevalent in the 90s (you can dive into that in part one of our exclusive interview series here), and as a lifelong fan of Michael Myers, he found himself elated to work on 2018’s Halloween, both in the reimagining and design of The Shape’s iconic mask, but also on the film’s practical, and often grisly, special effects (see part two here).
Christopher Allen Nelson
For Halloween Kills, “There was a lot of challenges on this one, because it’s far more intense and layered,” said Nelson of the film, itself a direct sequel to David Gordon Green’s 2018 smash hit Halloween, the latter who has returned to direct from a script he co-wrote with returning collaborator Danny McBride and series newcomer Scott Teems.
In an attempt to remain as spoiler free as possible (something here at HalloweenMovies.com to which we adhere), we nevertheless queried Nelson on what fans of the long-running franchise may expect of Halloween Kills.
Behind-the-scenes of Halloween Kills
“I remember seeing (the film) Aliens,” offered Nelson of Halloween Kills’ similitude to the James Cameron-directed 1986 horror sci-fi film, which upped the ante of its 1979 predecessor Alien. “The first film is such a beautiful film. It’s my favorite in the series. Then Aliens came out, and I remember that when I went to see it that there were things that I wanted to see in the film, and things that I expected as a fan. The first film is legendary, but with the sequel I wanted it to go a little further. There were things the fan in me wanted to see, and Cameron delivered on every level. And I think that’s what Halloween Kills does. This one will deliver for Halloween fans, both for fans of the 2018 film and fans of the original 1978 film. It will give them what they want to see both visually and story wise. It feels like a natural progression of the narrative, and I think (director) David (Gordon Green) accomplished that.”
Returning to reprise her role of final girl “Laurie Strode” in Halloween Kills is series star Jamie Lee Curtis, who is joined by original cast members Kyle Richards, Nancy Stephens and Charles Cyphers. Additional cast includes Judy Greer, Andi Matichak, Robert Longstreet and Anthony Michael Hall, with Nick Castle and James Jude Courtney both returning as the iconic Michael Myers.
Pertaining to his visual design approach to the character, one who met a fiery fate in the closing moments of Halloween, “It was definitely a challenge, considering what happens at the end of the 2018 film,” offered Nelson. “It was a challenge carrying the mystery into our approach of him. We can’t take away that silhouette, and that face that everyone knows and loves, and we’re not reinventing ourselves, but we’re evolving. And so that was the way for me to approach it. Like I’ve said before, I approach the designs from an emotional standpoint, so everything can flow and live within the context of the world and the story which David is telling.”
“Also, there’s so much when it comes to makeup and effects, much more than in the last one,” Nelson revealed. “It’s very exciting because there are a lot of varieties within the art form. The volume (of FX needed) was a little challenging, and to do so on the budget (we had). As much as you can plan and think ahead, things always change on set within the schedule and within the day-to-day challenges shooting-wise, so you must adapt and do the best that you can. Some things make it in, and some things you build and execute on the fly. So, there was a lot of work. I had make-up, masks, and gags going every single day while myself and (special make-up effects co-designer) Vince Van Dyke and crew where designing, changing, and building.”
“So, it was very ambitious. Not only that, but we were really trying to push the envelope on how we were going to do it. Not only the quantity of make-up and FX, but also the quality, and of how to use new techniques, and yet keep most everything practical. David’s a huge fan of practical effects, so it’s all still very much so. We had a lot to do, and I honestly can’t wait for people to see this movie. There are some surprises in the film that I think people will be very excited about, as to how we pulled them off. I can’t wait to see and hear the reactions of people. I think it’s something I’m going to be very proud of.”
Christopher Allen Nelson applies make-up to Michael Myers actor James Jude Courtney on Halloween Kills
As for the film’s narrative expansion into the rich history of the franchise, “How do you say it without saying anything?” Nelson chuckled. “It should be clear that the ‘78 material that was in the 2018 script, but which wasn’t filmed, is not material in Halloween Kills. Ever since I’ve been involved in the Halloween world, directly, I’ve found that people are so passionate about it, and that they read into and see things sometimes which aren’t there. That can be a good and bad thing at times, and yet part of what makes the world of Halloween so fun.”
“Also, what’s in Halloween Kills, it’s not fan service,” offered Nelson. “It really lives and breathes within the context of the story, and the past has a lot to do with the present. And so, you’ll have to just hold off and go to the movie and get your popcorn, live in the world and enjoy it, and just take it in because you’ll be satisfied. I was satisfied, and I’m a tough critic, and I’m not a fan of fan service. If anybody knows me, they know that I don’t like a whole lot of everything. But I came away from filming thinking, ‘David and all of the filmmakers, they did it right.’”
“All I can say is, wait until you see this movie,” he continued. “I know you might think you know what’s going on, and I know that you may think you saw something (online), but you won’t know for sure until you see the movie. It’s hard for me to articulate, but you will be very, very pleasantly surprised.”
Circling back to Nelson’s prolific and successful career in the field of practical effects, we asked him, “What advice would you give to other monster kids like yourself who want to work in the world of movie magic?”
“I think that the advice I would give to somebody getting into the industry is to know your history,” he replied. “Know the people and the pioneers that have come before you, and the shoulders that you are standing on. I think that’s a key element, and something which I take into account constantly. Also, know your cinema, and know your movies. Know why you love the movies you love. Not just horror, and not just sci-fi, but all film genres. Learn storytelling and filmmaking and cinematography and writing and directing. If you know every aspect, and every department on a film, I think it makes one a better artist, a better filmmaker, and a better crew member, when they respect and love cinema and respect each other and other people on set. Try and take your ego out of it, and really just try to be the best you can be.”
“You don’t have to be the super, ultimate, best artist, and I’m walking proof of that,” Nelson finished humbly. “I’m not the best artist out there. I’m not the most talented guy. But what I lack in that, I make up for hopefully in knowledge and in a love of cinema and filmmaking, as well as a respect for this genre. Horror has made a huge jump, and there are filmmakers that have lifted the genre into great films. Immerse yourself into the people’s art that came before you, and respect your peers and respect those artists, both past and present. I think that’s my biggest advice.”
For more on Christopher Allen Nelson, follow him on Instagram at @cnelsonfx
‘Tis the season….. to start screaming. First look at the mayhem David has created for all of you. @halloweenmovie #halloweenkills #strodesstrong @universalpictures @miramax @blumhouse @halloweenmovie pic.twitter.com/klrpzk1Ykg — Jamie Lee Curtis (@jamieleecurtis) October 31, 2019
Halloween Kills is slated for release October 16, 2020 by Universal Pictures. Produced by Trancas International Films, Miramax and Blumhouse Productions and based on characters created by series originators John Carpenter and Debra Hill, Halloween Kills and its 2021 follow-up Halloween Ends are produced by Malek Akkad, Jason Blum and Bill Block. Green, McBride, John Carpenter, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jeanette Volturno, Couper Samuelson and Ryan Freimann serve as executive producers.
