Suave Beasts: Monsters In Well-Fitted Suits

The use of creature suits in film and television has a long history, with P.T. Barnum dressing a performer in an ape suit as part of his circus sideshow in London in 1846. Since then, creature suits have been used to portray a range of monsters, aliens, and other beings, with notable examples including Godzilla, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, and the Predator. While the use of creature suits has declined due to the advent of CGI, they are still favoured by many filmmakers and viewers for their realism and the performance of the suit actors.

The first foam rubber creature suit

The film's success helped popularize the use of creature suits in the Japanese tokusatsu genre as kaiju, or giant monsters. The suits were animated using the suitmation technique, which combined slow-motion filming and miniature sets to make the monsters appear larger than they were.

The use of creature suits in film has evolved over time, with advancements in technology allowing for the integration of modern materials and animatronics. However, the advent of CGI has also reduced their use due to cost considerations. Despite this, creature suits continue to be used in films and commercials to provide additional realism and are combined with CGI in some productions.

The man who died in the Godzilla suit

The story of "The Man in the Godzilla Suit" is a work of fiction, but it draws on the very real challenges faced by performers wearing creature suits. The original Godzilla suit actor, Haruo Nakajima, studied the movement of bears and elephants at Tokyo's Ueno Zoo before donning the 100kg suit himself. He described the intense heat inside the suit, which could rise above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and the difficulty of moving in such a cumbersome costume.

The fictional "Man in the Godzilla Suit" draws on these real-life challenges, telling the story of a man who died inside the Godzilla suit, boiling to death due to the heat and studio lights. In the story, the man's skin mutates and fuses with the suit, turning him into a Godzilla-like monster. The narrative takes the form of an analog horror series, with the man becoming a supernatural force, infecting other suit actors, and seeking revenge on Americans for the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

The appeal of such analog horror lies in its presentation as lost media or found footage, tapping into the desire for something mysterious and unexplained. However, some fans find this particular story disrespectful to the original Godzilla suit actor, Haruo Nakajima, who passed away in 2017 at the age of 88.

Nakajima's dedication to mastering the Godzilla suit and his influence on subsequent suit actors cannot be overstated. He was considered the best suit actor in the long history of the Godzilla franchise and was deemed invaluable by special effects director Eiji Tsuburaya. Nakajima's performance in the original 1954 "Godzilla" film set a standard for bringing monsters to life on screen, showcasing the unique magic that talented performers can bring to creature suits.

Suitmation

The success of Godzilla caused creature suits to be adopted in the Japanese tokusatsu genre as kaiju, or giant monsters. The first foam rubber creature suit used in film was Gill-man, from the film Creature from the Black Lagoon, which was released in 1954 and beat Godzilla by half a year. The success of Godzilla and other kaiju films led to the development and advancement of creature suit technology during the latter half of the 20th century. Modern materials and animatronics were integrated into the costumes, increasing their realism.

Despite the advancements in CGI technology, creature suits continue to be used in modern films and are often preferred by discerning film viewers. This is due to the challenge of mimicking realistic lighting in CGI, which often results in creatures and characters looking obviously fake when placed alongside real environments, especially with lower-budget productions. As a result, films that heavily utilise practical effects, including creature suits, such as Jurassic Park, are still well-regarded for their special effects.

In some cases, CGI and creature suits are combined, with green parts of the suit used for chroma keying to add or remove appendages in post-production. This technique was used in films such as Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005) and Where the Wild Things Are (2009).

The use of creature suits in hoaxes

One of the earliest known uses of creature suits in hoaxes can be traced back to P.T. Barnum, the famous American showman. In 1846, as part of his circus sideshow in London, Barnum dressed an actor in a fur suit, passing them off as an "ape-man". This sparked a trend, and soon other performers were donning similar costumes as attractions.

The use of creature suits in film offered new opportunities for hoaxes and practical jokes. In 1918, an uncredited actor in a primate suit appeared in the silent film "Tarzan of the Apes", blurring the line between reality and fiction for audiences. This was followed by a wave of "hokey rubber suit monsters" in the early 20th century, such as the dinosaur in "Unknown Island" (1948) and the sea monster in "The Horror of Party Beach" (1964).

While some of these early attempts at creature suits may seem crude by today's standards, they laid the foundation for more sophisticated hoax attempts. The success of films like "Godzilla" (1954) and "Creature from the Black Lagoon" (1954) showcased the potential of creature suits to create larger-than-life characters and sparked a new era of suit acting.

As special effects and costume design evolved, creature suits became more intricate and realistic. This led to their use in elaborate hoaxes, such as Bigfoot sightings and even UFO-related pranks. The Morristown UFO hoax of 2009 is a notable example, where a burning cotton ball was tied to a turkey vulture, tricking witnesses into believing they had seen an airship.

Today, creature suits continue to be used in hoaxes, although their use has expanded beyond the film industry. Cosplayers, for instance, often create replicas of famous movie monsters or design original anthropomorphic characters. Additionally, creature suits are employed in live events, such as the dinosaur suits used in "Walking with Dinosaurs – The Arena Spectacular".

Despite the advancements in special effects and the emergence of CGI, creature suits retain their appeal and effectiveness in hoaxes due to their ability to combine practical effects with imaginative storytelling.

The man in the Godzilla suit as analog horror

The Godzilla suit actor, Haruo Nakajima, is the subject of a web series titled "The Man in the Suit", which is part of the Godzilla analogue horror series. The series depicts the actor becoming affected by radiation, which causes him to merge with the suit, progressively taking on Godzilla's characteristics. This concept of a man in a monster suit is not new, with a history in film and television. The use of creature suits in media has evolved over time, from the early days of film to modern CGI combinations, but the practical effect of men in suits remains special and often preferred by discerning film viewers.

The man in the Godzilla suit, Nakajima, endured the agony and challenges of wearing a heavy and uncomfortable creature suit while also elevating his performance to an art form. He managed to hide the pain and hardship of moving inside the suit from the audience, delivering an amazing creature performance. The success of Godzilla popularised the use of creature suits in the Japanese tokusatsu genre as kaiju, or giant monsters. The suits were combined with slow-motion filming and miniature sets to make the monsters appear larger than they were.

The web series "The Man in the Suit" taps into the horror of being trapped inside a monster suit, with the added element of radiation-induced mutation and fusion. The character based on Nakajima becomes possessed by Godzilla and develops sharp teeth, bone manipulation, and radiation manipulation abilities, among other powers. The series explores the dark side of what could happen when something goes wrong with the monster suits, creating a unique and terrifying analogue horror narrative.

The practical effects of a man in a monster suit, when done well, can create an unforgettable and impactful viewing experience. The man in the Godzilla suit, Haruo Nakajima, not only endured the physical challenges of wearing the suit but also delivered a performance that brought the character to life, solidifying Godzilla's place as one of the most iconic monsters in film history.

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