Mike Elizade working on "Hellboy"
"Channeling Bela Lugosi"

Mike Elizade is a happy man. He spends his time doing what he was born to do - and that is making monsters! Yes, he and his company create some of Hollywood's best monster effects and they do it with enthusiasm. A perfect example is the film "Hellboy." Mike's company, Spectral Motion, was the creative force behind the staggering creature Sammael as well as the endearing aquatic creature Abe Sapiens.

In a recent telephone interview Mike told me about his career and specifically working on "Hellboy." "I have been interested in movie monsters since I was six years old and saw some of the Universal Pictures monsters. Honestly I looked at the TV screen and said to myself that I wanted to make monsters like that," he said. After laughing he continued, "I guess I was channeling Bela Lugosi but it was clear to me that this was what I wanted to do."

Elizade followed that dream and eventually worked his way up in the world of sculpturing and makeup. "I went to work for Rick Baker who is the absolute master in this field. Later my company Spectral Motion, which was formed by my wife Mary and me, became sort of a sub-contractor in Rick's company."

On "Hellboy" Baker did the majority of the special effects but Elizade and his company worked exclusively on the creature Sammael and also on the hero Abe Sapiens. I asked Mike why he didn't get hired to do it all. "I think it was a strategic move," he answered. "You can't get any better than Rick Baker and his name carries a lot of prestige."

"But you have to remember the budget of this movie was only sixty million and Rick is expensive. Our portion of the budget for what we did was about three million. That sounds like a lot of money, and it is, but when you start doing all the things you have to do to create an effect it goes fast."

The movie was filmed in Prague which meant being away from family and friends for the five and a half months of the shoot. "But my family got to visit, and there was another movie filming when we were there," he said. "It was 'Van Helsing' and we got to meet up with some of our friends who were working on that film."

Since he worked on the Abe Sapiens character I asked Mike if Abe reminded him of any one. He immediately asked who I was thinking of when I looked at him. I said C3PO from "Star Wars." Mike chuckled and said, "You are the first person to say that but when I looked at the character that was who I saw." I guess great minds think alike.

There is already talk of a sequel to "Hellboy" and Mike said he was all for it. "I think there will be at least one and maybe more," he said.

I was impressed with Mike's dedication to his craft. Even in a phone conversation it came through loud and clear. I told him it sounded like if someone were to offer him a trillion dollars to do anything he wanted to do he would be doing just what he is doing now. "Absolutely!" he answered quickly. "I am one of those truly blessed people who spends his life doing what totally makes him happy."

Somewhere Bela Lugosi is smiling.

 

 

 

 

 

©2004 Jackie K. Cooper

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