New Discovery Exhibition Show Visitors ‘How To Make A Monster’

BRIDGEPORT — A blockbuster exhibition created by Academy Award winning animatronics expert John Cox and his talented Creature Workshop crew has opened at The Discovery Museum. “How To Make A Monster: The Art and Technology of Animatronics” will remain on view through January 25.

The unique exhibition reveals the secrets behind movie creatures and how they are made, and showcases some popular movie monsters. According to Discovery Museum Director of Exhibits and Public Programming, John Labate, this exhibit is “wicked cool!”

From ghastly to goofy, the creatures are immediately apparent upon entering the museum. Aliens from Pitch Black are suspended mid-air in the lobby, and Cox’s own favorite monster — Gillman, a lizard-like alien — has taken over the alcove near the entrance usually reserved for the museum submarine.

A stroll through the museum leads to encounters with a lot of other interesting characters including a seven foot Abominable Snowman, Grouchy the Gorilla from George of the Jungle 2, and even a werewolf poised to lunge.

The exhibit is much more than a monster statuary, however. It’s an intriguing look at just what goes into making the monsters. Each stage of the creation process is revealed from idea through post production. Visitors get a look at storyboards, models (“maquettes” in movie lingo), sculptures and multi-part molds.

They’ll see creatures in trial phase with experimental colors and silicone tests skin. There is even an Eyeball Cabinet – a display with 12 electrical crocodile eye options provided to a director to help him or her choose the most suitable color and lens shape.

Stations throughout the exhibit also reveal what is involved in making fantastical creatures believable. Basing fantasy creatures’ skeletons and musculature on the anatomy of living beasts results in amazingly realistic monsters. In one area, an actual komodo skull is positioned near a giant animatronic komodo whose steel skeleton complete with pneumatic cylinders is on view. Two realistic, finished heads whose designs began with the real skeleton as a master are displayed alongside it.

“Monster” also has plenty of interactive elements. Visitors can puppeteer an “X-ray version” of Junior the Dinosaur, or touch the guts of a Pitch Black alien. For those who are squeamish or whose taste is more discriminating, they can stick with checking out Inspector Gadget’s Go Go scooter which is powered by a battery vest.

Cable controlled mermaid tails, a unicorn with fur ruffled by the gentle breeze of a fan, an animatronic 100-year-old parrot from Peter Pan and videos are just a few more of the elements of the exhibit which will appeal to anyone who loves the movies and creature effects.

Discovery President Jim Pelgrift expressed his enthusiasm for the new exhibit: “‘How to Make a Monster’ exemplifies the best of the immersive, hands-on learning experiences that have always been the hallmark of the Discovery mission, but it also clearly demonstrates the renaissance of this institution as a world-class community treasure.

“We strive to offer consistently creative, must-see destination programs, shows and exhibits of the very highest caliber, to thrill and inspire our visitors of all ages,” he continued. “As important, the serious educational content of ‘Monsters,’ in fields such as robotics and modern cinematic technologies, complements and supports our superb experiential school and outreach programs.”

The Discovery Museum is at 4450 Park Avenue, one mile south of Merritt Parkway Exit 47 and directly across from Fairchild Wheeler Golf Course.

Daily admission is $8.50 for adults an $7 for children over 5, seniors and students with IDs. The museum will be open on Mondays, October 13 (Columbus Day), December 29, and January 19 (Martin Luther King, Jr Day).

For more information call 203-372-3521 or visit www.DiscoveryMuseum.org.