Bygone Behemoth Explores What Happens When Monsters Retire

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Sources: Avery Guerra / Undead Backbrain

One day it will happen to all of us, we will be forced to retire. Everyone has to deal with the fact that they will one day outlive there usefulness to society and be pushed aside by the younger generation.

This time in life can be exceptionally hard for celebrities. What is there to live for when nobody wants your autograph anymore and you can waltz into Walmart without a security escort and not be mobbed.....or even noticed?

Just imagine how hard this must be for a movie monster? Oh, back in the day people used to go running when you would come into town and the army and air force would always be there to greet you.

Now you can't even find a decent place to park and teenagers scare you.

Writer/director Harry Chaskin has decided to tackle the topic of movie monster retirement in his short feature, "Bygone Behemoth", the story of "It", a stop-motion monster who is having a hard time trying to exist in the modern CGI effects world.

Chaskin envisions his film as an homage to the great film makers of the golden age of monster films, "Bygone Behemoth is a stop-motion animated film chronicling a day in the life of an unemployed B-movie monster, a lingering personified special-effect of the 1950s. In an age overrun with CG, I conceived of Behemoth as a tribute to great traditional special-effects artists like Ray Harryhausen and Willis O’Brien. It also features a special appearance by WPIX horror icon, John Zacherle.”

With the aide of composer Daniel Walter and designer Seth Armstrong, Chaskin has captured some of the magic of an era that is near and dear to all of monster movie fans.

Look for "Bygone Behemoth" to premiere next month at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas.