Special Effects


I saw "Them!" when I was nine years old. As young as I was, I thought it was the best and most suspenseful monster film I had ever seen. Looking back on it now, the reason it was so good was that it was well-plotted, well-written, and well acted (especially by Edmund Gwen.) What puzzled me then and what puzzles me now is how in the world the giant ants were made to move. The creatures obviously weren't animated, and after a close inspection I couldn't detect any control wires. Does anybody have an answer? You can contact me directly at [email protected]. Thanks in advance.



"How about it, extras?" -- Art Carney

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The Warner Bros.prop department built a full-scale giant ant.In shots where the ant is walking it is actually being towed by a dolly.A motor moved the legs back & forth.A partially constructed ant had a crew able to move its head,antennae & pinchers.

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Some of them probably had a guy inside.

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