Are You Fond of Monsters? Red One's Krampus is Designed for You Enthusiasts
Are You Fond of Monsters? Red One's Krampus is Designed for You Enthusiasts
Amazon's "Red One" introduces a variety of holidy-themed antagonists, such as malevolent snowmen and a chilling winter creature named Grýla, derived from Icelandic folklore. Additionally, the legendary figure Krampus makes an appearance, portrayed in this movie as Santa's (J.K. Simmons) adoptive sibling, played by "Game of Thrones"' Kristofer Hivju. However, this Krampus is not merely Santa's estranged family member; depending on your preferences, he might just be the movies' standout character and incredibly attractive.
In an interview with "Variety", Hivju, costume designer L.J. Shannon, and makeup artist Joel Harlow discussed the development of Krampus' appearance. For Shannon, Krampus had to be appealing to the audience. "When I'm designing creatures, my team always teases me, saying, 'You need to make him attractive, he's got to be a hunk.' There's something captivating about a lovable creature that draws people in," she explained. "As a villain, he has to be complex enough to hold your interest, and somehow, you find yourself rooting for him." Hivju shared this sentiment, recalling how Shannon would ask him about his desired backside, and the meticulous planning to create a character audiences would love.
Aesthetically, Krampus in "Red One" is full of intricate details. Besides the suit, there are the six horns, hands, gloves, sharped teeth, and even lenses. Harlow noted that the horns were particularly challenging: "You need an underlying skull to support the horns, which needs to blend seamlessly with the silicone skin, which then has to blend seamlessly with the hair pieces on top." For Hivju, getting into the suit took four hours – later reduced to two and a half hours – a process he compared to Colin Farrell's experience in "The Penguin". Even with skin reactions, Hivju eventually felt the resulting appearance was worth the discomfort.
This year has been a hit for monster lovers, with "Red One", "Your Monster", and "Venom". If you've seen "Red One", or even Krampus' scenes, please share your thoughts on whether the costume team managed to create an appealing character in the comments below.
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In the realm of future film projects, expect to see more captivating creature designs, as the success of Krampus in "Red One" inspires creators to explore more appealing antagonists in movies like "Marvel" and "Star Wars." Furthermore, watching the transformation process of Krampus, played by Kristofer Hivju, in "Red One" serves as a testament to the importance of technology in creating visually stunning and compelling future movie characters.