Creation of Zuul and Vinz.
Now we take a look at some spooks that are a bit more practical in terms of size. The horrifying harbingers of Gozer, Zuul the Gatekeeper and Vinz Clortho the Key Master. Although they each came from a human host body, these monsters are far from humanity now. Both are canine in shape, complete with claws and haunting red eyes.
It isn’t difficult to see that the inspiration for these guardians of Gozer came from the legendary demonic hellhounds. The previously mentioned Bill Bryan also came up with the vision for the physical forms of these spirits after Aykroyd told him what he wanted them to be like.
Construction for the actual models that were needed for the movie began and was finished quickly thanks to techniques that Bryan and his team had employed constantly throughout their careers. The true composition of this large creation was actually similar to the original construction of Jabba the Hutt in Return of the Jedi. They both were wooden skeletons with the true design sculpted around them, leaving enough room for mechanisms to make them move.
Although this mechanism let Zuul and Vinz perform simple motions such as shaking their heads, it didn’t allow them to run at full speed, so computer generation was employed for this purpose. It was also necessary to craft much larger models as you see in the picture to actually house Sigourney Weaver and Rick Moranis in the final scene.
Writer / Quiz Creator
Andrew Nicholas is a passionate reader and writer on the subjects of history and mankind. He is a published author, critic, and poet who grew up in the friendly scenery of rural Ohio. He is a graduate of Wright State University and a regular student of historical curiosities.