Comments on: Gaff vs Gaffe

By: cwinters

cwinters — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 06:08:42 +0000

I went to an oddities museum once… They had a feejee mermaid there, as well as all sorts of other things. It was really quite enjoyable; shame they aren’t more widespread.

By: Redrose999

Redrose999 — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 13:51:20 +0000

I’ve always been pretty amazed by that kind of pain control. Where did you perform?

I remember seeing adds for that act on the NJ boardwalk when I was a teenager. I think it was in the 80s. In fact, my sister and her friends went to see the act. Your friend must have had an impressive suit! Did he make it? I’d love to see pictures! I am a rather poor costume designer, my art degree goes to building Halloween costumes for my kids. I tend to go to my friend Claudia, who is professional for help.

I think we all look at the Patty film with different perspectives which is why there are so many different opinions on it.

By: korollocke

korollocke — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 01:49:36 +0000

I used to take flak from the real freaks because I wasn’t a “true” freak just a gaff myself, skilled in pain tolerance(this served me well in the Army.) and body manipulation. I used to hammer nails into my face(wich I can still do.), sew buttons onto my flesh, eat glass, do a cool variation on the bed of nails where I would lay on it hold a cinder block on my chest and have an audience member smash the block with a sledge hammer. A few times I was the handler for moss haired girls and presenter/trainer for Spidora.

My good friend Ken Rilling was the man in the erriely patty looking suit for the beautiful girl in the bikini (usually touted as a vegas show girl cursed by a an African prince she spurned, nothing like magic from the dark contienet.)turning into a gorilla bit( I did narrations for this a few times.). Through the use of mirrors it looked like the bathing beauty would have a slow Chaneyesque transformation into a savage gorilla, Ken would charge at the cage(wich would break away.) and the rubes scattered! Not a dry seat left in the tent! LOL!

There’s still a couple 10 in 1 shows left but there just not the same and Jim rose is a bit too cheesey.

By: Redrose999

Redrose999 — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 15:20:22 +0000

@ korollocke

side show work? Awesome! Yes, well, I now understand your questioning. You must understand gaffs personally and up close. Yes, I do agree, we need to bring side shows back. Society needs to gain their sense of wonder again. Kids these days are too cynical they understand why one gets all excited over the obviously fake goat headed python. It’s about imagination, but than again, I think that is what this thread is about isn’t it?

LOL I remember seeing an article on the MS iceman as a child. It scared the sheepdip out of me.

By: korollocke

korollocke — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 01:19:52 +0000

Horse feathers. I’ve seen better suits during my days as a performing human block head during my sideshow days (they really need to bring back sideshows en mass, kids are really missing out). Saw the ice man up close quite a few times both frozen and not frozen (mother of god did it stink!), from what I can tell it was a rock ape not a bigfoot or pendak. I’m quite shocked rock apes are a mystery animal, they are well known and plentiful; go figure. They usually can be seen sitting on rock faces and cliffs (hence the term “rock ape”.) looking like a group of hairy old men.

Given that, I tell you Patty is bogus.

By: Redrose999

Redrose999 — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 17:53:06 +0000

I was just talking to a costume maker about the PG film. Basically its a lot more complex than it looks. They’d have to outfit the BF guy in the field, Either by gluing individual hairs all over his body and build up latex muscles on his body and glue hair over it so it forms the humps and curves on to actual muscle so it moves with the body, that would need a trailer and would take hours to set up, especially if the costume process is like like one Rick Baker would design. Taken how remote the area is, it’s not likely to work out. Also, it would take a year of so to design the suit, with a studio, it’s not something you make in a garage. It would be expensive, and state of the art. Also they couldn’t fly the guy in, he wouldn’t be able to sweat, or go to the bathroom, or sit down likely. Now with that said, the artist in question, would have made millions off it if came out with it for the film industry. Which he didn’t, which honestly makes no sense. But there is her take on it understanding the tech of the time.

By: Redrose999

Redrose999 — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 15:29:07 +0000

Dr Kaco,

thank you very much. I couldn’t recall where I saw it. The fact that he could do the walk was irrelevant without the suit. LOL and coming from a documentary, well, we all know how trust worthy they are as sources.

By: Dr Kaco

Dr Kaco — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 14:58:25 +0000

@Redrose999: The individual you are talking about that confessed to allegedly wearing the Patty suit is “Bob Hieronimous”. This transpired on an episode of National Geographic’s TV show – “Is it real-Bigfoot” I’m sure you can find it on youtube to check it out for yourself. As this man does walk with a similar gate as Patty, there was still NO SUIT provided in this “shocking” revelation.

By: praetorian

praetorian — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 14:15:49 +0000

“I don’t know where you get these crazy anatomical measurements from about the knees placement and arms or muscle movement, a diluted tulpa type theory perhaps, it’s real and looks and moves that way because you say so?”

korollocke-

No need to take my word for it. You might want to start with Dr. Jeff Meldrum’s “Sasquatch- Where Legend Meets Science”. Meldrum is a Professor of Anatomy and Anthropology with a background in vertebrate locomotion. His scientifically derived conclusion is that the subject of the Patterson film could not be a human in a suit.

By: Redrose999

Redrose999 — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 19:56:08 +0000

Well I can’t answer all of it but the muppets developed that specific technology in the early to mid seventies. In fact, it was invented during Empire strikes back. As for the other special effects stuff you mentioned, again, we’re talking late seventies and late 80s. Baker invented his own style of movie make up while making the American Werewolf in London. Most special effects folks will say those extensions were not used or invented until the 80s or so. You’re talking tech that DIDN’T exist. The planet of the apes only had rubber masks for their costumes and that were as advanced as it got because it was too expensive and the tech didn’t exist. Spandex and nylon suits for muscles didn’t exist then.

The other stuff, I can’t argue with, which is why I’m skeptical on the issue, however, I can say, beyond a shadow of a doubt that the sum total of special effect in the early to mid sixties was mostly stop motion animation and blue screen effects NOT costumes.

As for the Patterson thing, apparently what he said was also in question and open ended. It wasn’t a real confession. But I’m sure someone on this list knows more about it. I’m not into Bigfoot info, and know very little about it.