Monster Redesign #6

Okay, it’s time high time for another monster redesign!  The monster I chose today is from the movie, “The Giant Claw”!  – Starring Jeff Marrow and Mara Corday.  Written by Paul Gangelin and Samuel Newman.  Directed by Fred F. Sears.  And Produced by Sam Katzman.

This 1957 Sci-fi beauty revolves around a giant bird-like anti-matter creature (the size of a battleship!) that terrorizes the world!

Why would I pick this movie as my next creature redesign?  Well, this is why:

I mean….come on!

Joe Dante via Trailers from Hell describes the movie well (www.trailersfromhell.com):

Now onto the redesign.  First off I did a quick sketch of the actual creature as is while watching the movie.  Yes I watched it and I encourage you too.  It’s so bad it’s good!  The only difference in my sketch from the actual creature was to give it larger feet and make its stance a little more believable:

After that I did a few real quick sketches of some large birds to loosen up:

I decided that my inspiration would be the Marabou Stork and the Greater Adjutant.  I mean, just look at these monstrous carnivorous birds!

Marabou Stork:

Greater Adjutant:

After gathering up my reference, I actually went back and did a quick piece in the same style as the creature presently is in the movie.  Before I went ahead to redesign it, I  wanted to do a piece to show off its schlocky glory:

Heh, that was fun.  🙂

Now onto my Redesign!  As you can see, the beak, and head overall actually, has been altered.  I was heavily influenced by the reference I showed earlier as I thought it worked really well.  I tried to use what is already around and make that the basis of my redesign.  I did not add teeth.  Instead, I chipped away at its beak to give the impression of teeth:

Menacing, yet recognizable.  Strange and evil looking, yet still based in reality.  So that’s my redesign for The Giant Claw!  Lot of fun to work on this as well as revisit a great bad sci-fi 50’s movie.  Plus it gave me a chance to check out Trailers From Hell again.  I recommend doing the same.  Great site!  www.trailersfromhell.com