PREDATOR: Fixing the Creature - Robert Short Productions & John McTiernan

[Kradan]

Miracle

[The Old One]

Considering the NECA figure 100th Predator, I'd love to see said Predator, hunt the original Predator design.

[Voodoo Magic]

Considering the NECA figure 100th Predator, I'd love to see said Predator, hunt the original Predator design.

You mean on the big screen? I think they would have to use CG to do it justice, right?

[The Old One]

I don't necessarily think so.

[Highland]

I think all of this info is in the back of the original AVP comic from memory. Also I think it was James Cameron that came up with the idea for the mandibles.

[The Old One]

That's true.

[Naginata]

I've never seen that first concept piece of the futuristic Massai (or rough fictional equivalent thereof) before. Not the Proto-Predator on the rock that came just after, but the original inspiration for it, with the hi-tech Jason mask and Conan The Barbarian boots? It's an awesome design on its own, but it also works brilliantly as inspiration for the whole Predator concept as we understand it:

A tribal warrior culture that has advanced technologically, but hasn't changed much structurally or socially; they're more technologically advanced than anything present-day Earth can muster, but their way of life remains largely the same as it was thousands of years ago. I like that it divorces the idea of "tribal hunter-gatherer" from "primitive" and "modern Western civilization" as "advanced."

I can see why they used it, in other words, LOL.

[Voodoo Magic]

I think all of this info is in the back of the original AVP comic from memory.

Definitely not all of it, but an interview with artist Alan Munro who was working on Robert Short's team definitely. 

Also I think it was James Cameron that came up with the idea for the mandibles.

Did he though? That was always a weird statement by Winston on the docs. Never any credit to Robert Short's team, just James Cameron.

I guess Stan Winston didn't consider these mandibles, just teeth...?





...and the only thing that is mandibles to Stan is in images 3 and 4?  Maybe I guess, depending on your definition.

[Highland]

I remember something about ( or even footage of) James Cameron sitting on Plane saying " I always wanted to see a creature with mandibles"

...But thats all I remember.

[SiL]

That's the anecdote Winston recalls. They were on a plane together.

Voodoo's right, it's a weird claim considering the earlier designs are clearly rockin' some mandibles.

[OmegaZilla]

For anyone interested I did a behind the scenes piece with the whole story.

This info comes from Robert Short himself who published a few posts on this forum -- here's his page, scroll down to see the Predator bits

[Voodoo Magic]

For anyone interested I did a behind the scenes piece with the whole story.

This info comes from Robert Short himself who published a few posts on this forum -- here's his page, scroll down to see the Predator bits

You should add the art I posted here to your awesome article! There is more of it, plus the full Maasi Warrior and resulting inspiration paintings, and there's no copyright stamps across the middle of these to distract from its beauty! 

[OmegaZilla]

You should add the art I posted here to your awesome article! There is more of it, plus the full Maasi Warrior and resulting inspiration paintings, and there's no copyright stamps across the middle of these to distract from its beauty! 

I considered that, but the reflections throw me off. should find the time to make a kitbash of the two versions

[The Old One]

Your website is always a fun read.

[PredBabe]

Glad this was dug back up! Had no idea about Robert Short's involvement.


Now that I'm really looking at it, the very first creature design even had mandibles so it was a concept floating around the production for a while. Maybe Cameron suggested mandibles closer to the final design and Winston was just fluffing the story a bit for humor.