Wikipedia

Giannetto De Rossi

Giannetto De Rossi (8 August 1942 – 11 April 2021) was an Italian makeup and special effects artist for motion pictures. His career included work for several high-profile directors, including Bernardo Bertolucci, Sergio Leone, Federico Fellini, Franco Zeffirelli, and David Lynch; as well as collaborations with cult filmmakers Lucio Fulci and Alexandre Aja. He was known particularly for his highly detailed and realistic prosthetic appliances, most visible in his horror output.[1][2] He was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Special Effects for the Oscar-winning The Last Emperor (1987).

Giannetto De Rossi
Born(1942-08-08)8 August 1942
Rome, Italy
Died11 April 2021(2021-04-11) (aged 78)
Rome, Italy
Occupation(s)Makeup and special effects artist

Early career

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One of his first special FX roles was as make-up artist for Joe D'Amato, whose film Emanuelle in America required detailed special FX for the notorious snuff film sequences. The gruesome effects produced by De Rossi, which included a woman's breasts being hacked off and multiple floggings, were so convincing that many thought them real snuff film scenes, and one actress complained that she had been traumatised by the effects.[3]

International fame

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Early in his career, De Rossi worked with a number of well-known Italian directors, including Sergio Leone and Federico Fellini.[4] A particularly notable collaboration was with Lucio Fulci on his horror film Zombi 2. De Rossi also worked with Fulci in three other films: City of the Living Dead, The Beyond and The House by the Cemetery.[5][3]

Hollywood fame

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Dino De Laurentiis hired De Rossi to create the on-set practical effects for two films in Mexico which he was producing, Dune and Conan the Destroyer. De Rossi created a number of memorable effects in the two films, including the fetus-shaped Spice Guild Navigator seen floating in a tank in Dune and the Dagoth monster suit worn by André the Giant in Conan the Destroyer.[3]

In the late 1980s he created the special makeup effects on Rambo III. For the scene in which Rambo heals himself by igniting gunpowder inside of a torso bullet wound, De Rossi rigged a device which caused flame to burst from both Sylvester Stallone's stomach and back at once. Stallone was so impressed by De Rossi's work that he hired him again for the make-up effects for Daylight,[3] which was shot in Rome and put Stallone's son Sage Stallone in contact with Lucio Fulci.

De Rossi created the title monster in the film Killer Crocodile, and directed the film's sequel, Killer Crocodile 2.[6]

He is also notable as the designer of the mask used in the film The Man in the Iron Mask.[7]

Later years

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De Rossi continued creating FX for both Italian and American cinema, until his death on 11 April 2021 (coincidentally the same day as fellow Lucio Fulci collaborator Enzo Sciotti).[8]

Filmography (makeup artist and special effects)

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Filmography (director and writer)

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References

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  1. ^ Debreceni, Todd (2009), "Other Makeup Effects", Special Makeup Effects for Stage and Screen, Elsevier, pp. 245–268, doi:10.1016/b978-0-240-80996-0.00009-2, ISBN 978-0-240-80996-0, retrieved 2021-10-06
  2. ^ "The Drive of Passion: The Life and Films of Giannetto De Rossi". Daily Dead. 2021-04-19. Retrieved 2021-10-06.
  3. ^ a b c d "Horror SFX Legend Giannetto De Rossi Dies at 79". CBR. 2021-04-12. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  4. ^ "SFX Legend Giannetto De Rossi Has Now Passed Away". Dread Central. 2021-04-13. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  5. ^ Lenera, Dr (2021-04-13). "SPECIAL EFFECTS MAESTRO GIANNETTO DE ROSSI DIES AT AGE 79". Horror Cult Films. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  6. ^ "17 Movies About Killer Crocs to Goofy Gators, Ranked from Worst to Best". Film School Rejects. 2019-07-13. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  7. ^ "The Man in the Iron Mask - About The Production". www.filmscouts.com. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  8. ^ Horror SFX Legend Giannetto De Rossi Dies at 79
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