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That scene in Judge Dredd (1995) with the ABC Warrior robot is actually brilliant

Everyone trashes the Stallone Judge Dredd movie, but I still watch it every couple years. One thing I noticed that critics keep getting wrong is the ABC Warrior robot fight scene. People call it cheesy, but the practical effects on that robot are seriously impressive for 1995. It took a team of 12 puppeteers to operate it on set, which is way more effort than most CGI gets today. The way it moves and clanks around gives it a real weight that modern CGI robots just don't have. Has anyone else noticed how much craft went into those practical effects compared to the usual complaints?
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tyler_bell
tyler_bell20d ago
The 12 puppeteer fact blew my mind when I first heard it, totally changed how I see that scene.
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ryan_ellis
ryan_ellis20d ago
Right? That 12 puppeteer detail is a game changer. @tyler_bell I actually saw a breakdown on a film nerd podcast where they talked about how each puppeteer had their own specific job (like one just for the eyes, one for the mouth) because the puppet was so complex. It makes you realize how much insane coordination went into just a few seconds of screen time.
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