Puppet Master is a series that has spanned decades, so it should come as no surprise that the franchise is releasing their twelfth film, nor that it is packed with talent. To support the new release, we spoke with a number of the cast and crew members, including John Lechago, Vincent Cusimano, Alan Maxson, Tania Fox, Tom Devlin, and more.
The latter is known for his monster and special effects make-up creations on many popular films over the past few decades such as Red Dragon, Daredevil, Terminator 3, and Scorpion King. While speaking with Devlin we couldn't help but take the opportunity to ask him about his work on one of the most popular Science Fiction series of all time, The X-Files.
We asked about Devlin's contributions to the film and much more during our chat about Blade: The Iron Cross which will hit the site in just a few days. Check out what he had to say!
Literary Joe: What can you tell me about your career trajectory as a makeup FX creator?
Tom Devlin: My career has taken me on a weird path. I kind of did the biggest budget stuff, working for some of the biggest companies on the biggest productions straight out of the gate, including X-Files, Scorpion King, Red Dragon, Daredevil, and tons of other films that I worked on at WM Creations. It was there that I honed my skills and learned from some great artists before starting my own company, where I was able to tackle the B-movie industry, which inspired me as a kid. ‘1313 FX’ has been in operation since 2002.
Literary Joe: I understand you got your start by working on X-Files. How did that initially come about?
Tom Devlin: X-Files season eight was my first job; I started as an intern at WM creations. I was hired full-time after about two weeks off hard work and proving myself, and I stayed there for just about two years. I had so much fun working on those early shows and learned a great deal from some of the best in our craft.
Literary Joe: What can you tell me about your contributions to X-Files? Can you share any information about any specific monsters you worked on or created?
Tom Devlin: My first episode on set at Fox Studios was on season nine - an episode called ‘Lord of The Flies’ which starred Jane Lynch. This was so much fun; we made human body cocoons that were attached to the walls. Being on the big soundstages and walking through the offices of the FBI agencies that I had watched growing up was quite the trip. My first episode was on season eight, working on the super-soldiers that were getting run over by cars and stuff like that. I was part of just about every episode on season nine and helped with the creation of all characters, corpses, etc.
Literary Joe: How long did you work on X-Files, which spanned longer than a decade?
Tom Devlin: I was on X-Files for two seasons: eight and nine. I came in just after the Billy Miles episode of season eight, so probably about the last two or three episodes and then the full season nine.
Literary Joe: Were you involved in the X-Files film, or just the television series?
Tom Devlin: Just the television series, although at WM creations we worked on three or four other TV shows like CSI Miami, Presidio Meed, and some others, as well as around 14 major feature films, including The Tuxedo with Jackie Chan, Daredevil with Ben Affleck, Scorpion King with The Rock, Terminator Three, and Club Dread, to name a few.
Literary Joe: How did your work on X-Files prepare you for your work on things like Blade: The Iron Cross?
Tom Devlin: Honestly, my work on X-Files has prepared me for most of my career. We worked very fast on the show and we only had a few days between episodes so, I learned that there was never time. It doesn’t matter if your budget is $4 million for $4000, there is never enough time and never enough money, so you have to buckle down, get creative and use materials that you can work with fast.
What do you guys think of Devlin's comments regarding his work on X-Files? Let us know your thoughts in the comments and be sure to check out the trailer for new Puppet Master flick: Blade: The Iron Cross!
For decades the fans have been clamoring for it, and now Full Moon delivers with the first standalone feature debut of one of its most beloved (and most frightful) characters; the hook-handed maniac puppet, BLADE!
Charles Band’s Puppet Master series continues as an unspeakable evil from Blade’s past emerges in the form of a murderous Nazi scientist named Dr. Hauser. As Hauser’s heinous crimes are discovered, the psychic war journalist, Elisa Ivanov, awakens Blade, and together the bloody journey of revenge begins. It’s Herr Hauser’s reanimated undead army versus a possessed doll and a beautiful vengeance-seeking clairvoyant!
Who will win, and how will it affect the Full Moon Universe? Find out in Blade: The Iron Cross!
Blade: The Iron Cross is now available with a subscription to https://www.fullmoonfeatures.com/Full Moon Features.