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Alien Vs. Predator: The Creature Effects Of ADI by Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff, Jr.
01/01/2005 . Source: Geoff Willmetts 
pub: Titan Books. 128 page illustrated softcover. Price: £14.99 (UK). ISBN: 1-84576-881-X. Buy from Amazon US - Buy from Amazon UK
nb: US titles may only be available from Amazon US, and UK titles from Amazon UK. check out websites: www.titanbooks.com and www.avp-movie.com
If you're buying this book to see the story of the new film 'Alien Vs. Predator' then you've got the wrong book. What you do have is a marvellous book showing the real story of the film with inside information and loads of photos from the ADI special effects team recounting the building of the aliens and predators for the film. If you have dreams of doing special effects work yourself then this will show you how much hard work and dedicated long hours is involved. Even if you don't, this book gives a strong insight into how special effects are done and its even given me some idea how to modify my model kits in terms of colouring and lights. If you just love to see behind the scenes with a lot of anecdotal and dry-humour, then you're going to enjoy this book, too. Have I missed anyone out there?
 
Gillis and Woodruff, as the ADI bosses, give credit to some of their key employees and if you flick the book will always find this info on the outside right pages. The inner parts of all the pages is devoted to lots of photos decorated with lots of text. The work is also divided into design, sculpture, lab work, animatronics and painting, showing how each part would be impossible without the other members or the team. It's also indicative that some of what is shown here didn't end up in the film as transportation from LA to Prague ended up with vital pieces delayed and hasty re-builds to keep the sets ticking over.
 
I hope that's a precedent for more books of this nature but I guess a lot of the time it depends on the special effects house co-operation and how much the production company's will allow to be filmed behind the scenes. Whatever, this is a beautiful book and well worth spending some money on if you're a fan of alien, predators or both - and I'm sure there are some of you out there. For me, I have a nagging feeling that those interested in special effects are going to develop an entirely different use for condoms.
GF Willmetts
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