Phil Tippett: Mad Dreams and Monsters Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.5

Phil Tippett: Mad Dreams and Monsters Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman July 2, 2021

Note: This documentary is available on Blu-ray as part of The Monster Collection.

There was a time in the ostensible Dark Ages, meaning pre-internet, when those with an interest in this or that subject had to forage out into the big, wide world to satisfy their yearnings for knowledge, and in that regard, the anecdotes are legion as to what magazines like Forrest J. Ackerman's Famous Monsters of Filmland meant to any number of (then) young kids who went on to notable careers in horror, in any number of media ranging from writing, as in the case of Stephen King, to movies, as in the case of too many people to list individually. For more modern types wanting a really fun and interesting overview of the sorts of stories that used to define Ackerman's iconic publication, The Monster Collection should suffice more than well enough, bringing together two really excellent documentaries as well as a plethora of additional supplemental material.

The key art for this 2010 documentary focusing on Academy Award and Emmy winning effects master Phil Tippett has a certain "Da Vinci"-esque quality, and that may not be that far off the mark, given the incredible artistry Tippett has shown over a long and very notable career. Kind of sadly, Tippett's name is perhaps not as widely recognized as some of his fellow craftsmen, but he took home Oscars for both Jurassic Park and Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi, and he has handfuls of other nominations, as well as wins from a number of awards organizations.

If The Frankenstein Complex bears a dedication to Ray Harryhausen, in some ways Tippett can be seen as one of the true heirs of Harryhausen, since he has been an innovator in techniques which are at least somewhat similar to Harryhausen's legendary stop motion animation. Phil Tippett: Mad Dreams and Monsters doesn't ever get overly technical, and in fact almost tends to concentrate on the business side of things at times, but it does provide a lot of interview segments with Tippett where he discusses some of the strategies he's used in various films to bring everything from dinosaurs to robots "to life".

Tippett matriculated from "only" providing special effects mastery to actually directing with the perhaps less than successful Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation, but even that film offered him the opportunity for some memorable visual wonderments. (It's perhaps notable, though, in terms of the vagaries of the motion picture industry, that Tippett has yet to make another full length feature, though there are evidently some that have at least been thought about.) This documentary in some ways seems more "personal" than The Frankenstein Complex, probably understandable given its focus largely on one individual. Tippett is an affable and knowledgeable interview subject, and his love for his craft is virtually palpable throughout this engaging piece.

Phil Tippett: Mad Dreams and Monsters Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Phil Tippett: Mad Dreams and Monsters is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Doppelgänger Releasing and Music Box Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer (largely) in 1.78:1. This is arguably a slightly more consistent looking transfer than The Frankenstein Complex, if only because there's more "contemporary" (meaning 2019) footage in this piece, though occasional archival video does crop up and can admittedly look pretty ragged (see screenshot 14). All of the interview segments feature agreeable detail levels and a natural looking palette, but this presentation really makes some of its most noticeable impact in close-ups of some of Tippett's creature creations, where textures are often nicely precise looking.

Phil Tippett: Mad Dreams and Monsters Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Phil Tippett: Mad Dreams and Monsters features DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and 2.0 audio options, and as with The Frankenstein Complex, probably the most noticeable surround activity tends to be with regard to the score by co-director Alexandre Poncet. Occasional channelization can be discerened in some of the office scenes in Tippett's business life, but as should probably be expected, this is a talking head documentary a lot of the time, and as such "wow" surround moments aren't really in large supply. All of the interview segments and other talking head moments are delivered cleanly and clearly without any problems whatsoever. Optional English subtitles are available.

Phil Tippett: Mad Dreams and Monsters Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Feature Commentary with Phil Tippett and Directors Alexandre Poncet and Gilles Penso can be accessed under either the Setup Menu or the Extras Menu.


• Isolated Score Track is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 and can be accessed under the Setup Menu.


• Making the Monsters (HD; 1:41:04) is a great supplementary documentary documenting the main documentary (so to speak), and includes a wealth of interviews and background information. Some of this material overlaps at least tangentially with the similar making of piece included with The Frankenstein Complex as a supplement on that disc.


• Deleted and Alternate Scenes (HD; 12:01)


• Photo Gallery (HD; 9:44)


• Theatrical Trailer (HD; 2:15)

Phil Tippett: Mad Dreams and Monsters Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Phil Tippett: Mad Dreams and Monsters is another nicely wrought documentary from Gilles Penso and Alexandre Poncet, and, like their work in The Frankenstein Complex, the love they have for their subject shines through loudly and clearly. That sentiment is shared by a host of people interviewed for this piece, but it's Tippett himself who makes the most lasting impression, and the documentary wisely stays focused on him and his work. Technical merits are generally solid and the supplements, especially the making of documentary, very enjoyable. Highly recommended.