Remember that scene in Poltergeist, when paranormal investigator Marty, standing in front of a bathroom mirror, starts to peel back the melting flesh off his face? And as you watch his fleshy bloody bits drop down in the sink, both repelled but also laughing because of the comical nature that is 1980s Hollywood special effects, you’re jarred by the quick cut back to Marty’s untouched face, signalling it was all just a horrible dream?
While this scene is a classic in the horror canon—the victim forced to stare into their mirrored representation, and witness a demonic, physiological transformation happen before their very eyes that’s beyond their control to stop—it’s also like that dream when all your teeth fall out. Al we are are just dust in the wind, dude.
This GIF from perennial GIF of the Day favourite Andrew Benson takes this fear of the reaper way back—to the Mystery of the Druids, or even Knightmare, as suggested by this Twitter conversation that sprang when he posted the GIF earlier today.
Benson’s been on a bit of an adventure cartoon kick in his work—see his contribution to Undervolt & Co.’s fall EP release—which seems like a natural progression from the shift he made awhile back with his Wolf and Unicorn GIF Tumblr. It also seems to be of the same thread as his Flow Cam—melting face meet colourful static distortion.
If you can find a hollowed out CRT, a tablet, and a black cloak, then guess what? You got an animated GIF art Halloween costume on your hands. Go forth now, and embrace the dead.
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