We see an uncanny valley effect in a negative light most of the time, like when they try to digitally de-age an older actor in the movie or even worse – create a scene with an actor who has already died.
But I accidentally saw a YouTube AI video a few days ago where an uncanny valley effect of today's AI is used to its full potential – https://youtu.be/INpdA-yikHs?si=jvqMiW8C4Q6EwUOs
You'd think that an uncanny valley effect might actually be useful when you need something horror and surreal.
But it also got me thinking. I remembered Tron: Legacy (2011), a great and underappreciated movie. Anyway, there's a character named Clu in the movie. No spoilers here, but he's basically a full CGI young Jeff Bridges. The model still looks really good even today, but you can still clearly tell that it's CGI. It has a bit of an uncanny valley to it. But then there's a trick to it. The movie takes place in a digital world with programs for 90% of the time. And because of this Clu's digital appearance doesn't actually feel unnatural. He's the leader of this digital world, and he's a program. Yes, other programs played in the movie were played by real actors. But still, Clu is the leader of this world, so maybe he's supposed to look a little more CGI than others?
Anyway, there's an interesting question in my head right now. Are there other examples when an uncanny valley effect was used for the good of the movie or at least justified by the plot or the genre? I'm sorry, maybe it's a stupid question, but I think it's an interesting one.
by maximmin
9 Comments
i think it works if it takes place in dreams
like sandman but i haven’t seen sandman yet and yes i’m aware it’s tv.
so if they do uncanny valley things like the comics did then that’s good
In horror movies, yes
The only one that pops into my head is Alita Battle Angel and it works well in that movie
Is this thread not about M3GAN?
i think it’d work for The Wheel of Time. make it as realistic as possible for the Aes Sedai’s faces but you could still tell that something’s off.
In movies like M3GAN, yup.
Looks like CGI and AI, has anyone shown them how to create real content with analogue film equipment?
Well part of the issue with the movies you list is that the audience knows the actor is not the age being portrayed or is dead. I think that’s actually the biggest problem and not the CG. Uncanny valley is more like The Polar Express where it’s close enough to be weird or creepy. But if you had no idea Peter Cushing was dead or who he was (let’s say Rogue One was the first Star Wars movie you’d ever seen) I’m not sure how many people would intuit that was a CG head replacement. Same story with the Winklevoss twins in The Social Network, most people can’t tell that’s a head replacement.
Xavier: Renegade Angel was a whole show