Special Effects Icon Tom Savini Getting Coffee Table Book

Tom Savini, the special effects legend who has worked on movies like George Romero's Dawn of the [...]

By Russ Burlingame

Tom Savini, the special effects legend who has worked on movies like George Romero's Dawn of the Dead and Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter, will see decades of his work compiled into an oversized coffee table book that blends high-quality looks at his makeup and special effects with the story of his own life. Savini announced the "gigantic" volume on Twitter, revealing a promotional image for the book, which is simply called Savini. Also an actor, director, and producer, Savini was one of the first rock stars in the area of special effects, earning himself a loyal fan following in a field where many of his contemporaries remained largely anonymous.

According to his bio on IMDb, "Savini was born in Pittsburgh. Inspired by the film Man of a Thousand Faces (1957), a young Savini became fascinated with the magic and illusion of film. He spent his youth in his room creating characters by tirelessly practicing make-up. Later, as a combat photographer in Vietnam, Savini saw first-hand the gruesome carnage for which he later gained fame, simulating it on screen." The Pittsburgh connection would turn out to be more fortuitous for somebody in that particular field than he might have guessed growing up, since it put him on a collision course with Romero. The pair collaborated on several projects including Dawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead, and Creepshow.

There is no official word yet on when the book will be released. As noted on Bloody Disgusting, much of Savini's work has been immortalized in previous photo books, Grande Illusions Books I and II. He also penned a book called Bizarro, which offered tips and tricks for aspiring effects artists. Keep an eye on Savini's social media presence, or maybe set a notice for yourself to check him out on Amazon or Barnes & Noble periodically, to get a sense for what is next.

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