The Morning Watch: ‘TRON Legacy’ Updated With DeepFake, Looking Back At ‘Small Soldiers’ & More
The Morning Watchis a recurring feature that highlights a handful of noteworthy videos from around the web. They could be video essays, fanmade productions, featurettes, short films, hilarious sketches, or just anything that has to do with our favorite movies and TV shows.
In this edition, watch the dated visual effects used to bring youngJeff Bridgesto life inTRON Legacygiven a makeover with DeepFake technology. Plus, take a look back atJoe Dante’s darker,Gremlins-esque take onToy Storywith a retrospective onSmall Soldiers. And finally, listen toGlenn Closetake a look back at some of her most memorable characters, fromThe Big Chillto the live-action101 Dalmatiansremake and beyond.
First up, though the visual effects technology was innovative at the time, the digitally created young Jeff Bridges is nothing compared to the de-aging effects we’ve seen in movies likeCaptain MarvelandAvengers: Endgame. But YouTuberShamookhas applied DeepFake technology to the character of CLU to make the digital young Jeff Bridges look infinitely better.
Next, even though the idea of toys coming to life was turned into a heartwarming tale in Pixar Animation’s first feature length computer animated movie, director Joe Dante took a different approach withSmall Soldiers. When action figures are given artificially intelligent military computer chips, they come to life and wreak havoc on humans, making for a movie that seems like it should be mostly family friendly, but asSyfy Wirelooks back at the movie, you’ll remember it’s actually kind of terrifying.
Finally, withHillbilly Elegynow available on Netflix, listen asVanity Fairhas Glenn Close look back at her extensive career on the big screen, including thrillers likeFatal AttractionandDangerous Liaisons, her incredible take on Cruella de Vil in101 Dalmatians, negotiating with terrorists inAir Force One, policing space inGuardians of the Galaxy, and much more.
