The Best and Worst Hollywood Resurrections

CGI resurrection of dead actors is harder than muzzle flashes or nukes — Opinion (50/100)

At 0:30

Pure opinion — no one is measuring CGI difficulty against nuclear effects.

Why this score: Subjective ranking. - Speaker places actor recreation above muzzle flashes and nukes - No objective scale exists for this comparison - Classic hyperbole to emphasize ethical weight

Original quote: “recreating an actor who has passed away with CGI. The weight on your shoulders to do them justice to honor their legacy. I mean, come on. That's got to be one of the hardest things to do. Way harder than a muzzle flash or a nuke.”

Sources: What is the hardest special effect to produce in movies, and what makes it so difficult?, Why Can't We Make Realistic 3D Characters yet? - YouTube

Tupac hologram at Coachella 2012 blew his mind — Personal Story (65/100)

At 2:30

Personal memory of the 2012 show — can't fact-check how mind-blown he was.

Why this score: Personal reaction, not a factual claim. - Speaker describes his own experience watching the performance - No specific numbers or assertions to verify - The event itself is well-documented and real

Original quote: “I don't know where you were in 2012, but I know where I was. I was staring mouth a gate at the resurrection of Tupac Shakur at Coachella. This blew my mind when it came out.”

Elvis Pizza Hut ad puppets dead man for pizza sales — Opinion (50/100)

At 4:30

Calling it tasteless is fair — estate-approved or not, it's still Elvis selling crust.

Why this score: Pure opinion on ethics of using a deceased celebrity. The ad is real from 1998 and used rotoscoping of old footage. No factual dispute here, just a strong take on whether it's gross.

Original quote: “Ooh, they got approval from the estate, whatever that means. But good lord, resurrecting and puppeting a dead man to sell pies is at the bottom of the barrel for taste. FREAKING SELL ME SOME PIES.”

Wētā FX is the best VFX company at digital actor resurrection — Opinion (50/100)

At 6:30

Strong case for Wētā on the tech side — they actually did Gollum, Avatar, and Gemini Man.

Why this score: Solid reputation on the record. - Wētā FX created the digital Gollum and handled major performance capture for Avatar and its sequels. - They also built the fully digital younger Will Smith in Gemini Man. - Their track record in facial animation and digital doubles is well documented, though "best in the world" remains subjective.

Original quote: “Yeah, there's no one else doing anything better, but like not only is it a head replacement, it is full acting replacement. And I will say performance is, you know, still a touch muted, but still when you show this side by side, you're getting those like micro movements in the face. I mean, you can…”

Paul Walker CGI in Fast 7 is an S-tier resurrection — Opinion (50/100)

At 7:00

The family-doubles-plus-CGI approach is widely considered one of the most respectful digital send-offs.

Why this score: Widely praised execution. - Wētā FX used body doubles (Walker's brothers) and facial CGI to finish Brian O'Conner's scenes. - The result was convincing enough that many viewers only noticed the replacement after breakdowns were released. - It remains a benchmark for handling an actor's death mid-franchise.

Original quote: “And then tastewise, at the end of the day, they are doing their best to make it feel like just an authentic performance for this actor in the last film he was in. They have his family in as doubles. Overall, when it comes to resurrecting an actor, this is an S.”

Declares their website ranking as S-tier — Opinion (50/100)

At 9:11

Self-declared S-tier ranking — pure opinion with no external validation.

Why this score: Subjective self-assessment. The speaker claims their own ranking effort deserves S-tier status. Key points: - No criteria or comparison to other rankings provided - "S tier" is a casual tier-list term, not a measurable standard - This is commentary on their own content, not a verifiable fact

Original quote: “Well, I know one thing above all, if it made an S tier, it's got to be an S tier. So, we did it. We ranked the websites.”

Reeve's kids weren't asked and haven't seen the cameo — Verified (90/100)

At 10:30

Reeve's children confirmed zero involvement and haven't watched the scene.

Why this score: Accurate on consent. Key points: - Reeve's kids stated in January 2024 they had no input and hadn't seen it - Warner Bros. held character rights but family consent is separate issue - This matches the documented timeline exactly

Original quote: “They weren't asked for permission. They just did it. And to this day, the kids haven't watched this taste aspect is actually bringing this down quite a bit.”

The CGI Superman looks like a thawed corpse — Opinion (60/100)

At 10:50

Common description of the uncanny-valley quality in the cameo.

Why this score: Subjective visual critique. Key points: - Multiple reviews used similar "ghoulish" or "thawed" language - CGI quality was widely called out as poor - It's a fair description even if harsh

Original quote: “Even the model itself looks like a like a thawed corpse.”

The cameo honors Reeve's legacy as Superman — Opinion (55/100)

At 11:10

Defends the intent while ignoring the consent and quality issues raised earlier.

Why this score: Nostalgia defense. Key points: - Intent to honor can exist alongside ethical problems - Family non-consent undercuts the "honor" framing - Quality failure makes the tribute land poorly

Original quote: “It's a chance to remember and honor the legacy that Christopher Reeves played as Superman. It's just a glimpse of him just being like, "Hey, don't forget about this guy who really killed it as Superman."”

Describes advanced VFX face replacement process — Just Vibes (50/100)

At 12:30

They're breaking down the technical steps in a Brando-style face swap — sounds like serious digital magic.

Why this score: Real VFX workflow on display here. - The process described matches standard digital face replacement: matching lip shapes, skin texture, and expressions. - Early versions of this tech were used in the 90s to finish films after actor deaths.

Original quote: “Computing the Brando model. Brando model matched. Applying skin. Relaxing lips.”

The final composite shot in The Crow is technically impressive but low on ambition — Opinion (50/100)

At 14:30

Fair debate — the shot relies on quick cuts and lighting rather than complex camera moves.

Why this score: Pure opinion on artistic ambition. - The final shot uses lightning flashes and silhouette to hide the composite. - One speaker calls it B-level because it avoids full 3D camera work. - The other defends it as A-level for creative choices that fit the film's dark tone.

Original quote: “So I would give this an A to be honest. Yeah. Now, I will say the execution is good, but that final shot, that's really kind of the digital composite moment, and it is flashes, frames, individual frames in between total darkness and silhouette. So, ambition's not very high at all on this. That…”

Nancy Marchand died during Sopranos filming; VFX used for her final scene — Verified (85/100)

At 16:30

Mostly right — she died after season 2, before season 3 filming started; they used existing footage and a body double.

Why this score: Timeline is slightly off but the core fact holds. Details: - Nancy Marchand passed in June 2000 after season 2 aired - Season 3 used outtakes and compositing for Livia's final appearance - The VFX was basic head replacement on a body double, which matches their critique

Original quote: “One of the very first clips you looked at on the visual effects artist react was Nancy Marchan being resurrected for the Sopranos. She passed away though while they were filming the season of the Sopranos. ... Tastewise, it doesn't feel like offensive to me. I'm going to give it a C because it…”

CGI face on body double in 2016 Hawaii Five-0 scene looks good when still — Opinion (50/100)

At 20:30

When it’s frozen the effect holds up — motion exposes every seam.

Why this score: The group’s observation is accurate to how the scene actually plays. Static frames hide the limitations of 2016 VFX. Once the head turns or speaks, the composite breaks. This is a common issue with early digital face replacements on TV budgets.

Original quote: “Just imagine you're sitting in a church and you turn around to see this. You see, I can use the company. Okay. If you don't mind me asking what type of work do you do? And I'm uh what? It's crazy cuz like when it doesn't move.”

Ranks the Ian Holm deepfake in Alien: Romulus as a C-grade resurrection — Opinion (50/100)

At 22:30

They're grading it a C — middle of the road technically but not fully convincing.

Why this score: Solid middle-ground take. - The speaker is weighing the technical ambition against visible limitations. - They note the deepfake sits on a real puppet base, which keeps it grounded. - The "drawn and quartered" analogy captures the uneven results well.

Original quote: “You have some things going really high. You have some things going really low. And as we know through history, what happens when you're drawn and quartered? Your body ends up in the middle, and that's where this belongs in a C.”

Claims Egon was rebuilt in 3D from 1984 film negatives — OK (65/100)

At 24:30

Mostly right on the tech but the name is wrong — it's Ramis, not Ramos.

Why this score: Close but imprecise. Key issues: - Harold Ramis was recreated using reference from the 1984 Ghostbusters and other footage. - VFX studio MPC handled the digital aging and modeling. - Speaker said 'Ramos' instead of 'Ramis' — minor but noticeable slip.

Original quote: “They rebuilt Harold Ramos in 3D based on uh film negatives from 1984 and then they aged it digitally.”

Compares recent resurrection to The Flash's cynical approach — Opinion (50/100)

At 26:30

Fair point on the "buy the ticket" cynicism — The Flash's marketing did lean hard on nostalgia.

Why this score: Opinion on tone and marketing. - The speaker notes the director contacted the family, which aligns with standard practice for likeness rights. - Compares it to The Flash's approach of simply presenting a revived character. - *The Flash* (2023) did face criticism for relying on legacy character returns amid its troubled production.

Original quote: “you're right, it's pretty muted. It's great that the director reached out to the family. It does feel a little bit like the Flash though, being like, "Here's the character. They're back. Buy the ticket."”

Calls Palpatine's return the best technical resurrection ever — Opinion (50/100)

At 28:30

Calling it the 'best technical resurrection ever' is pure opinion — fans are still arguing about it.

Why this score: Subjective ranking. This is the speakers' personal tier list, not a factual claim. - They acknowledge the 'sour taste' from how it was handled - The 'somehow Palpatine returned' line is widely mocked as lazy writing - No objective metric exists for 'best technical resurrection'

Original quote: “This is the best technical resurrection ever done. Little sour taste in the meal. Little bit sour. Don't let that ruin the best meal of your life, your honor. This belongs in the S tier. Let's be bold. Do something bold. >> You're right. >> It's an S. It's an S tier resurrection. All these mo…”