Joji Tani (Japanese: è°·è²æ²», Hepburn: Tani JÅ ji), known as
Screaming Mad George, is a special effects artist, film director, and
former musician. He was born in Osaka, Japan, and emigrated to the
United States, where he has become known for his surreal, gory special
effects. He has collaborated with director and producer Brian Yuzna on
many films.Born Joji Tani in Osaka, Japan, he took the first name
George in order to stand out. Upon emigrating to the United States,
where he graduated from the School of Visual Arts, he changed his name
to Screaming Mad George in order to distinguish himself among the
other Georges in an Anglophone country. The moniker was influenced by
his love for Mad Magazine and Screamin' Jay Hawkins.George began as a
punk rock musician and played with the late 1970s band The Mad. His
gory music videos led to a job in the film industry, where he worked
on special make-up effects. His early work includes effects on Big
Trouble in Little China (1986), Predator (1987), A Nightmare on Elm
Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987), the cockroach scene in A Nightmare on
Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988), and Arena (1989). In 1989 he
returned to his home country of Japan to direct the special effects
for Tokyo: The Last War, a big budget follow up to the dark fantasy
blockbuster Tokyo: The Last Megalopolis. In 1989 he also began a
long-term collaboration with director Brian Yuzna with Society. In a
negative review, Variety called the film's SFX-laden climax
"sickening", and the Austin Chronicle called the effects "cheesy". In
more positive reviews, the Los Angeles Times called George the real
star of the film, and Empire wrote, "Yuzna and his veteran special
effects man Screaming Mad George serve up this literal slime with such
verve, wit and overall verbal and visual flair that the movie also
stands as one of the very finest of teen comedies."In a 1990 follow-up
with Yuzna, George provided special effects for Silent Night, Deadly
Night 4: Initiation (1990) that Variety called "imaginative" and "just
what modern horror fans crave". In 1991, he made his directorial debut
with The Guyver, which he co-directed with Steve Wang. Yuzna produced
the film. In America, the film was recut by New Line to remove some of
the humor and focus more on action. Entertainment Weekly rated the
film "C" and said that while the effects were good, the film was too
clichéd. The Los Angeles Times called his creature effects in Freaked
(1993) "terrific", and Ain't It Cool News said that George's work was
the best reason to watch the film. In 1993, he returned to music
releasing the album Transmutation under Extasy Records with a group
called Screaming Mad George & Psychosis.
Screaming Mad George, is a special effects artist, film director, and
former musician. He was born in Osaka, Japan, and emigrated to the
United States, where he has become known for his surreal, gory special
effects. He has collaborated with director and producer Brian Yuzna on
many films.Born Joji Tani in Osaka, Japan, he took the first name
George in order to stand out. Upon emigrating to the United States,
where he graduated from the School of Visual Arts, he changed his name
to Screaming Mad George in order to distinguish himself among the
other Georges in an Anglophone country. The moniker was influenced by
his love for Mad Magazine and Screamin' Jay Hawkins.George began as a
punk rock musician and played with the late 1970s band The Mad. His
gory music videos led to a job in the film industry, where he worked
on special make-up effects. His early work includes effects on Big
Trouble in Little China (1986), Predator (1987), A Nightmare on Elm
Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987), the cockroach scene in A Nightmare on
Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988), and Arena (1989). In 1989 he
returned to his home country of Japan to direct the special effects
for Tokyo: The Last War, a big budget follow up to the dark fantasy
blockbuster Tokyo: The Last Megalopolis. In 1989 he also began a
long-term collaboration with director Brian Yuzna with Society. In a
negative review, Variety called the film's SFX-laden climax
"sickening", and the Austin Chronicle called the effects "cheesy". In
more positive reviews, the Los Angeles Times called George the real
star of the film, and Empire wrote, "Yuzna and his veteran special
effects man Screaming Mad George serve up this literal slime with such
verve, wit and overall verbal and visual flair that the movie also
stands as one of the very finest of teen comedies."In a 1990 follow-up
with Yuzna, George provided special effects for Silent Night, Deadly
Night 4: Initiation (1990) that Variety called "imaginative" and "just
what modern horror fans crave". In 1991, he made his directorial debut
with The Guyver, which he co-directed with Steve Wang. Yuzna produced
the film. In America, the film was recut by New Line to remove some of
the humor and focus more on action. Entertainment Weekly rated the
film "C" and said that while the effects were good, the film was too
clichéd. The Los Angeles Times called his creature effects in Freaked
(1993) "terrific", and Ain't It Cool News said that George's work was
the best reason to watch the film. In 1993, he returned to music
releasing the album Transmutation under Extasy Records with a group
called Screaming Mad George & Psychosis.
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