Guest Ransik Posted January 1, 2009 Posted January 1, 2009 I got all 4 seasons on DVD for X-Mas (50% off sales are always fun) and something occurred to me; No one has ever seen the puppeteers controlling Alf either via picture or by video. I know Paul Fusco was very secretive about how Alf was controlled and I did find out that he would control one arm and the mouth along with supplying the voice... while another person would run the facial expressions and an assistant would control the other arm when needed. I am very curious though because I cannot find ANYTHING on it... I want to actually see how Alf was operated. I'm in the middle of Season 1 and it dawned on me even after 20 years, it creeps me out that at times you'd really think Alf was alive. I did track down some information that there was an interview with Fusco and his wife and there was SOME footage of him controlling Alf but I cannot find it, only updated photos of the cast. If anyone could track this done I'd appreciate it!
infinitywpi Posted January 1, 2009 Posted January 1, 2009 One of the most closely-guarded secrets in all of television...
Guest Ransik Posted January 1, 2009 Posted January 1, 2009 One of the most closely-guarded secrets in all of television... I know, it's kind of creepy when you think about it. It's been what... 22 years and no one really knows how any of it worked. Last night about 3am I was so friggin' tired my mind wasn't telling me Alf was a muppet... ha! I did find a piece after I made the thread where Fusco stated that the 5th season to Alf was actually going to be Alf in a military base... which they did with Project Alf in 1996 on the TV movie. Kind of happy it ended after 4 seasons... cause Alf would've NEVER made it through a 5th season if they got rid of the Tanner family. I watched Project Alf today and it was just so horrid, I can hardly believe they actually wanted an entire season to be like that!
darthsiddus2 Posted January 1, 2009 Posted January 1, 2009 ummm you guys do realize that its all just green screen and blue screen right?
Guest Ransik Posted January 1, 2009 Posted January 1, 2009 ummm you guys do realize that its all just green screen and blue screen right? Actually there was no blue or green screen done on Alf. The set was 4 feet above the ground with more than 20 trapdoors built into it to hide the people.
GatorBait19 Posted January 1, 2009 Posted January 1, 2009 Also, one of the most watched Series Finales in history and it was left on a cliffhanger
nucleardonkey Posted January 1, 2009 Posted January 1, 2009 In the first season and part of the second season (whenever he was seen walking around) Michu Mezaros (a three foot tall actor) was in an ALF costume. After that I guess it's one of those things that we'll never know. For the record though I've seen Project ALF now 4 times and on it's own without thinking about the series or anything leading up to and just soaking in the ALF character it's actually a real good movie IMO. The world needs more small, hairy, smart-ass aliens.
Vladamire Dracos Posted January 1, 2009 Posted January 1, 2009 Mezaros was only used when they wanted to do body shots of Alf or have him in motion in ways that the trapdoor/puppeteering wouldn't allow (like in the opening credits) quite a lot of it was still done through the trapdoor/puppeteering method, though. From what I've read, Mezaros didn't like being in the Alf suit because it was extremely hot to wear and he'd have to wear it for extended periods of time.
Guest Ransik Posted January 1, 2009 Posted January 1, 2009 I just noticed something pretty odd that should've been caught by production. If you watch the Season 1 opening credits... when it gets to Benji Gregory, you can clearly see one of the set lights when "Alf" moves the camera.
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