Christopher James Walas (born 1955) is an American special effects artist, make-up effects artist, film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is best known for his work on the film The Fly (1986),[1] for which he won an Academy Award and was nominated for two British Academy Film Awards.
Walas grew up a fan of monster movies and particularly the work of Ray Harryhausen, even considering becoming a stop motion animator. After moving to Los Angeles in his early twenties seeking any filmmaking opportunity, he got a job at Don Post Studios, a mask-making company, learning all about creation of props and prosthetics. After meeting Phil Tippett making Piranha, Walas was recruited by him to do effects in Dragonslayer. At the same time Tippett joined another Industrial Light & Magic production, Raiders of the Lost Ark,[3] being responsible for the famous scene where the Nazis melt from the intense heat created by the Ark of the Covenant.[4] Walas would then work in Return of the Jedi, designing five creatures seen in Jabba the Hutt‘s palace.[3] Walas left ILM to found his own company, Chris Walas Inc. (CWI), once he was recruited by Piranha director Joe Dante to create the creatures from Gremlins. CWI remained in high demand for film, television and commercials.[5]
