Gordy's human actor elicits even more raw terror in a new Nope extra feature. Jordan Peele's successful sci-fi blockbuster drew a lot of attention during its initial release, promising another horror tale headlined by outstanding Black actors, this time set against the backdrop of a famous Hollywood filming location in Aqua Dulce. OJ (Daniel Kaluuya) and Em (Keke Palmer) Haywood are generational horse wranglers that train the animals for local film productions. After a freak accident kills their father, the Haywoods become invested in capturing proof of what they perceive as a UFO.
SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY
When the Haywoods and others attempt to document what turns out to be an alien animal and, in an extreme case, tame it, the creature (called "Jean Jacket") retaliates aggressively. Jupe (Steven Yeun) is the theme park owner who foolishly tries exploiting Jean Jacket for personal gain, a lesson he did not learn after his grueling experience with Gordy the Chimp in 1998. Gordy's unforeseen rampage on a sitcom set, witnessed by young Jupe, is one of Nope's most bizarre and extreme scenes, made terrifying by the CGI monkey's furious violence.
A new video shared by BD Horror Channel reveals the Gordy massacre scene without the accompanying VFX that transformed actor Terry Notary into the killer chimp. Instead, the scene plays almost identical to the one in the final version of the film, except for Notary appearing on-screen dressed in Gordy's clothes, blood all over his face and hands. The bonus feature will be a part of the upcoming Nope 4K UHD and Blu-ray release on October 25, 2022.
Previously, behind-the-scenes images teased Notary's portrayal of Gordy, but the new bonus feature showcases how accurately his movements translate into the CGI overlay. Although Gordy's animalistic rampage is similar to Jean Jacket's, Notary adds a legitimate sense of realism to the former, making the final product even more terrifying. In addition, the actor's "faux-cap" wardrobe and blood-soaked features deliver even more authenticity to the scene, further blurring the lines between the raw version and the one featuring CGI Gordy.
The extra feature is an excellent addition for Nope fans, especially those interested in the movie-making process. It simultaneously offers a cool BTS look at how Peele and his crew hand-crafted the Gordy's Home set to accommodate a human actor portraying Gordy and showcases Notary's impeccable – and terrifying – ability to play the murderous monkey. The unedited clip is most likely a part of the Shadows: The Making of Nope documentary, which is the prominent bonus feature on the film's physical release. While Peele's teased Nope extended cut may not be listed, the making-of should still be a highly intriguing look at how the film was created and will potentially reveal more secrets behind the Gordy's Home massacre.