Doug Jones is a professional when it come to getting into character via his costumes, but he had a few issues with the suit in The Shape of Water. The latest Guillermo Del Toro flick is pretty much a rendition of the Creature from the Black Lagoon with a unique twist to it, but it’s also a kind of challenge even for a man like Doug Jones that’s made a living out of suiting up as one creature or another. He’s played a part-fish, part-man before in Hellboy, with David Hyde Pierce dubbing his lines so as to give a more distinctive voice. But this current film is something that he found rather challenging.
One can at least guess that each outfit is form-fitted, meaning that it will fit only Doug once it’s been cast. It will also be skin-tight so as to make it look more real. A saggy-skinned monster isn’t exactly a crowd pleaser no matter who’s in the suit. Everything with these suits has to be right, spot-on, and constantly monitored so that if anything does manage to happen the people responsible can be on the case and fixing it before the next take. In other words it’s kind of a hassle even though Doug loves what he does.
One thing he does mention is that in order for him to be able to relieve himself while he’s in the suit most of them will have a front flap so that he can take care of business when needed. They don’t have a back flap though, meaning that at times he has to go up to 15 to 16 hours without any relief, which can be a little rough. Doug has admitted to having figured out the trick to it however, which is why he’s one of the most sought-out men in the movie industry for this type of work. His latest film is something that he admits that he’s had a little bit of trouble with when it comes to the suit, but he’s been working it out as much as he can.
The interesting thing is that he does manage to swim in this suit since he is a strong enough swimmer. The only problem is that the facial portion of the suit tends to fill up with water and he’s admitted to having to surface without making it look like he’s about to suffocate. Doug has to actively clear his sinuses and deal with the fact that the suit has filled up and needs to be drained before moving on. That sounds like a lot of work for a role but he’s been so dedicated and ready to do it that he’s managed to move through every scene just as he always does, with great professionalism and a desire to do his very best when it comes to completing the film.
The Shape of Water is bound to be seen a rather strange film since it involves the creature, espionage, Russian spies, the works. But it looks as though it might be a touching tale that has just enough danger and action to be interesting.
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