Bring Back the Dead: A Case for Reviving People Through CGI

People are Upset About Digital James Dean, But Should They Be?

Some of you might have heard recently that James Dean is about to star in new movie 64 years after his death. The film, Finding Jack, will be digitally recreating the actor so that he can grace the silver screen once more. Now, more than a few people are pretty upset by the idea of a digital zombie James Dean. However, with the rise of Deepfake technology, this was something that was pretty much inevitable. The thing is that I don’t think that this is necessarily a bad idea. We already pretty much do exactly the same thing now when we digitally de-age actors for films like Gemini Man, Tron: Legacy, and The Irishman. So, if we can make actors appear younger, what’s the problem with them looking like someone else entirely? This could be a huge move for the future of filmmaking, but there has to be some morals attached to using this kind of technology. After all, with great power comes great responsibility.

Think about some of your favorite actors of all time. Some of them are probably no longer among us, which really sucks. However, if there was a way that they could be brought back again and have their spirit honored at the same time, would that really be so bad? The biggest example I could think of is Stan Lee. The legendary comics creator passed away in 2018 and left a huge “excelsior” sized hole in all of our hearts. One of the things I’m going to miss the most about him though are those great Marvel movie cameos. Well, what if they didn’t have to stop? What if Stan Lee could keep appearing for a few minutes at a time in every Marvel movie from now until the sun explodes? Would that be such a bad thing? Do you think he would be looking down from heaven pissed off that fans are still cheering every time he makes an appearance? I didn’t know the man, but I don’t think he would be too mad about it.

Then there are all those biopics that hit theaters every year. Actors already go through incredible lengths to look the part from Rami Malek in Bohemian Rhapsody to Christian Bale in Vice. Now, imagine if they could look exactly like the celebrity, athlete, historical figure, etc they were portraying? Imagine movies set in an alternate timeline with perfectly recreated long-dead politicians appearing in bold new versions of reality where, say, the Russians won the Cold War or superheroes existed during the Vietnam War. Maybe it could be a much smaller thing, like a private eye that looks like Humphrey Bogart sitting in the background at a bar in a new noir film. Perhaps even a fun homage, like Bruce Lee appearing as a secondary fighter in a tournament-style martial arts movie. The possibilities are almost limitless when it comes to the use of this technology. It can even allow actors to take performances to the next level as they’re forced to really study the smallest mannerisms of the people they’re playing to get it just right.   

Of course, actors would still have to give those performances with motion capture tracking all of their movements, micro-expressions, even the tone and inflections in their voice. The only thing is that there would be a new face laid on top of theirs. A slight alteration of their voice without affecting the performance. Then you would be looking at the past come to life once more. Some people might argue that this isn’t really acting. For them, I only have one response, Andy Serkis. The man has played Gollum in Lord of the Rings, Cesar in Planet of the Apes, and even King Kong. If you’re going to tell me that he’s not really “acting” in those films, well, you’re just plain wrong. The man is the king of motion capture and has made a career out of  breathing life into characters that wouldn’t be possible without technology and his dedication to his performances. The same would go for anyone else in the future taking any roles requiring this CGI treatment.

I will admit that I do have some concerns about how this new technology could be used for evil. For one thing, I believe that in order for it to be used, the living relatives of the celebrity should be consulted. There’s something to be said for artistic freedom, but if there’s one thing we learned recently from Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, it’s that not everyone uses that freedom properly (Tarantino really stepped in it with his inaccurate and insulting portrayal of Bruce Lee). There will definitely be situations where family members don’t want their relatives’ indiscretions or dark secrets shown on the big screen, and in those cases, I believe that the truth should prevail as long as it is the actual truth. Another issue that I believe should be addressed is that we don’t need a bunch of white actors playing people of color just because they can have a different face laid over them in post-production (Sorry, Scarlett Johansson). That’s essentially digital blackface and the same rule should probably apply to anyone playing any ethnicity outside of their own.   

Look, long story short, this is happening whether we like it or not. The technology is there and people are going to use it to make movies. However, if we get ahead of this by accepting its inevitability it will allow us to put into place guidelines to ensure that it pisses off as few people as possible in the long run. Coming up with a code of ethics that storytellers can agree on, or even starting to put creative laws in place will save us all a lot of heartache and headaches in the future. Honestly, I think this is really exciting and can take a lot of movies to the next level. I also think that this technology has the ability to be absolutely terrifying if used inappropriately. Of course, Hollywood is out to make a buck at the end of the day, but I believe there are enough good people out there to keep this sort of thing honest for the most part.

What are your thoughts though? Do you think this is an abomination unto the Gods of cinema or an opportunity for movies to be better than ever? Leave a comment below letting me know your stance. I’m trying to be optimistic about this whole thing, but I would love to hear your opinions and concerns.