Abyss (The)

An original miniature puppet created for the production of The Abyss, the 1989 science fiction adventure picture directed by James Cameron.

This miniature puppet of the character Lindsey Brigma, portrayed by actress Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, was constructed by the production for use in the 1:8 scale submersible filming miniatures built by Design Setters which were filmed in motion control by visual effects company Dream Quest Images under effects supervisor Hoyt Yeatman. The groundbreaking visual effects of The Abyss proved incredibly difficult to achieve with the massive effects team utilising just about every technique imaginable, this was recognised at the highest level when the 1990 Academy Award for Best Visual Effects was awarded to John Bruno, Dennis Muren, Hoyt Yeatman and Dennis Skotak for their efforts on the picture.

The puppet is constructed largely from foam latex with a sculpted head and a custom made wig, the vest and trousers costume is simply painted. The puppet is presented on a metal seat which was custom fabricated by the previous owner in order to keep this now delicate piece in a fixed position. There is age related wear to the foam latex body which has hardened in areas, notably the arms and feet, and exhibits some minor paint loss. The head remains in good condition being of solid composition, although once poseable it would be inadvisable to attempt to move the puppet. She measures approximately 4.5" tall in the seated position which would equate to around 7" if standing with the stand on which it is presented approximately 5" x 4".

Although miniature puppets were used in various shots is believed that this Brigman puppet was most likely not seen in the final cut of the film due to live action elements being optically inserted in to the submersible cockpits to achieve the realistic shots we see on screen.

An incredibly rare artefact from this Academy Award winning picture which remains highly regarded for its groundbreaking visual effects.