Tom Savini didn’t spend his childhood idolizing sports stars or superheroes. Instead, the special effects artist and director aspired to become like the monsters he saw on screen.

Savini is known for his work in special effects on films like Dawn of the Dead (1978), Friday the 13th (1980), and Maniac (1980).

During an interview with The News Tribune, Savini recalled that his life changed the instant he saw actor Lon Chaney in horror movies.

“When I saw Lon Chaney turning himself into the Hunchback and the Phantom, it clicked in my head,” said Savini. “‘Of course! Somebody has to make this stuff.’ Somebody had to create the makeup that could make a man a monster. At that moment, at that second…it was a huge change. That day, I walked around in a daze, wanting to be Lon Chaney when I grew up.”

Though Savini paved his way in the horror industry as a special effects artist, he also aspired to work as a director. Eventually, the actor achieved this dream, spearheading movies like the 1990 remake, Night of the Living Dead.

“I’m glad that my name got associated with splatter movies - king of splatter, god of gore, all that stuff,” said Savini. “It gave my name a certain infamy. But now I’m using that infamy to move on to other things.”

Savini hoped that his work in horror would help him extend beyond the genre. “What I hope to happen is I’ll be directing not just horror movies, but also action-adventure, swashbuckling, ballsy stuff,” said Savini.