Unpacking the Disturbing Themes of 'Beau Is Afraid' by Ari Aster.
Prosthetic effects designer Steve Newburn created a 16-foot-tall animatronic penis monster for Ari Aster's latest film, "Beau Is Afraid." The creature, which features a large, circumcised penis with eyes and teeth on its head, two arachnid arms, two enormous and swollen testicles, and a sac with numerous smaller penises protruding like udders, is a metaphorical representation of the protagonist's fractured filial relationships. The effects team spent nine weeks constructing the monster, which was modular for easier transportation, and required five puppeteers to bring it to life. Despite dividing critics and audiences, the giant penis monster epitomizes the movie's existential debates and Aster's own dark and idiosyncratic mind.