Tim Robbins sees the puppet and faces trouble with Howard the Duck

The Whimsical Struggle Behind Howard the Duck

While the mythology of Star Wars often conjures images of massive, triumphant filmmaking, its creator George Lucas has shown a surprising dose of humility when discussing his career. From acknowledging flops like More American Graffiti to joking about destroying copies of the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special, Lucas admits that not every endeavor results in blockbuster success. This tendency toward self-deprecating humor sets an interesting backdrop for the history of his creative ventures.

Among his projects, the production of Howard the Duck stands out as another example of a film that didn’t exactly hit the mark commercially. Despite its cult status today, the movie starring Lea Thompson and Tim Robbins was known internally to be a bit of an experiment, prompting fascinating reflections from those involved.

One such reflection comes from actor Tim Robbins, who recently shared anecdotes about his time working on the production. Speaking on a recent podcast, Robbins discussed the challenges inherent in realizing the film, particularly regarding its unique visual and mechanical elements.

When discussing the process, Robbins recalled the initial struggles with creating the puppet itself. He admitted that early on, there was a palpable sense of trouble: “We walked on the set…I walked on the set…the first day, I knew we were in trouble. The puppet; it wasn’t ready. It was a little too cute.”

Robbins further elaborated on this realization, noting that the character design deviated from expectations. He described the initial aesthetic concern: “If you look at the comic book, Howard the Duck was not that cute. [He was] Kind of Fritz the Cat-ish. Really kind of borderline obscene. I walked on the set and I saw that cute duck and I was like, ‘Uh oh.’”

The difficulties extended beyond the visual design into the practical aspects of filmmaking. Robbins emphasized the frustration caused by the technology used to bring the character to life. He felt a disconnect between intention and execution regarding the puppetry: “I just remember those poor puppeteers, man. They were trying to make this thing work and I don’t think the technology really existed. They were trying so hard and I just felt for everybody. Including the director. I felt he tried his damn best. Betrayal by puppeteering. And it wasn’t the puppeteers. It was the actual machinery.”

Beyond the character design, Robbins also touched upon the technical demands of the shoot. He detailed a specific sequence involving an ultralight plane chase, which required significant time and effort: “I spent six weeks on that film doing an ultralight [plane] chase…lasted maybe two minutes in the film. You know the ultralight planes? It’s basically you and wings and the motor. And so, there’s a chase sequence at the end that’s about two-and-a-half minute/three minute long. I got in a fake one [on a soundstage]. Cause [otherwise] you’d have to fly it.”

Despite these production hurdles, Robbins expressed satisfaction that this endeavor did not derail his career. He was fortunate that other films were released around the same time, including The Shawshank Redemption and Five Corners, which provided a stable foundation for his professional journey.