Archive for special effects
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Supernal Dreams: Academy Boosts Visual Effects Nominees to Five
As I’ve suggested for the last two years, limiting the Academy Award for “Best Visual Effects” to only three nominees seems quite unfair, since all the other categories (except make-up) have five nominees. Given the overwhelming number of films that feature superlative effects work these days, it has become increasingly obvious that this is a change that has been long overdue.
Happy Birthday, Ray Harryhausen!
– Stop-Motion Great Turns 90 –
Today, June 29th 2010, is Ray Harryhausen’s ninetieth birthday.
Special effects innovator, stop-motion animator, concept artist, story generator, producer, and a genre icon, responsible for many of the more imaginative science fiction films and fantasies that shaped 20th century cinefantastique.
Beginning (from the genre fan’s point of view) with 1949’s MIGHTY JOE [...]
The Making of Metropolis: Special Effects by Gunther Rittau
In this 1927 article written by cinematographer Gunther Rittau, he discusses the many groundbreaking special effects that were devised for the film. Metropolis took an astounding 310 days to shoot in 1926, requiring the services of hundreds of technicians, and Gunther Rittau shared the camerawork with Karl Freund, who like Lang came to Hollywood where [...]
Supernal Dreams: Ray Harryhausen on the original CLASH OF THE TITANS
With the re-make of Clash of the Titans hitting theaters this week, Warner Bros. has released the original 1981 film on Blue-Ray disc. To celebrate, here is part V of my interview with Ray Harryhausen, discussing his hand-crafted approach to creating the film’s special visual effects.
Clash of the Titans theatrical release
[ April 2, 2010; ] Warner Brothers releases this elaborate remake of the 1981 original. The new version replaces Ray Harryhausen’s old stop-motion monsters with modern computer-generated imagery, and best of all – it’s in 3D!
Obituary: Stan Winston
Stan Winston – who built up a company that became one of Hollywood’s top suppliers of high-tech makeup and effects – died on Sunday evening of multiple myeloma. He was 62.
Stan Winston Studios contributed Oscar-winning prosthetic make-up and animatronic effects to such blockbusters as ALIENS, TEMINATOR 2, and JURASSIC PARK. When computer-generated imagery revolutionized the field of special [...]
Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters – Book Review
Eiji Tsuburaya, the special effects director responsible for the classic Toho monster movies, is a figure of major importance in the history of Japanese fantasy films. Inspired by the stop-motion special effects of Willis O’Brien (e.g. 1933’s KING KONG), Tsuburaya yearned to create his own movie monster, and he finally got his chance when producer [...]
Academy names finalists for Best Visual Effects and Make-up Oscars
Given the great abundance of award worthy effects films that are released each year, one has to wonder why the Academy in all its great wisdom, continues to announce a list of seven finalists for the effects Academy Award and then insists on whittling it down to only three nominees.
Every other award category (except for make-up [...]
Ray Harryhausen to receive award
Stop-motion master Ray Harryhausen has been selected by the Art Directors Guild to receive its annual award for Outstanding Contribution to Cinematic Imagery. The 12th annual Art Directors Guild Awards will take place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on February 16. Previous recipients include Terry Gilliam (12 Monkeys), Steven Spielberg (WAR OF THE WORLDS), Robert [...]
