Best pre-CGI special effects sequence?

[Orrex]

I've been thinking about this, and I don't really have an answer. The asteroid belt in The Empire Strikes Back is the first one that occurs to me, but there must be other contenders, right?

[Brother Buzz]

1. Bibo

The cool special effects sequence starts about 2:08 into the film. Enjoy.

http://www.mcphee.com/blog/?p=811

[Orrex]

2. Part of my soul is dead now.

And not a small part.

[MilesColtrane]

21. My God.

Why doesn't one of them pull out a katana and dispatch that keening, mutant, feathered-boa-wearing abomination against nature?

That would be the very definition of a mercy killing.

[Brother Buzz]

23. That keening, mutant, feathered-boa-wearing abomination against nature saved the world....

by farting and pissing on a meteorite, a hairball, or something, and you want to kill it? Shame on you.

Bibo happy. Bibo sad. Bibo’s bodily functions. It’s all there.

[MilesColtrane]

29. I've heard that James Cameron has optioned a multi-million dollar Bibo reeboot.

He's negotiating with IMAX theaters to install the special Fart-O-Rama technology now.

[ChickMagic]

102. Are you quite sure that was piss?

He was, after all, remembering fiddling around with a girl -
looking up her skirt and stuff - while he was producing the
hose beast.

[Iggo]

28. Um...I don't think that's a feather boa.

:scared:

[AllenVanAllen]

49. oops

[krispos42]

82. That would have broken Mike Nelson and the 'bots.

That would have snapped their brains like they were pretzel sticks. Thank God that was never dubbed over in English, or else Forrester would have won.


Orrex, you said it!

[ChickMagic]

98. My innocence is gone.

You are dead to me!

[kaiden]

3. hahahahaha. I go drink now.

[Common Sense Party]

4. Parting of the Red Sea.

Ten Commandments. Yeah, it looks kind of hokey now, but 60 years ago, that was amazing stuff.

[Orrex]

5. Yes--that's an excellent one!

For that matter, the tornado in The Wizard of Oz is pretty amazing, considering the special effects technology of the time.

[Common Sense Party]

7. That's true. I wonder how they did that one.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

9. It was just stock footage of a real tornado.

[Orrex]

11. And the melting witch effect was just stock footage of a real melting witch

Amazing stuff, that stock footage.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

12. Either that or just a trap door covered by her witch's robe.

[Orrex]

14. Bah! Spare me your delusional fantasies!

Bah!

[Auggie]

19. It wasn't stock footage

The tornado is essentially a 35-foot tall cylinder of chicken wire, covered with black cloth and spun around by an electric motor. Other model tornadoes had been tried, including a large tube of rubber sheeting. It turned out to be too shiny.

Experimentation found that cloth of a very thin, fibrous nature would photograph well, and also allow the special effects artists to blow fine dust down through the tube. The dust passed through the fabric, creating a dirty look around the funnel of the tornado.

Additional dust was blown out the bottom of the tornado, mimicking the dirt chewed up by the storm as it roared across plowed fields.

LINK: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4179/is_20040430/ai_n11812753/

[Common Sense Party]

35. Great info! Thanks for the link. n/t

[Orrex]

40. Next, you're going to tell me that they didn't really melt a witch, either

Party pooper!

[Love Bug]

57. No, it wasn't

It was a tube of muslin suspended from the ceiling to a track in the floor at the back of the soundstage. As workers moved it twisting along the track, dust was blown up from below to give the appearance of dirt being stirred up on the ground.

[jobycom]

88. Darn Muslins were terrorizing back then, too, making tornados and stuff.

:wow:

[Zomby Woof]

44. Oops

Someone else amswered this. I understand that there was muslin wrapped around the wire, however.

[sarge43]

59. FWIW I read it was gelatin dyed blue, filmed poured down a panel and then film reversed. n/t

[kayakjohnny]

22. Totally! I was going to post that if you hadn't.

It was amazing. I heard how they did it but too wordy to mention here. It was more straighforward than you might imagine. There's a documentary about the making of 'Oz' and it's explained rather well. The documentary is well worth the time.

[Swede]

6. 2001: A Space Odyssey.

One long special effect.

[Orrex]

8. Good one!

I've read a lot about how they did all of that, and it's amazing from the first frame to the last.

The panoramic shots in the prehistoric wilderness are among the most subtle and surprising effects in the film IMO.

[REP]

13. The computer screens are subtly amazing as well

Considering such things didn't exist as such when the film was made, and I believe they're all some tedious hand drawn glass plate animation.

[Orrex]

15. When I read about how they did the wire-frame diagnostic of the antenna module, I was amazed

Considering that just a few years later they'd have been able to do it on an actual computer with 1/100 the effort!

[REP]

16. What's really astounding is how well the fx have held up

I think 2001's special effects still look terrific; in fact, they're the primary reason it's on of my favorite movies. Later movies with more 'advanced' fx, like Tron or even Star Wars have fx that look dated, if that's the right word. Not that parts of 2001 don't; I just think the fx parts have held up very well.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

26. I was surprised at the methods they used.

The "floating pen" in the space-station sequence was accomplished with a piece of transparent glass, scotch tape and two hands, apparently.

It was in the special features section of the Blu-ray, which looks amazing, by the way:

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDReviews33/2001_HD_Blu-ray.htm

[barb162]

24. Brilliant special effects in that one. n/t

[Richardo]

74. This is the credited response.

In addition to the timelessness of most of the fx (notepad televisions!), the science in 2001 was excrutiatingly accurate. No sounds in space, no apparent movement of Discovery against the background (stars way too distant to "move"), even the look of the PanAm shuttle was very close to what was produced.

Loves me this movie.

[ChickMagic]

99. 2001 is among my all time favorite movies

but I can never get over the straw. When the guy
drinks from it in the shuttle, the crud he's drinking
goes back down the straw. That's really the
only jarring thing to me.

[kentauros]

100. That could also be from a negative pressure inside the bag

and not necessarily from gravity in the film studio ;)

[ChickMagic]

101. You've rescued me.

It is now perfect. I did not think of that.
I read a book about the making of 2001 and
it took 7 years of hand matting to make it work.
I still get chills when the femur gets thrown
into the sky and becomes the space station.

[kentauros]

104. lol!

Well, then, you're welcome! :D

My other thought was "capillary action" but the straw is likely too big around for that, if size matters in such things...

[HopeHoops]

10. Singing in the rain - the up the wall thing.

The guy in Full Monty just didn't get it right.

[sarge43]

54. And Fred Astaire's wall and ceiling dance - Royal Wedding

After sixty years still amazing.

[REP]

17. Brazil (?)

I don't think they're CGI, but I could be wrong.

[jmowreader]

18. The Towering Inferno

They used no-shit FIRE in that movie.

[kentauros]

20. Forbidden Planet, inside the great machine

and that includes the "electronic tonalities" by the Barron's :D

[sarge43]

63. The space ship interior wasn't shabby either. n/t

[kentauros]

76. Yes, they had great sets all the way around.

Like the Krell lab :D

[sarge43]

79. Yes. The Krell power plant was amazing, too.

Someone once said it was the best of the Star Trek movies. :)

[kentauros]

81. Star Trek was certainly inspired by Forbidden Planet.

I remember an interview with LeVar Burton where he talks about the similarities, like the method they use to protect everyone when going into and out of hyperspace. Also the communicators, though FP's had video capability as well as voice :)

Forbidden Planet is being remade. I may see it anyway, mainly because JMS (J. Michael Straczynski) is writing it and I've seen how he loves the movie and even used elements of the Big Machine in Babylon 5 :)

My only real problem with them remaking it is that we will probably lose the soundtrack. What the Barron's created with their "electronic tonalities" was not only groundbreaking, but almost never done again. I can't think of any movies that have anything like that truly "alien" sound to them, and would expect today's audiences to reject it utterly, unfortunately.

[sarge43]

86. Agree

Tonalities would be perfect id for the Krell.

Well, if you stand by Straczynski, so say we all. Decent writing is absolutely essential or it will be another horrible joke like the redo of TDTESS.

If I were asked (snork), I'd do a refit on Robby; the cute animated tomato can is passe. I'd have an organic entity(ies) developed by the Krell as servants/assistants. A few survived, but very rare now. This entity is very long lived, more intelligent than humans, has most, if not all, of Robby's abilities and programed with Azimov's Laws. However, being sentient and organic she (and why not. Companion for Altaira, "Girl, we gotta talk.") has self awareness and a survival sense. She's the perfect servant, totally loyal, but when Morbius unspools, some dramatic tension. Does she remain loyal to Morbius or, having been there, seen that, decides to cover hero's back, grab girl friend and haul before things go very ugly.

James Cromwell as Morbius?

[kentauros]

90. In all these movie remakes (or series rebuilds)

the one thing I emphasize is good writing. And yet... look at a forum like imdb and the primary discussion on an upcoming movie rarely if ever focuses on who's writing it and the quality of the story. All anyone seems to care about is who's playing the part, as if that will make it a great remake. Some people never get it, and I'm afraid that appears to be the mindset of the majority out there.

Robby looks more like the Michelin Man to me, or the Stay-Puffed Marshmallow Man :P

The idea of organic machines as helpers makes me think more of Rendezvous with Rama than Forbidden Planet. Maybe the Krell would have invented something like that, and maybe not. Their "big machine" created anything at a mere thought. Why not an energy-only helper projected by the machine, but not controlled by the thoughts of the Krell or the humans? If its function and ability could be explained by Morbius, it would still fit as a Robby-replacement. Plus, Morbius has to have something to do with either understanding it or getting it to work again (like the machine turned it off after the Krell were all gone) as in the original where he "tinkered" Robby together ;)

Cromwell would make a good Morbius. I also thought of Max von Sydow, if he isn't too old by now...

[sarge43]

91. Agree yet again.

Good writing is the foundation. Bad or lazy writing is like a lovingly decorated Easter egg, great eye candy, nothing inside, no substance.

Like that - Robby (must change the name then) as an energy entity. Re source material, Ariel is a creature of air and light as the Id monster (Caliban) is the dark side. CGI would be more than justified here.

I'd say the machines, 'Robby', Id went into Stand By mode after the Krell self destructed. With an unlimited energy source, they probably can't shut down. When Morbius and the rest showed up, their sentient consciousness activated them and they did their thing. Source material again, perhaps Morbius and 'Robby' cut a deal: I'll free you if you clue me in and do my bidding.

Any of the brace of great mature character actors with the pay attention voice and gravitas would fit.

[kentauros]

96. All good points and continuance ideas :)

Something I read about the script for the remake by JMS: someone leaked his first script to the web, spoiling all of his ideas, surprises and work for the year it took him to create it (with a co-author, but can't remember their name.) JMS posted total berating comment for those that had not only leaked it, but also distributed it, adding that they had ruined an entire year of work and it all had to be scrapped in order to come up with something completely different (I'm guessing for the kinds of things on which we've been speculating.) He was not happy at all, and blamed this leak on the fact that release of the movie has now been pushed back a year, to 2011, instead of this year. Good for him doing that, too! :D

[Captain Hilts]

25. 2001. All of it. nt

[bif]

65. I agree. It still looks pretty real.

[Xipe Totec]

27. Star Wars IV - We often forget that it was pre CGI FX

STAR WARS - The DEATHSTAR BATTLE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6v5VahaEL7s

[targetpractice]

31. I agree, but...

The YouTube version you posted is mostly CGI from the Star Wars special edition release in 1997.

[Xipe Totec]

32. True but this is just for illustration

There are several versions out there now, but the original release was not CGI.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXIqfHI0hQY

[targetpractice]

34. The original stands the test of time...

I didn't mean to nit-pick your post... I've always thought the original sequence was perfection... especially when the timing was coupled with John William's original score... The subsequent CGI "enhancements" are cool, but the original sequence was perfectly dramatic, in my opinion.

[Orrex]

38. Certainly a fine example, but I think that the asteroid sequence in EPV still beats it.

[targetpractice]

30. "It's a trap!"

The battle above Endor in "Return of the Jedi" is pretty spectacular, in my opinion... I love the sense of scale and chaos in both the visuals and music...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nY0ClsW1QX4

[Orrex]

41. Yes indeed

I recall watching my VHS copy to see the two little "H's" or whatever briefly on the underside of the Falcon as it swooped toward the camera.

What's really amazing IMO is how much better that sequence was than any CGI battle produced for the prequel films. I believe it was The Onion that noted that the little plastic models somehow looked a lot more real than state-of-the-art computer animation 20+ years later!

[nytemare]

33. Melies Le Voyage dans la Lune

Just to throw in the precursor to all special effects.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxB2x9QzXb0

[ElboRuum]

36. The final half hour of Close Encounters.

Nuff said.

[edbermac]

37. Close Encounters Of The Third Kind and Blade Runner

Both done by FX master Douglas Trumbull who also did the Stargate scene for 2001.

[pokerfan]

39. Speeder bike chase in Return of the Jedi

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goYs047SoGE

The POV shots were achieved by having a camera operator walk through the forest at normal speed with a camera filming at one frame per second.

[csziggy]

42. Ray Harryhausen's skelton fight sequence from Jason and the Argonauts

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yYeZMx1Y7U

[Orrex]

43. I thought about that while watching Army of Darkness the other night

The hydra battle is also very good, but the skeletons take the cake!

[lost-in-nj]

68. +1

that was an awe some scene



lost

[Broken_Hero]

45. Superman saving Lois, the Helicopter scene

"You've got me, whose's got you?!?!"

[sarge43]

46. Chariot race, Ben Hur. n/t

[AllenVanAllen]

47. When Galen goes to kill Vermithrax the dragon

from Dragon Slayer. That sequence thrilled me as a kid. A realistic dragon effect done with "go-motion" puppets no less.

[Orrex]

56. IIRC, that was the first use of go-motion

When I saw it, I knew that it looked different, but I couldn't figure out exactly what was different about it!

[AllenVanAllen]

73. Same here. I had no idea it wasn't "stop-motion"

The blur added in the amimation of the pupets made a world of difference and I thought it was fuckin' awesome!
Vermithrax even walks like a bat! It's funny a friend of mine pointed out Vermithrax isn't a dragon, he's actually a Wyvern.

[AllenVanAllen]

48. The Norris-thing death scene

in John Carpenter's The Thing. From the chest-mouth to the spider-head that was freakin' amazing FX.

[jobycom]

89. I was thinking of that one, too. nt

[AllenVanAllen]

50. Both battle scenes between the Enterprise and

the Reliant from Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan. Classic.

[GaYellowDawg]

51. +1000

That was an incredible battle scene.

[sarge43]

52. Yes indeed

The Big E slowly rising up behind the Reliant - suuurrrrprisssse.

[TZ]

53. I totally agree.

Those might be the best scenes in any of the ST movies...

[Tommy_Carcetti]

67. That and Star Trek III.

With the destruction of the Enterprise.

The whole nebula scene in Star Trek II was classic. I read somewhere that it was meant to mimic a battle scene between two naval warships. I don't know how accurate lightning is in a nebula, but it sure as hell looks cool.

[dysfunctional press]

55. godzilla destroying tokyo...

[Swede]

58. Blade Runner is another.

Too many scenes to pick anyone in particular.

[sarge43]

60. The original King Kong

Given the time and available technology the effects still hold up well

[Mopar151]

61. The Blues Brothers

120 mph under the elevated! The car chase in the mall was cool, too.

[Rabrrrrrr]

62. No one's mentioned the big scene in Hooper - all done live and for real

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLokDBOb7-U

Saw a documentary a few years ago about how incredibly well-timed this was, and impossible to get a second take because the towers and buildings are all really being blown up and falling down.

[Orrex]

70. I wouldn't have thought of that one, but...

I was watching a "Mighty Machines" DVD with my sons last week, in which they show the demolition of two water towers and a tall smokestack. The whole thing reminded me of that sequence in Hooper, which I hadn't thought about in years!

[Tuesday Afternoon]

64. not saying it is good but, isn't Jason and The Argonauts consider

the first?

[Moondog]

69. No. The guy that did that did not use computers.

He used something similar to claymation - a model, moved slightly, take a frame, move it slightly, take another frame, and so on. There was a special on Harry Whats-his-name, and how he did his special effects, a while back on one of the cable channels.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

66. Gorn!!!!!!!

[blogslut]

71. Gotta give some love to Alien & Aliens

The face-huggers. That stomach-shooting baby. The teenagers. The Mother. The teenagers were acrobats in suits. The dead face-hugger that Ash dissected in the lab was a mix of animal organs and stuff. In fact, I'll give some love to Ash. That scene with his android head and guts still freaks me out. As well, the interior of the Nostromo - the commentary talked up how before, movie spaceships were created via the Kubrick standard - all shiny perfect. But the Nostromo was rusty, dirty and old.

[Orrex]

75. The part about Ash that still creeps me out is when he's spinning around violently

There's something so wonderfully inhuman about it, despite the human form!

And the fact that it's Ian Holm (who later became the quintessential mild-mannered fellow) makes it perfect!

[blogslut]

78. That casting choice was genius!

Holm's portrayal of Ash took full advantage of his mild-mannered style. His delivery of that line, "You have my sympathies."

~shudder~

EDIT ADD: True story. I saw the first film in the theater when it came out. In those days you could still smoke cigarettes. My girlfriend and I were sitting there, wide-eyed and slack-jawed when some hippie dude next to us passed over a joint. Only time I ever regretted getting high.

[MicaelS]

72. Parting, transit and closing of the Red Sea...

In the Ten Commandments. Plus Elmer Bernstein's score was beautiful.

[Bucky]

77. Baron Munchhausen. Like a symphony for the eyeballs.

[AllenVanAllen]

85. Excellent movie. I caught that one at the theater.

It's been so long since I've seen it. I should remedy that.



:hi:

[lunatica]

80. The War of the Worlds (1953)

The special effects are still good.

[JCMach1]

83. Harryhausen- Jason and the Argonauts skeleton fight

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yYeZMx1Y7U

[Shining Jack]

84. Plan 9 from outer space !

Astounding special effects without any CGI being used.

[Phoonzang]

87. Close Encounters hands down... nt

[Tikki]

93. Absolutely.....

Tikki

[JanMichael]

92. It was considered special effects but anything with Bruce Lee.

That was some bad assed shit.

[Heidi]

94. In "Gone With the Wind," when Scarlett O'Hara made us believe

that she _didn't_ have everything under control and that she needed that low-life Cap'n Butler.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aRMZ4ePmMM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjhtxfSMIWk

[Xithras]

95. No contest: 2001

There are a lot of good ones, but nothing matched 2001 for sheer visual spectacle. Even today, it's amazing to watch it and realize that they made it without using a single computer.

[ChickMagic]

97. When the planet blew up

in Amazon Women on the Moon. To this day, that brings tears
to my eyes. Especially the hunk of chalk left hanging.
Oh, you meant good ones. Never mind.

All of Metropolis.

[LanternWaste]

103. Opening sequence of Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Opening sequence of Raiders of the Lost Ark. Lots and lots of great set design and blocking went into that ten minute bad-boy.