Original Special Effects

[Mark G]

I had attended a Bond convention about 13 years ago and late John Stears talked about how they blew up the Disco Volonte in Thunderball. He said they had a connection with an American General who supplied them with some new rocket fuel. The stuff arrived just before they were supposed to shoot so they didn't have the time to test it so they loaded the boat with the stuff and tried to hide as best they could.

When the thing went off it created a crater in the ocean forty feet deep, and broke windows in Nassau forty miles away. Stears said that when it was over they looked up and saw this postage stamp sized thing in the sky, and realized it was what remained of the hull of the ship.

I can't even imagine doing something like that now. It would all be CGI

 

[dhermann1]

I've recently seen the old and the latest King Kong, and it's interesting to compare the fight between Kong and the tyrannosaurus. In the new version I find the effects exaggerated and cartoony, which detracted form the effect for me. The animals faces are a touch anthropomorphic. I think the originals were trying to make it as realistic as possible, whereas the new version seems to be trying to camp up the original effects, rather than make them real. I think a lot of the current cgi suffers from the desire to be campy. The influence of comic books and cartoons is fine, but sometimes the tail wags the dog.

 

[mike]

Hey great topic :eusa_clap
Anyone seen the relatively recent film, Call of Cthulhu? It was filmed silent and respecting original filmmaking techniques. For instance, although they edited digitally, they created their atmosphere by way of layering in the computer. So I suppose it's green screens on set, and then keying in artwork for the background of enormous cyclopean structures...! It's not too shabby although it looks less original silent film styled and more like a serious take on the processes used in Richard Elfman's masterpiece, the Forbidden Zone. I still say three cheers for this production company making interesting and independent films in this sad turn of the century period o'time we're forced to live in!
http://www.cthulhulives.org/TOC.html

 

[CharlieH.]

I was reminded on another thread that Titanic also made extensive use of miniature effects, and effectively so (Remember the "king of the world" scene?). Most (if not all) of the sinking scenes were highly elaborate models of both the inside and the outside of the ship, sprinkled with motion-capture CGI passengers... yet they sunk the near-full size replica, drat the luck.

 

[Starius]

I was always impressed with the tornado from the wizard of oz.

Here is a youtube video of a extended test shot they made:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y6AFUPGwEc

Arnold Gillespie created the tornado by using a 35 foot muslin stocking connected to a gantry crane. The rotating cone portion was controlled by a variable speed motor. Incredibly, dangerous chemicals were used in the flying debris/dust, such as carbon and sulfur. I have no idea why such hazardous materials were chosen, but apparently thats what they thought could best achieve the look of a stormy sky.