Oscar has its Effect: Looking back at Movies that took home the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects

By Michael Lyons

On Sunday night, as the world eagerly awaits to see who wore what best and wonder which winner will use the opportunity to share their political beliefs, there will be a small group of artists and technicians sitting waaay in the back of the Dolby Theater waiting their turn for their name to be announced.

They are members of the Visual Effects community, who work in anonymity throughout the year, but whose work bring life and believability to film.  Since 1928, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences have recognized these talented craftspeople with their own category, which was originally called  “Best Engineering Effects” (and was won by the World War I drama “Wings).”

Since then, some of film’s most eye-popping moments have been honored by Oscar.  Here are just some:

“Mighty Joe Young,” (1949 winner for Best Visual Effects ).  This story of a family who bring a large gorilla from Africa to Hollywood (and was later remade in 1998) featured stop-motion animation by effects pioneer Willis O’Brien (who had created “King Kong”).  The animation effects in this film are so detailed, extensive and immersed in the environment, it’s astounding to think it was all done by hand and no wonder Oscar rewarded the work.

“20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” (1954 winner for Best Visual Effects).  Last year’s “Aquaman” made underwater scenes look so easy, but in the pre-digital age it didn’t happen so swimmingly.  Walt Disney’s adaptation of Jules Verne’s novel brought the undersea world to life as never before...and that giant squid sequence is still a movie geek’s dream.

“2001: A Space Odyssey” (1968 winner for Best Visual Effects). Director Stanley Kubrick’s opus to space exploration is both fascinating and maddening, but one can’t deny that the visual effects are jaw-dropping and set a standard for future winners, like “Star Wars,” “Superman” and “Alien.”

“The Abyss” (1989 winner for Best Visual Effects).  Welcome to the computer age of Visual Effects.  Director James Cameron (who continually pushed the effects envelope for another twenty years after) incorporated computer generated imagery in his underwater adventure film, as it had never been done before.

“Jurassic Park” (1993 winner for Best Visual Effects).  The dinosaur is back.  Enough said.

“Avatar” (2009 winner for Best Visual Effects).  The fictional world of the Na’vi simply seem to exist.  James Cameron (again) built upon what Peter Jackson started in “The Lord of the Rings” movies: Visual Effects aren’t just part of the movie, they ARE the movie.

So, as you watch Sunday’s marathon of an awards show, don’t use the Visual Effects category as a snack break, take the time to watch and celebrate the usually uncelebrated wizards who bring our movie world’s to life.

Sources:

Wikipedia