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Updated: Tributes to FX legend Stan Winston
NOTE: Normally today I would report on the DVD releases, but the likes of Fool’s Gold are not worth expounding upon at length. I will note that Be Kind, Rewind’s release is actually today (my now ex-source had said it was last week) and a second volume of the classic Fleischer Popeye cartoons is out. Beyond that, I feel it is more important to keep my tribute to the late, great Stan Winston front and center.
Stan Winston, a master of mechanical effects in many great movies, passed away Sunday. I had not known he had been struggling with multiple myeloma. He was 62.
Actually, Winston once said he didn’t like to think of himself as an effects technician - he created characters. And the genius of his work makes it impossible to disagree with him.
It’s just as easy to toss around the word “genius” as it is to call work a “masterpiece,” but Winston was a genius who created many masterful works of art. Consider that he made real:
The endoskeletons in the Terminator movies.
The mechanical dinosaurs in the Jurassic Park movies, from the T-Rexes to the ailing triceratops.
The deformed robots and the surly teddy in A.I.
Edward Scisssorhands
And what I would call his greatest achievement, the queen b—-h in Aliens.
And that’s a mere sampling of his work. A look at his voluminous credits reveals he had one of the most impressive resumes in all of Hollywood.
Steven Spielberg, who worked with Winston on many films, offered an especially touching tribute, saying “Stan was a fearless and courageous artist/inventor and for many projects, I rode his cutting edge from teddy bears to aliens to dinosaurs. My world would not have been the same without Stan. What I will miss most is his easy laugh every time he said to me, ‘Nothing is impossible.’”
In an age when filmmakers have relied too heavily on digital effects, Winston’s work continued to lend an air of believability to movies. The outstanding effects in Iron Man, created partly by Winston’s studio, came from a brilliant fusion of old school and new school, which was why they worked so well.
Too often today, with the overuse of computers, people cry “fake!” at visual effects. That adjective never applied to Stan Winston’s characters. The best way to honor him would be to ensure that the effects he pioneered continue to complement digital work, rather than letting CGI accomplish every effect. That way, his achievements will live on, not just in the movies of the past, but the movies of the future.
Ain’t It Cool News has a great tribute to Winston, including quotes from Iron Man director Jon Favreau, director Frank Darabont, makeup maestro Rick Baker, and, most notably, one of Winston’s closest collaborators, James Cameron.
Which of Winston’s characters stand out most in your mind? Put another way, which kept you up most at night?
Permalink | Comments (4) | Post your comment | Categories: Tributes
Comments
By Sir Critic
June 18, 2008 11:33 AM | Link to this
A lot of the morphing effects in T2 were actually the work of Dennis Muren and his crew at ILM, but Winston did contribute to the T-1000 in key ways. Remember when he got blown apart into a contorted mass? Or had his “eye” blown out? Those were Winston puppets.By SRCputt
June 17, 2008 11:49 PM | Link to this
Since I saw Fool’s Gold last weekend, I will review it. Kate Hudson and Matthew McConnaughey still have great chemistry, but there is too much time spent on a mediocre treasure hunt adventure when we really want to see a romantic comedy. There are some good elements here, but somehow they don’t come together for a satisfying film. Grade: CBy SRCputt
June 17, 2008 5:20 PM | Link to this
I vote for Winston’s best work as the way the advanced terminator melted into all the other different characters in Terminator 2, although there are many good choices for great work.By Allie D.
June 16, 2008 5:42 PM | Link to this
I just read this before I got your blog notice. This is truly sad. The name Stan Winston has been synonymous with special effects as long as I’ve been alive. What a horrible loss. :(