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Leviathan (1989 Film)
''Leviathan'' is a 1989 science fiction film, science fiction horror film directed by George P. Cosmatos and written by David Peoples, David Webb Peoples and Jeb Stuart (writer), Jeb Stuart. An international co-production of the United States and Italy, it stars Peter Weller, Richard Crenna, Ernie Hudson, Amanda Pays and Daniel Stern (actor), Daniel Stern as the crew of an underwater geological facility stalked and killed by a hideous mutant (fiction), mutant creature. Its creature effects were designed by Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, Academy Award-winning special effects artist Stan Winston. ''Leviathan'' was released around the same time as other, similarly themed "underwater" science fiction film, science fiction and horror films including ''The Abyss'' and ''DeepStar Six'' (both 1989), and received generally negative reviews from critics, who cited numerous similarities to films such as ''Alien (film), Alien'' (1979) and ''The Thing (1982 film), The Thing'' (1982). ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Alvin
John Henry Alvin (November 24, 1948 – February 6, 2008) was an American cinematic artist and painter who illustrated many movie posters. Alvin created posters and key art for more than 135 films, beginning with the poster for Mel Brooks's ''Blazing Saddles'' (1974). His style of art became known as ''Alvinesque'' by friends and colleagues in the entertainment industry. Alvin's work includes the movie posters for ''E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'', ''Blade Runner'', ''Gremlins'', ''Spies Like Us'', ''The Color Purple (1985 film), The Color Purple'', ''The Little Mermaid (1989 film), The Little Mermaid'', ''Batman Returns'', ''Beauty and the Beast (1991 film), Beauty and the Beast'', ''Aladdin (1992 Disney film), Aladdin'', ''The Lion King'', ''Space Jam'', ''The Emperor's New Groove'', ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film), Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', and ''Looney Tunes: Back in Action''. He also created the anniversary posters for ''Star Wars''. Earl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alex Thomson (cinematographer)
Alexander Thomson BSC (12 January 1929 – 14 June 2007) was a British cinematographer. Biography Born in London, England, he was first offered a job by Bert Easey (1901-1973), who was head of cameras at Denham and Pinewood Studios. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography for ''Excalibur'' (1981). His other films included '' Year of the Dragon'' (1985), ''Legend'' (1985), ''Labyrinth'' (1986), '' The Krays'' (1990), ''Alien 3'' (1992), ''Cliffhanger'' (1993), '' Demolition Man'' (1993), ''Executive Decision'' (1996) and two of Kenneth Branagh's Shakespeare adaptations, ''Hamlet'' (1996) and ''Love's Labour's Lost'' (2000). After beginning his film career in the late 1940s, he went on to serve as a camera operator under cinematographer Nicolas Roeg on twelve films between 1961 and 1966. In 1998 he shot the Royal Premiered CinemaScope short "The Troop" (dir: Marcus Dillistone) An interview with Alex Thomson appears in a new book Conversations with Cinemat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alien (film)
''Alien'' is a 1979 Science fiction film, science fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott and written by Dan O'Bannon, based on a story by O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett. It follows a spaceship crew who investigate a derelict spaceship and are hunted by a Xenomorph, deadly extraterrestrial creature. The film stars Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm, and Yaphet Kotto. It was produced by Gordon Carroll, David Giler, and Walter Hill (director), Walter Hill through their company Brandywine Productions and was distributed by 20th Century-Fox. Giler and Hill revised and made additions to the script; Shusett was the executive producer. The alien creatures and environments were designed by the Swiss artist H. R. Giger, while the concept artists Ron Cobb and Chris Foss designed the other sets. ''Alien'' premiered on May 25, 1979, the opening night of the fourth Seattle International Film Festival. It received a wide release ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
DeepStar Six
''DeepStar Six '' (released in the Philippines as ''Alien from the Deep'') is a 1989 American science-fiction horror film directed and co-produced by Sean S. Cunningham. Its plot follows the crew of the titular underwater military outpost, who struggle to defend their base against the attacks of a sea monster (possibly a giant eurypterid). The film stars Greg Evigan, Taurean Blacque, Nancy Everhard, Cindy Pickett, Miguel Ferrer, Nia Peeples, Marius Weyers, Elya Baskin, Thom Bray, Ronn Carroll and Matt McCoy. ''DeepStar Six'' was theatrically released in the United States on January 13, 1989, and received generally negative reviews from critics. Plot ''DeepStar Six'' is an experimental deep-sea US Naval facility, crewed by a mix of 11 military and civilians, now in the final week of their tour. The project is headed by John Van Gelder to test underwater colonization methods while overseeing the installation of a new nuclear missile storage platform. Already nearing his deadli ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Abyss
''The Abyss'' is a 1989 American science fiction film written and directed by James Cameron and starring Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, and Michael Biehn. When an American submarine sinks in the Caribbean, a US search and recovery team works with an oil platform crew, racing against Soviet vessels to recover the boat. Deep in the ocean, they encounter something unexpected. The film was released on August 9, 1989, receiving generally positive reviews and grossed $90 million. At the 62nd Academy Awards, it was nominated for four Oscars, winning Best Visual Effects. Plot In January 1994, the U.S. USS ''Montana'' has an encounter with an unidentified submerged object and sinks near the Cayman Trough. With Soviet ships moving in to try to salvage the sub and a hurricane moving over the area, the U.S. government sends a SEAL team to ''Deep Core'', a privately owned experimental underwater drilling platform near the Cayman Trough, to use it as a base of operations. The p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stan Winston
Stanley Winston (April 7, 1946 – June 15, 2008) was an American television and film special make-up effects artist, best known for his work in the ''Terminator'' series, the first three '' Jurassic Park'' films, '' Aliens'', '' The Thing'', the first two '' Predator'' films, '' Inspector Gadget'', ''Iron Man'', and '' Edward Scissorhands''.Cohen, David S. (2008)"Effects master Stan Winston dies. Work included ''Jurassic Park'', ''Terminator''" '' Variety.'' Penske Media Corporation''.'' Retrieved June 16, 2008. Crabtree, Sheigh (June 16, 2008)"Stan Winston, dead at 62; Oscar-winning visual effects artist suffered from multiple myeloma" ''Los Angeles Times''. Retrieved June 16, 2008.Stan Winston Studio (2008). "Press Release". ''Los Angeles Times.'' June 16, 2008. Retrieved June 16, 2008. He won four Academy Awards for his work. Winston, a frequent collaborator with directors James Cameron, Steven Spielberg and Tim Burton, owned several effects studios, including Stan Win ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Special Effects Artist
Special effects (often abbreviated as F/X or simply FX) are illusions or visual tricks used in the theatre, film, television, video game, amusement park and simulator industries to simulate the fictional events in a story or virtual world. It is sometimes abbreviated as SFX, but this may also refer to ''sound effects''. Special effects are traditionally divided into the categories of mechanical effects and optical effects. With the emergence of digital filmmaking a distinction between special effects and visual effects has grown, with the latter referring to digital post-production and optical effects, while "special effects" refers to mechanical effects. Mechanical effects (also called practical or physical effects) are usually accomplished during the live-action shooting. This includes the use of mechanised props, scenery, scale models, animatronics, pyrotechnics and atmospheric effects: creating physical wind, rain, fog, snow, clouds, making a car appear to drive by itse ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Academy Award For Best Visual Effects
The Academy Award for Best Visual Effects is presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) for the best achievement in visual effects. It has been handed to four members of the team directly responsible for creating the film's visual effects since 1980. History The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences first recognized the technical contributions of special effects to movies at its inaugural dinner in 1929, presenting a plaque for "Best Engineering Effects" to the first Best Picture Oscar winner, the World War I flying drama '' Wings''. Producer David O. Selznick, then production head at RKO Studios, petitioned the Academy Board of Governors to recognize the work of animator Willis O'Brien for his groundbreaking work on 1933's '' King Kong''. However, the Academy did not have a category to acknowledge its visual achievements at the time. It was not until 1938 when a film was actually recognized for its effects work, when a "Special Achieve ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mutant (fiction)
The concept of a mutant is a common trope in fiction. The new phenotypes that appear in fictional mutations generally go far beyond what is typically seen in mutants in reality, and often result in the mutated life form exhibiting superhuman abilities or qualities. DC Comics In DC Comics, the term was first used in the 1980s by a fictitious race of extraterrestrials known as the Dominators when they appeared in the '' Invasion!'' mini-series. For instance, Captain Comet manifested his powers at birth when a comet activated his "metagene", gaining his abilities by the time he was eight. Marvel Comics In Marvel Comics, genetic mutation has been used as an explanation for super-powers since the 1950s. Mutants have played a major role in Marvel Comics, particularly the X-Men and related series. In the Marvel Comics Universe, they are a persecuted minority where most people fear and hate them. Marvel Comics redefines the term to beings who are in a higher stage of evolution known ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Horror Film
Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit physical or psychological fear in its viewers. Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with Transgressive art, transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements of the genre include Monster movie, monsters, Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, apocalyptic events, and Religion, religious or Folk horror, folk beliefs. Horror films have existed History of horror films, since the early 20th century. Early Inspirations predating film include folklore; the religious beliefs and superstitions of different cultures; and the Gothic fiction, Gothic and Horror fiction, horror literature of authors such as Edgar Allan Poe, Bram Stoker, and Mary Shelley. From its origins in silent films and German expressionist cinema, German Expressionism, horror became a codified genre only after the release of Dracula (1931 English-language film), ''Dracula'' (1931). Many sub-genres emerged in subsequent decades, including body horror, comed ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Science Fiction Film
Science fiction (or sci-fi) is a film genre that uses Speculative fiction, speculative, fictional science-based depictions of phenomena that are not fully accepted by mainstream science, such as Extraterrestrial life in fiction, extraterrestrial lifeforms, List of fictional spacecraft, spacecraft, robots, cyborgs, Mutants in fiction, mutants, interstellar travel, time travel, or other technologies. Science fiction films have often been used to focus on politics, political or social issues, and to explore philosophical issues like the human condition. The genre has existed since the early years of silent cinema, when Georges Méliès' ''A Trip to the Moon'' (1902) employed Special effect, trick photography effects. The next major example (first in feature-length in the genre) was the film ''Metropolis (1927 film), Metropolis'' (1927). From the 1930s to the 1950s, the genre consisted mainly of low-budget B movies. After Stanley Kubrick's landmark ''2001: A Space Odyssey (film), 20 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cinefantastique
''Cinefantastique'' is an American horror, fantasy, and science fiction film magazine. History The magazine originally started as a mimeographed fanzine in 1967, then relaunched as a glossy, offset printed quarterly in 1970 by publisher/ editor Frederick S. Clarke. Intended as a serious critical/review journal of the genres, the magazine immediately set itself apart from competitors like '' Famous Monsters of Filmland'' and '' The Monster Times'' due to its slick paper stock and use of full color interior film stills. ''Cinefantastiques articles and reviews emphasized an intelligent, near-scholarly approach, a then-unusual slant for such a genre-specific magazine. Advertisements were few, consisting mostly of other titles and materials by the publisher. The magazine quickly came to be known for its lengthy, information-filled "retrospective" articles devoted to the full production details of such classic films as 1951's '' The Day the Earth Stood Still'', George Pal's '' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
