Best special effects sequence in history

[Sandor 459]

Lately I saw two films that certainly that come to mind when I ask myself the question: "What is the greatest special effects sequence of all time?"

First: there is the fight between King Kong and the three V-Rexes. It is an incredible sequence despite the fact that it has received some criticism.

The second actually impressed me more: the end battle sequence from Narnia. I was so overwhelmed by it! I couldn't see when the CGI started and when it ended. The little creatures running actually looked REAL.

What do you guys think?

[Morlock 9]

I totaly disagree about the first, and I have yet to see the second.

[scissorhands 16]

In my humble opinion, the "Escape from the City" sequence from "War of the Worlds".

[Sandor 459]

From the "old days":

The Asteroid Field sequence from The Empire Strikes Back.

[robthehand 3]

The Orion (I think that's the name) docking in 2001: A Space Odyssey - right after the jump-cut from the bone.

[Romão 1,931]

In my humble opinion, the "Escape from the City" sequence from "War of the Worlds".

Yeas, that's a very worthy choice. I would add the T-Rex coming out of the fence and the kitchen scene from Jurassic Park.

[Mr. Breathmask 480]

Best in history?

The Battle of Yavin, in my opinion.

- Marc

[Romão 1,931]

I was think more on terms of realism. In terms of sheer excitement, of course the Battle of Yavin and the Battle of Endor have to be mentioned.

And I do love the Stay-Puft sequence from Ghostbusters.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251]

Best in history?

The Battle of Yavin, in my opinion.

- Marc

Neil's clone indeed.

[deimos 0]

If I take the question as the best scene itself, I would have to go with Yavin, Hoth, the Asteroid Field, T-Rex coming out of the fence, Mine chase, the arrival at Minas tirith (more a series of shots than scene I know) and some other that don't come to my kind right now. Specially if I think of special and not visual.

If I have to think just of the effects themeselves, I agree with sccissorhands. I loved the visuals in WotW.

[AC1 3,565]

One of my favorite FX scenes is the turning of the mothership in Close Encounters (for you younsters, that's a Spielberg movie)

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Alex Cremers

[deimos 0]

One of my favorites FX scenes is the turning of the mothership in Close Encounters (for you younsters, that's a Spielberg movie)  

----------------

Alex Cremers

That's an awesome scene. The first time I saw it i was like 8O

[TIEfighter 0]

The batte of Pearl Harbor! It´s the only movie where even the real pyrotechnical effects look like CGI...what an achievment!

[Lurker 5]

What do you guys think?

I think you are easily impressed by whatever is new at the time. Next year, you'll be saying Superman Returns has the greatest effects and then whatever big monster blockbuster comes out next winter has the greatest effects.

Neil

[Trumpeteer 243]

The destruction of New York, LA and Washington DC in "Independence Day" are the best uses of miniatures in the movies. Still blows me away, no pun intended!

[AC1 3,565]

What do you guys think?

I think you are easily impressed by whatever is new at the time. Next year, you'll be saying Superman Returns has the greatest effects and then whatever big monster blockbuster comes out next winter has the greatest effects.

Neil

Good old Neil is back!

[Kramer 0]

Stealing the Enterprise

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251]

Roald, you said a while back that no stop-motion effect has ever convinced you.

What about ED-209 from Robocop?

[Marian Schedenig 5,520]

First: there is the fight between King Kong and the three V-Rexes. It is an incredible sequence despite the fact that it has received some criticism.

It's a very good effect, but the best CGI in Kong is definitely his face.

The second actually impressed me more: the end battle sequence from Narnia. I was so overwhelmed by it! I couldn't see when the CGI started and when it ended. The little creatures running actually looked REAL.

Narnia's effects were "nice", but most of the time, the creature animations looked very artificial. They seem to have taken the best moments for the trailer in this case.

Marian - who finds it hard to define when an FX shot is "best" anyway.

King Kong (JNH)

[Romão 1,931]

The movie with the most realistic effects I have ever seen probably was Master and Commander.

[Mr. Breathmask 480]

The animation of the talking creatures in Narnia seemed to be more based off humans than animals in their acting, which I thought worked very well. They look real enough to be believable, and act as intelligent creatures, rather than just talking animals. It's hard to explain, but I liked the work done on the beavers in particular.

- Marc

[Hitch 55]

For me, the best effects has to be the birds attacking Bodega Bay in my 1963 sleeper hit THE BIRDS with Angie Dickenson, John Lithgow and Mia Farrow as 'Tippi' Hedren playing Melanie Jackie O. Daniels.

For the record, the water CGI shots in KING KONG (2005) sucked. As did most of the movie....well except the Bronosaurus chase sequence which was awesome but the T-Rex battles were some unbelievable I was cringing in my seat. And the movie was wayyyyyyyyyyy too long. What is it with Peter Jackson and creepy-crawlies???

[Greg1138 2]

I gotta go with Mirkel - the whole shooting match was completely overturned by the first appearance of the Tyranosaur in Jurassic Park.....

[BLUMENKOHL 1,064]

Here's a favorite of mine...

http://www.rawbot.net/crap/run.avi

The narrator shooting himself in the mouth in Fight Club...

The attack on Pearl Harbor in Pearl Harbor.

[batmanand 0]

I still think the shot of the droid army unpacking and marching from Episode I is cool. Sends shivers down my spine. Helped, of course, by the awesome score at that point.

[Sandor 459]

Roald, you said a while back that no stop-motion effect has ever convinced you.

What about ED-209 from Robocop?

Man, that one is SO ugly!

I think you are easily impressed by whatever is new at the time. Next year, you'll be saying Superman Returns has the greatest effects and then whatever big monster blockbuster comes out next winter has the greatest effects.

Well, there is a certain logic that special effects do get better (more realistic) as time progresses, because it's so linked to advances in technology.

I don't think you know me really. And your pseudo-psychological profile of me has an almost child-like, simplistic air to it. Maybe I should give an appropriate response then.

I think you are easily impressed by whatever is new at the time. Next year, you'll be saying Superman Returns has the greatest effects and then whatever big monster blockbuster comes out next winter has the greatest effects.

Bla, bla, bla

[JMan 0]

I still think the shot of the droid army unpacking and marching from Episode I is cool. Sends shivers down my spine. Helped, of course, by the awesome score at that point.

Agreed.

Also, the scene from LOTR:FOTR where they are going through the mines of Moria being chased by the big monster and the stairs fall apart, one of the best. And of course the Battle of Pelennor Fields in ROTK will be remembered forever.

Under that I would say War of the worlds, King kong, The Incredibles!

[Luke Skywalker 1,285]

I still think the shot of the droid army unpacking and marching from Episode I is cool. Sends shivers down my spine. Helped, of course, by the awesome score at that point.

Tracked music i fear...

[BLUMENKOHL 1,064]

I still think the shot of the droid army unpacking and marching from Episode I is cool. Sends shivers down my spine. Helped, of course, by the awesome score at that point.

Tracked music i fear...

Tracked from what? Itself?

[batmanand 0]

I am talking about the bit near the beginning of the Battle of Endor, near the end of the film. The music is not, as far as I know, tracked.

[Mooz0r 23]

Has to be the scene from Jurassic Park, with the T-Rex coming out of the fence, and attacking the car.

Jack - LOL

[Ollie 859]

You can't just dwell on movies from the past 10 years that feature only CGI.

There have been many visual effects that while may look dated to some they still pack a punch when viewed:

King Kong vs T-Rex (1933)

Mighty Joe Young roping sequence (1949)

Valley Of Gwangi roping sequence

Cyclops 1st appearance in 7th Voyage Of Sinbad

Battle with the skeletons from Jason And The Argonaughts

Docking sequence from 2001

Mothership from CE3K

Battle of Yavin from Star Wars

Battle of Hoth from TESB

T-rex padock night scene from JP

Kali from The Golden Voyage Of Sinbad

Enterprise leaving drydock from ST:TMP

The Flying Sequence from Superman

There are many more but those are off the top of my head.

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

I was thinking of the T-rex attacking the car as well, at least as one of the best.

Ray Barnsbury

[Luke Skywalker 1,285]

I am talking about the bit near the beginning of the Battle of Endor, near the end of the film. The music is not, as far as I know, tracked.

Battle of Endor has no tracked music

The battle of Naboo is a complete mess though...

I think there are some unused takes on the trade federation march that may be in that scene. Plus if its not track, it at least it looped....

But as i said, it MAY be tracked.

[Dean1700 4]

You'll all a bunch of "wallys". Truly the best special effect sequence, IMHO, is THE OPENING OF STAR WARS. I'm surprised no one has mentioned it before now.

[Lurker 5]

You'll all a bunch of "wallys". Truly the best special effect sequence, IMHO, is THE OPENING OF STAR WARS. I'm surprised no one has mentioned it before now.

That tired old locked down shot of a ship flying over head? Yawn. That's got nothing on the opening shot of Revenge of the Sith. Just ask Roald!

Neil

[Morlock 9]

Not the absolute best, but The Empire State Building Suequence from the new Kong and the Beacon scene from RoTK were pretty breathtaking.

[robthehand 3]

the Beacon scene from RoTK were pretty breathtaking.

I never even thought of that as an effects shot. I guess it is. :oops:

(That's probably a compliment, no?)

[Sandor 459]

That tired old locked down shot of a ship flying over head? Yawn. That's got nothing on the opening shot of Revenge of the Sith. Just ask Roald!

If they ever invent time travel I hope you can get your *ss back to 1979 or whatever year you still live in.

[batmanand 0]

I am talking about the bit near the beginning of the Battle of Endor, near the end of the film. The music is not, as far as I know, tracked.

Battle of Endor has no tracked music

The battle of Naboo is a complete mess though...

I think there are some unused takes on the trade federation march that may be in that scene. Plus if its not track, it at least it looped....

But as i said, it MAY be tracked.

OK OK. Naboo...

[Luke Skywalker 1,285]

the Beacon scene from RoTK were pretty breathtaking.

I never even thought of that as an effects shot. I guess it is. :oops:

(That's probably a compliment, no?)

mmm isnt it helicoper shots?

the fire is awful BTW...

[Romão 1,931]

WETA seems to have some trouble with fire. It flickers too slowly. It's very evident when they put it in miniature shots.

[Luke Skywalker 1,285]

Ann's Sacrifice 'fire falls' suffers the same too.

[nightscape94 965]

Here's a favorite of mine...

http://www.rawbot.net/crap/run.avi

I'm glad someone mentioned this. When I saw Contact in the theater back in '97, I could be heard uttering a loud expletive in my surprise and wonderment. That shot is one of the single most fascinating and well constructed effects I've ever seen.

Tim

[Morlock 9]

the fire is awful BTW...

The first fire looks awaful, the rest look fine.

I also love that shot from Contact, but there's just no reason for it, other than that it's cool. It has no meaning and no importance. It's just showing off. It looks great and is pretty astounding when you see it the first time, but it's just Zemeckis showing off.

[Mr. Breathmask 480]

I thought I had taped Contact when it was broadcast on tv one or two weeks ago. I seem to have misplaced (or just forgot to record it).

[BurgaFlippinMan 7]

WETA seems to have some trouble with fire.

and green/blue screen effects.

[Romão 1,931]

Did you guys notice the camera work on WOTW after they escape the city, when they're talking in the car...amazing.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251]

Indeed it is.

[Trumpeteer 243]

That wasn't an effect, from what I read. But I don't know how they managed the camera movements. I guess with the same trickery of the Spyders scene in "Minority Report."