STAN WINSTON (1946-2008) - R.I.P.
June 18th 2008 04:26
Stan with Arnie on the set of The Terminator
Stan Winston had four Academy Awards to his name for his brilliant work on Aliens (1986, visual effects), Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991, visual effects and make-up effects) and Jurassic Park (1993, visual effects) and was nominated for a further six Oscars.
"Performance technologies that were created by Jim Henson and the Muppets, and created the Terminator as a puppet, as a full sized organic puppet, and it was the first time that anybody had seen something that life size, using animatronics for the head and neck, to be able to operate it. We broke ground with The Terminator (1984). Nobody had ever seen anything like it."
Stan Winston studied painting and sculpture at the University of Virginia. He founded the Stan Winston Studio in 1972. The same year he won his first award, an Emmy, on a tele-movie called Gargoyles. In 1983 he created the Mr. Roboto facemask for prog-rock band Styx which was featured on their album cover and the subsequent video-clip for the single. This no doubt provided him with inspiration for The Terminator.
He directed his first feature Pumpkinhead in 1988, which although fared badly at the box office, has since become a mild cult favourite among Winston fans, mostly due to the terrific design of the demonic Pumpkinhead beast.
In 1993 Winston co-founded Digital Domain with director James Cameron and Scott Ross (ex-Industrial Light & Magic). After Titanic was released he and Cameron severed their working relationship and resigned from the company’s Board of Directors.
Most recently he did the excellent visual effects for Iron Man.
At the time of his death he was working on further sequels to The Terminator and Jurassic Park.
Stan Winston is one of my special effects heroes. In tribute to the man, the legend, in the very near future I’ll review my favourite movies featuring his work.
Stan, the man, Rest In Peace.
Biographical information sourced from Wikipedia and Internet Movie Database.
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Comment by KylieW
Celebrity Obsession
And Alien......well, I don't really need to say anything else except.....brilliant.
Comment by Bryn
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Comment by Damo
For the Sake of Argument
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Gargoyles is blast from the past. Late night television special.
RIP.
Comment by Bryn
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Comment by Damo
For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics
I think that my memories of the film are clouded by the fact that it was late night and everything seems much cooler on a late Friday night.
The usual scenario: Father and teenaged daughter go on a road trip and hit upon an apocalyptic problem along the way. Lots of creatures that looked like shaved apes with green skin and wings. I recall something about some Hippies trying to help out and not telling the police incase they get thrown into the rubber room.
Worth chasing down. Yes, because it was fun.
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
This is a tragedy to the world of cinema FX,
Stan's was the first name I knew by heart when I began delving behind the scenes of the horror genre.
His pioneering work knows no equal and like Harryhaussen before him advanced visual cinema techniques. Responsible for many of the greatest images in the realms of grotesque terror I am in mourning at the loss of his talents and still in awe of what he achieve in a lifetime.
Stan rest in gooey, gorey peace
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
JD, cheers mate ... yes, a real terror-ble loss
Comment by D. Armenta
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L.A.M.P.
Comment by Bryn
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K~
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Comment by Wayne Tully
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That is sad, he created lots of great effects and creature designs that I remember way back when I was a kid up until now!
A shame, at least he'll be remembered for all of his great work and concepts and the time and effort he put in all of his work!!
R.I.P
Comment by Bryn
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