Revisiting Cinefex (40): Ghostbusters II, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

You need a pair of big name stars to put on the front cover of Cinefex #40. Who you gonna call? Why, Dan Aykroyd and Bill Murray, of course, garbed as Ghostbusters and waving their nutrona wands in an image from Ivan Reitman's 1989 sequel Ghostbusters II. The supernatural vibe extends to the back cover, … Continue reading Revisiting Cinefex (40): Ghostbusters II, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Revisiting Cinefex (39): The Abyss

It's a shame there are no books about the making of The Abyss. I hear the behind-the-scenes stories are as enthralling as the movie itself. Wait a second ... here's issue #39 of the popular visual effects journal Cinefex and - what do you know - all 80 pages of it are devoted entirely to James … Continue reading Revisiting Cinefex (39): The Abyss

Star Trek Into Darkness

Sense of wonder. That's what these big, daft summer movies are supposed to be about. In recent years, it's been sadly lacking. Movies have been getting too frantic, directors too afraid to let their cameras linger on something beautiful, for fear the audience will get bored. In 2009, JJ Abrams did a great job of … Continue reading Star Trek Into Darkness

Revisiting Cinefex (35): Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Willow

Cinefex #35 contains behind-the-scenes stories on two big films of the late 80s, although both front and back covers feature just one: Robert Zemeckis's milestone marriage of live-action and animation, Who Framed Roger Rabbit? While the front is dominated by Roger himself - looking as manic as ever - the back is reserved for his … Continue reading Revisiting Cinefex (35): Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Willow

Revisiting Cinefex (34): Beetlejuice, Batteries Not Included

The cover of Cinefex #34 presents me with a problem. How do I describe the front cover without saying the name of the character out loud? What's that? It doesn't count if I write it down? Well, sorry, I just can't take that chance. Let's just say the scary animated snake-man comes from one of … Continue reading Revisiting Cinefex (34): Beetlejuice, Batteries Not Included

Are special effects still special?

Dennis Muren, a living legend in the highly specialised field of visual effects, was recently quoted by movies.com as saying, 'In some ways, I think special effects aren't special any more.' It's fighting talk, especially when it's followed up with: 'If you're going to make a motion picture, don't just throw computer graphics in to … Continue reading Are special effects still special?

Avengers Assemble – with Eddie and Gus

EDDIE: So what about the Avengers movie? GUS: Superheroes aren't my favourite genre, but I thought Joss Whedon managed to weave a compelling drama laced with imaginative set-piece action sequences ... EDDIE: Why do you talk like that? Nobody talks like that. GUS: ... while deftly choreographing an impressive ensemble cast and delivering a rousing finale. … Continue reading Avengers Assemble – with Eddie and Gus

Revisiting Cinefex (32): RoboCop, Innerspace

With its modest $13 million budget and domestic takings of over $50 million*, Paul Verhoeven's RoboCop was one of the big summer hits of 1987. Its main character became a classic '80s icon - thanks largely to Peter Weller's compelling performance and Rob Bottin's remarkable costume and makeup effects - and is clearly represented here on … Continue reading Revisiting Cinefex (32): RoboCop, Innerspace

Revisiting Cinefex (31): Spaceballs, The Witches of Eastwick, Masters of the Universe

Want to see a Winnebago zooming through space? Just park yourself in front of Mel Brooks's 1987 sci-fi parody Spaceballs. Alternatively you could take a look at the front cover of Cinefex #31. The celestial camper in question goes by the name of Eagle 5 and is in fact a detailed miniature photographed on Apogee's … Continue reading Revisiting Cinefex (31): Spaceballs, The Witches of Eastwick, Masters of the Universe

Revisiting Cinefex (30): Little Shop of Horrors, The Gate, The Golden Child

Ellen Greene's looking worried on the front cover of Cinefex #30, and why wouldn't she? She's face to face (or is that lips?) with carnivorous space-plant Audrey II in a scene from Frank Oz's 1986 musical Little Shop of Horrors. The voracious vegetable was created live 0n-set by Lyle Conway in a tour-de-force of puppetry. … Continue reading Revisiting Cinefex (30): Little Shop of Horrors, The Gate, The Golden Child