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 (24): Cocoon, The Goonies, Back to the Future

Both the front and back covers of Cinefex issue #24 feature one of the big hit movies of 1985: Ron Howard's Cocoon. On the front we see - in extreme close-up - actor Brian Dennehy pulling down his lower eyelid to reveal the glowing skin of his alien Anterean self. The super-stretchy eyelid was a … Continue reading Revisiting Cinefex (24): Cocoon, The Goonies, Back to the Future

Revisiting Cinefex (19): Gremlins, Buckaroo Banzai, Dreamscape

It's okay to read Cinefex in the bath. The worst that can happen is the pages go crinkly. But you'd better take care with this issue because if you drop it in the water there's no telling what might come out. As if you needed any more clues, the giant close-up of Gizmo on the … Continue reading Revisiting Cinefex (19): Gremlins, Buckaroo Banzai, Dreamscape

Revisiting Cinefex (18): Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Star Trek III

The front cover of Cinefex #18 is a real sizzler, showing as it does one of the hapless victims of the ruthless Thuggee cult descending into a lake of fiery lava. The image is one of the many impressive models created by Dennis Muren's team at Industrial Light and Magic for Steven Spielberg's Indiana Jones … Continue reading Revisiting Cinefex (18): Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Star Trek III

Revisiting Cinefex (16): Rick Baker

You might think that's a real ape on the front cover of Cinefex #16. In fact, it's Kala, one of the remarkable ape characters created by Rick Baker for Hugh Hudson's 1984 film Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan. On the back cover is a searing close-up of the pneumatically operated 'Change-O Head #2' from John … Continue reading Revisiting Cinefex (16): Rick Baker

“Super 8” – Making the Beauty Shot Beautiful

JJ Abrams's movie Super 8 is one of those that slipped through my viewing net when it was first released. This week I finally got round to watching it. I'm not here to review the film (other than to say I found a lot to like about it, not least the fabulous performances from the juvenile … Continue reading “Super 8” – Making the Beauty Shot Beautiful

Revisiting Cinefex (14): The Right Stuff, Brainstorm, Twilight Zone

Watch your fingers - the front cover of Cinefex #14 features a sizzling still of John Glenn's Friendship 7 capsule experiencing re-entry in Philip Kaufman's 1983 film The Right Stuff. The capsule's a model and the flames are backlit nitrogen gas, but it still looks like hot stuff. The inside front cover shows a helicopter … Continue reading Revisiting Cinefex (14): The Right Stuff, Brainstorm, Twilight Zone

Revisiting Cinefex (11): ET and Robert Swarthe

The character on the front of Cinefex #11 owns one of the most famous faces of the 1980s - that's remarkable, considering he's a special effect. He's so famous I don't even need to tell you his name. His spaceship features on #11's inside cover, sitting on a full-scale woodland clearing set, and you can … Continue reading Revisiting Cinefex (11): ET and Robert Swarthe

Revisiting Cinefex (10): Poltergeist and Firefox

The cover of Cinefex #10 knows what scares you: it's the Hallway Beast from Tobe Hooper's 1982 horror film Poltergeist. Turn the page and you'll find a still from Clint Eastwood's high-tech thriller Firefox, showing the full-scale MiG-31 aircraft being stolen from its Russian hangar. There are two articles in this issue, spanning the regular … Continue reading Revisiting Cinefex (10): Poltergeist and Firefox