Top 10 Movie Special Effects That Have Aged Well

[@daxxkid101]

I watched 2001: A Space Odyssey recently & I astounded the film was made in the 60's, the effects are unbelievable for the time. One of the most visually pleasing films I've ever seen.

[@blizzy78]

I'm missing Alien on that list.

[@magicstu]

And Aliens.

[@abuzzedwhaler7949]

I'm still wondering how they did the face huggers

[@radraptor1458]

Animal intestines

[@abuzzedwhaler7949]

Ohhhh, But how did they make them move?

[@lary6420]

Holy crap how did they botch that?

[@RCAvhstape]

Alien and The Thing still scare the shit out of people today.

[@railwayhobo872]

Helium Road yep I can’t watch it without looking away I know I’m a p****

[@samp7552]

Most effects of the thing are very cool even today!

[@Epicmonk117]

I think Monty Python and the Holy Grail aged well because while its special effects get cheesier relative to the current standard as time goes on, that cheesiness adds to the atmosphere of the film.

[@hulkhogansmash2809]

Agreed

[@uu119816]

Of course, the comedy aged horribly. I think the only person that enjoys Monty Python now is your Settlers of Catan/Dr Who type.

[@Epicmonk117]

+edward doherty I don't think that the comedy has aged poorly

[@cathyvickers9063]

+Epicmonk117 Monty Python and the Holy Grail never aimed for accuracy or believability, since it was wall-to-wall enjoyable silliness. I like it because the way they achieved that is aging well. I also enjoy the believable movies & SFX cited in this list; & a certain detractor of Dr Who needs to realise the new production has a higher budget & superior SFX than the original run of the show, from the '60's. to the '80's.

[@itschad493]

+Epicmonk117 Especially since it's a comedy.

[@BarryGGould]

why isnt alien on here? my god what a marvel

[@deanshepherd967]

Barry G. Gould would definitely have put Alien in there

[@urbannpa]

Alien is one of the best motion pictures (seen it 16 time in theater)that almost didn't get made.

[@88feji]

Giger's body horror environmental design plus the alien monster ... its mind bogglingly terrifying and beautiful at the same time ... Alien should be top 5 at least ... Aliens is beautiful too but its largely based on the first movie's aesthetics so its not so much an original effort ... I love the alien queen though ...

[@BarryGGould]

im glad so many people agree with me. its an amazing movie 👍👍

[@SidRandom]

I think over all Metropolis should be ranked no.1 on how innovative and inspiring it was. The first time I saw that movie I kept thinking "Oh they took this from such and such movie." Then I had to remind myself this came out before ALL of them.

[@SidRandom]

Thank you for at least putting it on the list.

[@alanfoster6589]

Absolutely belongs: the precursor of them all.

[@Laura-rp9rt]

The new Twin Peaks series seemed to use a lot of techniques straight out of Metropolis.

[@panzerjagertigerpelefant]

Journey to the moon was even more revolutionary if you consider it's dating and the quality, Mélies is the grandfather of movie-making.

[@SaccoBelmonte]

Alien 1 is the best sci-fi movie, aged like the wine.

[@cukbell]

Aliens was the best for me

[@lewiscranston881]

Sacco Belmonte Alien is great, but 2001 is something else.

[@88feji]

Sure, 2001 looks technologically accurate BUT aesthetically and artistically speaking its rather boring to look at compared to the imaginative and atmospheric beauty of Blade Runner, and Alien ... Giger's body horror environmental design for the first Alien movie is mind-blowingly beautiful .... the flying cars wooshing through the dystopian megastructures in Blade Runner is something you can stare at for hours without getting bored at all ...

[@Dumbstuffwatcher]

Alien is a horror movie in a sci-fi setting. Alien 2 and 3 are sci-fi action movies that have monsters

[@SaccoBelmonte]

@@Dumbstuffwatcher Well, you can imagine how good Alien1 is. :) To me, the Sci-Fi part is so believable it makes it to my number 1 2001 and Blade Runner are great but not as thrilling by a mile. I cannot watch these two as many times I watched Alien1

[@welbenn]

Nice choice for first position. JP is awesome even nowadays.

[@jakealter5504]

Agreed

[@AsG_Alligator]

Its a shame Jurassic World was such a crappy CGI-fest. I was so disappointed.

[@MegamanNG]

+Welben ribeiro da silva Agreed. One of the best and I love watching Jurassic Park. So amazing.

[@donnied217]

+AsG Alligator thank god I'm not the only one lol

[@patoscano2000]

what also helps is that they didnt use any filters like every movie does these days

[@audriusd.4416]

Where's aliens?

[@jrpierce010]

Audrius D. Yes, where is aliens

[@zepgaming3351]

Came here to post that exact same thing.

[@grownuptrunks]

Ya that is a classic.

[@matsv201]

Audrius D. yea... That to.. I was thinking about The abyss

[@pferdebert]

also came here to post exactly this

[@EmilFoghVids]

The camouflage effect in Predator still looks amazing. Should at least have had an honorable mention...

[@skylx0812]

A U.S. govt official got angry when he saw the movie. He thought the military had loaned top secret stealth tech to a movie studio for a scifi flick and wanted an investigation. The effects ppl had to show him how they did it. So yeah that was pretty could effects work at the time.

[@cbremer83]

Alien, Aliens, Fifth Element. These should be on the list!

[@jordan31176]

Terminator 2 for sure! I'm still mesmerised by the T1-1000 being shot to millions of pieces and then merging its self back together

[@Jabber-ig3iw]

Tobey Muguire T2 was the coming of age of the technology that created the water tentacle in the abyss, unfortunately most people only remember T2.

[@julesf.meloborges811]

That's an example of a rational use of CGI: Liquids, goo, strange alien forms, everything that could benefit from the CGI natural "unnaturalness".

[@OptimisticCynic715]

I'm annoyed that it looks like a fan blowing on it from above.

[@KaizerBeatz-vf9wf]

Jabber 1974 Nuhuh. I remember Michael Jackson’s Black & White for using that morphing technology too. Great scott!

[@zeadsi]

*2001: A Space Odyssey* looks better than a majority of things done today, it should have been #1.

[@shmooveyea]

No.

[@TuomioK]

+SilverVeil And Jurassic Park still has the best dinosaurs ever created on screen. I have seen Jurassic World and they don't look so much better surprisingly. 2001 deserves it's second place and it definitely looks amazing still but somehow Jurassic Parks effects impress me even more.

[@zeadsi]

+TuomioK well I'm taking into account when both movies were made. JP was made in the 90s, 2001 in the late 60s. Both look great but one is pushing close to 50 years and STILL looks great. I'm not saying JP isn't impressive, it surely is but given the longevity of 2001 that have practical and special effects that doesn't look a day over late 90s technology I think it deserved that top spot.

[@zeadsi]

Théodore Janvier I would be lying if I said I knew this man's contribution but looking at his discography now I'm really impressed! He's seriously the mastermind behind so many classics. I might comb through things he's tied in with that I've missed.

[@zeadsi]

shmaveyea "no" K

[@DreHill1]

It's bizarre how good Jurrasic Park still looks. Really amazing.

[@sternpio]

Funny: The special effects of Star Wars IV aged much better than the effects of the prequels.

[@kierenmoore3236]

Because they were more tactile ... it's like so many things; if it's the earliest of a later technology, it's often worse ...

[@ianwestc]

The effects shots shown in this video from Star Wars are from the Special Edition (the only one available today). They add a ton of new special effects, but more than that they digitally cleaned up many of the older effects. If you can find an original Star Wars print, the space combat between the falcon and tie fighters has not aged well, as the 'boxes' surrounding the ship images as they were laid over the star field backgrounds are distractingly noticeable. Those boxes were digitally removed for the special edition.

[@kierenmoore3236]

The Mandalorian - BLASPHEMER!!!!

[@wdenegri]

@@ianwestc : I always thought that those "boxes" where their shields.

[@joeboyko8013]

That's because the prequels relied exclusively on CGI for it's effects. Look at how poorly the special effects in _'Avatar'_ have aged for the same reason... I've always been a huge advocate of using practical, composite, and makeup effects primarily, and using CGI as a way to touch them up. CGI looks better when it compliments the effects as opposed to being the effect. Everything feels and looks more organic when it's tangible.

[@SimonRaahauge1973]

Blade Runner is my number one!

[@dartsma464]

Exactly what I felt too when seeing the list. Many bad movies there, included Star Wars, ET and Jurassic Park. Blade Runner and 2001 are of a different league. Quality movies

[@cerperalpurpose]

+dartsma464 JP? Bad? You're funny.

[@lewiscranston881]

+dartsma464 E.T, JP and Star Wars are not bad films, they are brilliant. 2001 and Blade Runner are two of my favourite films, but even Kubrick loved films like E.T and liked Star Wars.

[@saltysimon67]

Simon Raahauge hi Simon

[@MacXpert74]

Yes I expected it to be number one as well. Just a honorable mention is simply retarded. What idiot decided on that?

[@yeahwellthatsjustlikeyouro7466]

Space Oddyssey should have been #1.

[@ivanivao7988]

Yeah well,that's just like your opinion , man No Jurassic Park have the best of the best visual effects.

[@LaurianeG.]

I dunno, you can see with the way they move what's CG and what's robots.

[@billmarrison9090]

I agree 100%! Remember, this movie is from 1968! Outstanding affects for that year.

[@HTtwentyten]

The title is 'effects that have aged well', though.. JP does deserve no.1, in addition to being a phenomenal groundbreaker itself

[@kebman]

No. Jurassic Park hasn't aged nearly as well as 2001. And not even mentioning Alien, and giving Blade Runner an "honourable mention" is a travesty.

[@Conker1337]

JP is fine on #1, but I agree that Alien and Blade Runner have to be ranked on that list.

[@88feji]

I came here expecting to see Blade Runner at No. 1 spot ... nothing less

[@poshuajerkins]

I think District 9 will be on this list in 20 years. Blew my mind how real the aliens looked when I first saw it.

[@brayanargandonaflorentino548]

I fucken love that movie

[@Chaotal]

Absolutely 110% that movie was amassing

[@jormungandr7885]

lol i didn't even finish it because it was so bad

[@poshuajerkins]

lol how was it bad?? the CGI was great and the story was great

[@justinsane3909]

He's allowed not to like it FFS. It's his opinion. Get over yourself.

[@jeppeforsberg]

Go Starship Troopers, best movie I saw as a kid ever!! Would you like to know more?

[@sorbitolmaltitolxylitolman3355]

No.

[@miguelchingon313]

I'm from Buenos Aires, and. I say kill 'em all!!

[@uu119816]

it's afraid

[@jeppeforsberg]

edward doherty what does that mean?

[@miguelchingon313]

+Jesper Forsberg What the brain bug is thinking when it gets captured.

[@nightsoldier7462]

Stanley Kubrick was truely a visionary. RIP

[@ekoms108]

Night Soldier he did a great job with the moon landing too

[@geordischmidt]

I have to nominate "Forbidden Planet" (1958) and "Them" (1953). For the first, I still marvel at how well the space ship blends in with the planet and that tour through the Krell science facility is still amazing after all these years (courtesy of Walt Disney himself). As for "Them," the ants aren't drawn or animated and definitely not CGI but they do hold up well.

[@thedarkgift4442]

yes i was watching and wondering what order they was going to put it in. they got me

[@ziraprod6090]

Forbidden Planet... Well done. Mojo is not as culturally educated as that. I didn't expect it. But I am glad someone mentioned.

[@brayanargandonaflorentino548]

I recently bought the movie Forbidden Planet and it looks visually appealing during the mid 50s

[@Zorro9129]

Not to mention "The War of the Worlds" in 1956. For its time it exceeded all standards for science fiction, including space craft design, weapons visuals, and alien physiology. It disappoints me that neither of these classics were included.

[@Grunchy005]

Robby the robot!

[@animateangus]

I watched Fritz Lang’s “Metropolis” a few months ago and was blown away. Unbelievable that they pulled all that off in 1927.

[@daroldkelly9186]

The MATRIX had ground breaking effects as well.

[@BlunderCity]

But it is cinematography and production design or special effects?

[@Simtask]

I think Fifth Element should of been on this list somewhere....

[@kennethhymering677]

Allthough I am a great fan of that movie, it wasn't so much the special effects as more the great costumes and wigs that made this movie into a viewers spectacle. Definitely one of my all time favourites though!!

[@Catubrannos]

Agreed. The Mangolorians looked like aliens and not puppets and the chase through the city streets was excellent.

[@robertnett9793]

And it had the Zorg ZF-1- forget about any other movie-gun :D

[@creech54]

@@robertnett9793 Should have been (or should've been).

[@robertnett9793]

@@creech54 Yes? ... you probably answered to the wrong person.

[@bcaffrey98]

Two movies from the 1950s still stand up pretty well. 1951's The Day The Earth Stood Still (original, B&W) which used SFX sparingly but very effectively. 1956 gave us Forbidden Planet, staring Walter Pidgeon, a young & beautiful Anne Francis, and Leslie Nielsen. Both movies included robots (GORT in the first movie and Robby in the 2nd). SFX were done well, used rather sparingly and blended in with the story without being gratuitous or obnoxious. For Sci-Fi fans these are worth having on DVD.

[@creech54]

SPFX for "War of the Worlds" (1953) still hold up very well.

[@Primus54]

@@creech54Indeed. And I agree with the original comment, as well.

[@iluvcamaros1912]

Seeing as how James Cameron is being mentioned a lot I think people are, oddly enough, overlooking Titanic. It's an amazing blend of full scale sets, scale models, and CGI. 20 years on it still looks like you're watching the real ship set sail and sink.

[@Geedtyjkbfssvbhhgfvbgdetyhfrg]

Exactly. No way they didn't even mention it

[@G8GTJav]

Blade Runner only gets honorable mention? Are you nuts?

[@DrittAdrAtta]

Blade Runner HAS NOT aged, it looks seemles till this day. They should not have put it in this video at all if the "honorable mention" is all they had for it.

[@kaimanic1406]

And Jurassic Park, which doesn't aged well is on No.1. o_O

[@Ethan-en2ij]

Vorname Nachname It has aged very well but blade runner still should be on the actual list.

[@robertparks7233]

Freaking only watched blade runner 23 times,not enough. Rp

[@88feji]

Blade Runner IS the real No. 1 ... .. beyond making the dystopian future and the flying cars look real and tangible, artistically it went further to make them beautiful and atmospheric in an unparallelled manner till this day...

[@jomahawk7488]

The movie that made my mouth drop open in awe was the original Tron movie. To this day it still gives me goosebumps when Flynn enters the grid

[@MrCrackerJack420]

Joma Hawk I watched Tron for the first time last week. Incredible!

[@kalahatinggabi]

Yeah, but its effects haven't aged well at all.

[@CholokMauser]

The Thing and Blade Runner only in honorables?

[@Tripledashhh_]

Magnus Cholok Mauser thats what i said!!! wtf

[@MayZonday]

Dax Michael and alien or aliens never even was on the list

[@Tripledashhh_]

CamzillaGaming watchmojo top 10 most disappointing top 10s lol

[@henryovalles7311]

Magnus Cholok Mauser what about the moon landing great effects yes

[@julesf.meloborges811]

The Thing is great, but the effects Did aged. Looks like a latex and goo festival. I don't mind those things, since is a movie about Alien lifeforms and I never had trouble with Make-believe in general, but facts are facts: That doesn't look organic/natural.

[@SensationalBanana]

The Back to the Future movies have aged so well, not only in acting and effects but in STORY and humour too! True classics indeed! And Starship Troopers is just amazing! It never gets campy, it never feels out of place or date!

[@ZoobiethePopplio]

The only part of Back to the Future that didn't age well was it's depiction of 2015

[@themadthrasher5000]

Aliens and Blade Runner should have made the list.

[@BobRadu]

+The Boneless One Yeah, I thought the exact same thing. I think the Fly is more make-up, and the Thing didn't look that great to me.

[@nicholasseaks95]

+The Boneless One yeah. Aliens deserved a mention for sure.

[@clintbeamquillope3123]

Yeah I was so amazed with Starship Troopers Special Effects, a childhood wonder. Also the Metropolis is like a Charlie Chaplin film Modern Times, you'll just think how the hell they made that huge mechanical thing in factory.

[@Toolness1]

I was pissed Titanic beat it out for the effects oscar that year.

[@MarkJacksonGaming]

You guys missed Aliens (1985). That one beats all of these.

[@slambangaction]

+Mark Jackson 1986. (Sorry, I couldn't resist. I love that movie too!)

[@TheSlickkEffect123]

Nah, the first one was better. Much more engaging.

[@MarkJacksonGaming]

slambangaction -- lol , np. I'd claim myself and Alien franchise master, but not with rum in my belly.

[@coletrainhetrick]

It is practical effect dominated! Costumes! animatronic! Puppets!

[@MarkJacksonGaming]

Coletrain Hetrick -- Grasp at straws much? Tomato, toMato? Without computers back in the day, what do you think Aliens effects were called? Special, or practical? Let's review: Practical effects are a sub-category of special effects. They're a part of special. Applying what you know about CGI and computers to that era doesn't make sense. But getting back to it, Aliens special effects have aged extremely well.

[@rafifthesecond9023]

In Starship trooper, every death is treated like someone died in a multiplayer game.

[@matsv201]

Rafif The Second well yea... it was pretty much made like a game would. it was kind of The point of it

[@Jabber-ig3iw]

That’s the whole point of the film.

[@julesf.meloborges811]

Jabber I was going to say that, in those exact same words. Thanks. Eh eh

[@inzamkyle7098]

space Odyssey : 2001 is the greatest sci fi movie of all.

[@88feji]

To me, the greatest sci fi movie of all time is Blade Runner ... ... I've seen things you people wouldn't believe ...

[@rancosteel]

“Open the pod bay doors please HAL”.

[@theodorehobson759]

Blade Runner should of made the list instead of being just an honorable mention. I still can't wrap my head around how beautiful and futuristic that movie looks even to this day.

[@TheEj1313]

+Theodore Hobson My thoughts exactly

[@bettyford4580]

+Theodore Hobson Definitely! Blade Runner should have at least been #3. One of the best movies ever made and it still totally holds up!

[@andreaanderson360]

John Carpenter's The Thing didn't make it??? C'mon, Rob Bottin's practical effects are mind-blowing!

[@morphos2]

Where's "The Abyss"? Where are Alien The 8th Passenger and Aliens?

[@kebman]

Absolutely groundbreaking films, not even mentioned. Says something about the guys making these lists. Thumbs down.

[@libernox5376]

Aliens boasted the queen puppet... everything else was "meh," including the story.

[@julesf.meloborges811]

"Alien The 8th Passenger" Esse subtítulo é só no Brasil, rapaz. Eh eh

[@kremlingrasso8076]

funnily it's the same in hungarian as well, if i translate the movie's hugarian title back to english it's "the 8th passanger is death"...must have been some sub-title of the movie or maybe some slogan on the poster that a world apart it's called the same

[@nielslauridsen2323]

*Blade Runner* only got honorable mention?

[@sandrobindelli5607]

Exactly...Blade Runner completely changed the way Sci-Fi was imagined, from then all all "space movies" became dirty and not polished clean.

[@darrenhood4033]

Star Wars and Alien would like a word with you. Outland also looked very worn and lived in and that was 1981.

[@radradradradradrad]

its more better then not in the list right?

[@emilysmellfox4784]

+Darren Hood yeah but hand made costumes make a franchise more good than shitty CGI made by a 6 year old aye?

[@darrenhood4033]

No one counts the special editions effects, when referring to Star Wars historic achievements, since they were added 20 years AFTER the film had been completed released and enjoyed ten times over by fans and moivegoers. There was no cgi in the original Star Wars.

[@ewancartwright]

"CGI dinosaurs" *shows video of practical dinosaur* "Practical dinosaur" *shows video of CGI dinosaurs*

[@oldaccount409]

Go home watchmojo, you're drunk

[@Nazwabezcyfer]

Let me guess, Jurassic Park is #1

[@jordan31176]

The CGI in Jurassic Park is starting to look dated now

[@user-rn2ut9qb8h]

Nazwabezcyfr you're right Buddy

[@Seekarr]

Let me guess. #1 Jurassic Park #2 2001 a Space Odyssey #3 Terminator 2 #4 Close Encounters of the Third Kind I hope I am right, I am a great guesser on these things like the OP.

[@AltumNovo]

As it should be

[@notafilms1309]

Seekarr you are also great at remebering the things in the video

[@morelhunter3966]

Jurassic Park as number 1? You bet. Still better effects than many of today's movies. The T-Rex attack scene and the "When Dinosaurs ruled the world scene" are some of the best scenes put on film during the 90s if not ever. Just classic.

[@morelhunter3966]

Although nothing changed special FX as much as Star Wars. That really should've been number one.

[@56postoffice]

The effects in "The Empire Strikes Back" still looks great nearly 37 years on, as well as "Return Of The Jedi". And I'm talking BEFORE those "Special Edition" add -ons! Plus, I still say the dragon in "Dragonslayer" is one of the best I've seen on film, and that was 1981!!. ILM top of their game there.

[@hunterolaughlin]

What about Raiders of the Lost Ark? The visual effects when God is extracting his wrath on the Nazis still look amazing. Especially the melting head and the bolts of lightning going through the Nazis’ bodies.

[@56postoffice]

@@hunterolaughlin Seen that recently on TV. Still holds up. And remember, it's not CG.

[@hunterolaughlin]

@@56postoffice Watched it last year with my family in honor of its 40th anniversary and still holds up as the best action and adventure film of all time.

[@SeanGrantstormpinball]

We shouldn't forget the original Tron. Still looks phenomenal today. Fantastic design, and an amazing process (hand painting each movie frame while backlighting everything) which has never been duplicated. One of the all time most amazing visual achievements in cinema.

[@Iggystar71]

With the number of excellent honorable mentions and outright omissions there needs to be a second list!

[@ArcaneAzmadi]

+Vicky Bagley Agreed. For the honour of Ray Harryhausen. Kali demands it!

[@BryonLetterman]

Jurassic Park is absolutely still good enough for today. It's hard to believe it's over 20 years old

[@sandrobindelli5607]

Bryon Letterman Fact is to a trained CGI specialist's eye like mine is since the '90s...today's movies look a lot faker than 1977 Star Wars... :-)

[@parkinsaw]

It's because people don't combine practical with cgi anymore. Back than people were forced to make puppets/animatronics because cgi was so costly and not up to par. But now it's grown leaps and bounds and far more easier to do and is less time consuming.

[@psycho_maniac1389]

I have watched over and over starship troopers on blue ray in my 4K player and 4K tv, it still holds pretty freaking well... That movie held up better than expected

[@EnjoyUrban1963]

Alien alien alien. How can you forget.

[@screamartsdnb]

yeah it makes me mad as well

[@Seekarr]

You showed footage from remastered updates of Star Wars and Star Trek with better special effects added in. Anyway, Lord of the Rings has aged incredibly well. As has pretty much everything by James Cameron from T2 onward.

[@Trainwheel_Time]

Seekarr Did you..... listen to the commentary at all?

[@Revan2908]

Uh, no, none of the stuff added for the Director's Edition of Star Trek: TMP appeared in this video. There wasn't that much added to begin with.

[@legometaworld2728]

Lord of the Rings is way too new.

[@mdmyer]

It's only 4 years newer than Starship Troopers.

[@MarcoPolo82]

I'm sorry to tell you, but the scenes from Star Wars are the original ones, without the touches. The only altered was the dance of the Jaba Palace. Same for the Star Trek. You need to watch the movies.

[@ivanivao7988]

best visual effects of all time 1/ Jurassic Park 2/ Blade Runner 3/ 2001 4 / Close encounters of the third kind 5/ Interstellar 6/ Gravity 7/ Metropolis 8/ Who framed Roger rabbit 9/ Aliens 10/ Matrix

[@daflyboys3894]

Interstellar is too new.

[@BlunderCity]

@Da Flyboys Gravity also although you could argue that it's artistic use of special effects and that is almost guaranteed to age well.

[@tucoramirez4558]

Blade Runner just a honorable mention? It became * the template* for later sci fi films set on Earth and also was used for numerous music videos and games way into the late 1990's.

[@sandrobindelli5607]

It was also the kickoff to Cyber-punk culture, litterature and moods defining a whole new sci-fi genre of it's own. Blade Runner is a complete masterpiece. It's vision is also ultra-predictive in it's Asian-dominated world and messed up climate and pollution.

[@RoySherfan]

Agreed. YOU KNOW NOTHING WATCHMOJO!

[@julesf.meloborges811]

I think the "Ambition + Innovation" get more credit. Blade Runner aged so well because it didn't try to revolutionized Special Effects.

[@sandrobindelli5607]

Most people don't know that the liquid metal T-1000 was modeled and animated with 3D Studio DOS v1.1 and rendered on an array of 386dx2 CPUs running at 20 MHz each on a board with for then staggering 256 Mb of RAM...I know this because I've seen some models as tutorials while learning 3D Studio DOS v2.0 in 1994 (running on my stunning Pentium 100 MHz, 32 Mb RAM workstation with then powerful Matrox Millenium TX graphic card with 4Mb dedicated video RAM...the card alone then cost like an entire PC, around 1200 dollars :-))

[@ianwestc]

I would like to give nominate the classic Wizard of Oz for Honorable Mention. The long shots with Dorothy outside as the tornado slowly approaches still blow away most tornado special effects nearly 80 years later. The other nomination would be the 1953 War of the Worlds, one of the earliest alien disaster movies I remember being impressed by. Not only was it a triumph of visual design and total apocalypse, but the audio design in the movie is just as impressive and also holds up.

[@lonelyexodus]

I can't believe Blade Runner got no more than a honourable mention!

[@90MichaelTaylor]

+Renato Corte or how Alien didnt even get a honorable mention.

[@gundamfan2020]

also Independence day I saw that 6 times in the cinema I was 19 and I was lile woah amazing effects at the time along with twister for not only it's visuals bring one of the first films on dvd the surround sound added that insane punch in the back

[@bryanalstoncoxing]

The Ten Commandments (1956) sea parting effects are still pretty spectacular IMO

[@vanquish5023]

Rule of thumb when it comes to special effects: If the effect doesn't take you out of the movie then it's held up well.

[@RoodeMenon]

+Darth Vanquish Amen brother.

[@dianaoelrich5516]

would have loved to see some more of the really old stuff, pioneer's works like King Kong, Jeckyll & Hyde, Invisible Man or Incredible Shrinking Man

[@owiewan0112]

6:02 I always loved the detail put into the AT Ats...but I never even noticed all of the moving parts in the legs until now. Thats insane

[@manolis.799]

I think Alien and The Thing should've been on the actual list and Jurassic Park deserves number 1

[@CorsetGrace]

I would go with "Aliens" over "Alien."

[@OldSilentHill8]

Alien (1979) Aliens (1986) Considering it´s 7 years of difference, I would say Alien has more merits.

[@blackworldtraveler3711]

I think that tornado scene in the Wizard of Oz looked pretty good considering they used something like a drill motor,wires, and rags.

[@vidneypopples]

That's not the point!

[@Amills11]

The tornado scene does still hold up but you are not giving them enough credit. That Tornado was about 30 feet tall.

[@LouisBailey-c5v]

Jurassic park still holds up today, I saw it on iMax 3 years ago and it was amazing. The part where the dinosaurs run along the car was incredible!!!

[@sumpurnis]

What? No Alien(s) on the list? This is madness!

[@DrViperVideos]

Exactly! The queen alien is the best practical effect put to screen ever

[@gabriels5589]

Madness??!! THIS IS SPARTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@cherminatorDR]

How is Blade Runner just an honourable mention? And how is Alien not even on the god damn list?

[@vapoet]

Has WatchMojo even heard of the 1950's? The eclipse scene alone in Forbidden Planet is worth at least a mention.

[@Toolness1]

Great movie, the Id monster used to scare me as a kid

[@touchingthings4289]

*90's early 2000's movies were the best*

[@sieravirs1107]

+Zeithtalkz oh fuuuuuuuuuuu

[@ndasilvapowell]

+Touching Things Actually 1984 was the biggest year in movies.

[@touchingthings4289]

+Nicholas Da Silva Powell You're right! 'The karate kid' came to my mind :D

[@cpthippieholdaccount1303]

The good part you didnt include was 70's and 80's, and you included the years of 'The Prequels'

[@gengivitis7448]

Also the 80s... They had pretty awesome movies

[@pkrangersf3072]

Lord of the Rings will eventually be on this list. They blew my mind when they first came out and still do!

[@franciscovillanueva5288]

Jason Gablaski imposible. This trilogy has less than 20 years old.

[@FearAlmaAgain]

Most effects especially those of the creatures in the NeverEnding Story (1984) are utterly impressive to this day and even now we'd be hard-pressed to replace it with any CGI. The film belongs on this list.

[@gradepoint]

Blade Runner? Honorable mention? Psssh!

[@fresnokila3]

+gradepoint Same words came out of my mouth the moment I saw it

[@AnakinNakamura]

I'll be honest. The CGI special effects added in the DVD and Blu-ray editions of the Original Trilogy weren't that bad, I mean I know it took away some of the first puppet, masks and costumes of the original species. Still, with or without the effects, the Original Trilogy is good. Of course this is my own personal opinion. Don't let it affect you.

[@warweasel2832]

True. a lot of people just liked it the way it was and didn't think it needed the CGI and that it was kind of was an eyesore in a world of practical effects. I also liked the practical effects because the un-polished vehicles looked like they had scratches and dents. which military vehicles should have.

[@danielstrain4857]

The enhancements to Episode IV were the best, and justifiable to bring it up to the level of the other episodes (old and new). In fact, the scenes of the battle at the climax of IV are so incredible, they actually make it easier to understand what's going on (such as when and how the ships are doing what, and why). The Solo/Greedo scene was really the only bad thing there. The enhancements to RotJ were largely unnecessary, but I don't mind them too much. I did mind the added bits in the blue ray edition more though.

[@BlunderCity]

To be fair, the CGI is not bad in those films, just utterly pointless.

[@countfloydschillerhorrorth2090]

If you are talking about the one with all those silly idiotic added effects, Then don't worry your comment affecting us, think about yourself instead.

[@Nachtmahr79]

No Aliens? How can you do this list without that film? Those effects are 35 years old and look better than most recent films!

[@idrinkmilk282]

bladerunner shoulda made the top 3, still cant tell its from 1982

[@BlunderCity]

I agree especially since the effects and cinematography (which, as in The Matrix, are intertwined) are integral to the film. I guess you could conceivably tell the same story with no effects at all but it would lose a lot of its value. What make Blade Runner one of the most interesting film ever made is that it is the only piece of cinema so far that accurately depicts the cyberpunk universe. Close Encounters, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Back to the Future II or Metropolis are films that could be made with minimal special effects and retain their value. Star Wars, T2 and Jurassic Park are all about special effect and little else. Blade Runner is the only film where the effects are the heart and soul of the film and truly enhance the quality of everything else in it.

[@spaceopera87]

The fact that Star Wars is #6 on this list is pure blasphemy. NOTHING changed visual design and sfx like Star Wars did. It started a revolution in production design and model work. They invented new technology called motion control that was used for the next 25 years. Blade Runner being in the honorable mentions is a shame as practically NOTHING in that movie has aged in 25+ years. Jurassic Park pushed the envelope quite far and still holds up quite well but it isn't anywhere near as awe inspiring as Star Wars.

[@thedarkgift4442]

Star wars has never aged. It is the standard.

[@kennethhymering677]

I don't agree, Jurassic Park set a whole new standard as well! Everybody watching that movie was definitely awe inspired! Also, they did forget a movie: The original War of the worlds from 1953! If you are talking about special effects that were far ahead of their time, that movie should definitely be in the list, Also the movie Tron belongs in this list, as it also set completely new standards!

[@dariusq8894]

The irony is that the CG in JP and T2 came from Industrial Light & Magic, a company which was originally created to make the effects in Star Wars.

[@lewiscranston881]

spaceopera87 I think 2001 was the biggest influence, especially on Star Wars.

[@sivad1025]

The first before the special editions does have some iffy moments, however Empire takes all that, improves on it and continues with more awe inspiring and original effects. That movie looks so fantastic.

[@angrykermit3192]

I totally agree with the Starship Troopers acknowledgement. The bug CGI was so well done.

[@rdaysky]

The skeleton fight in Jason and the Argonauts (1963) is great.

[@docdoowop]

I agree. Starship troopers on this list makes the video a joke.

[@CaptinNabil7]

They missed on many other special effects that aged well like Independence Day, Men in Black, The Abyss, especially that CGI Water scene which also holds out well since that's was the inspirations for the effects for Terminator 2, Aliens, since that movie happens to be the best in all of the Alien franchise, most of the even-numbered Star Trek Movies, especially numbers 6 and 8, and The 5th Element.

[@CaptinNabil7]

+Black Gate Picture House Since you put it that way, then make that both Alien 1 & 2.

[@Rhand75]

I've always ranked Aliens #1 and Alien #2. I'd rank the SCRIPT for Alien Resurrection as #3, I say script because the movie was crap. I remember reading the leaked script online before it came out and couldn't wait to see it, and I couldn't believe how crappy it turned out. Only years later did I realize that script I thought was amazing was written by Joss Whedon. Pity he didn't direct it.

[@karynation128]

2001, Citizen Kane, Ten Commandments, Alien, Jurassic Park, Wizard of Oz, Star Wars, Frankenstein, Jason and the Argonauts, Saving Private Ryan, Tron, Terminator, Planet Nine...all of those really took special effects to the next level

[@salvadorriosdelmas7008]

Blade runner just honorable mention?

[@hexum7]

I can't believ ALIEN did not mke this list. It practically re-wrote the book on how space travel AND horror movies could and should look

[@nicholasseaks95]

+hexum7 One could argue Alien borrowed inspiration from Star Wars, as Alien maintains that "Lived in" look that Star Wars had. Still a great effects film, along with its sequel.

[@hexum7]

Nicholas Seaks One could argue that anything derived inspiration from things that had gone before. And while I know what you mean, in tregards to the look of the machinery as well- used and industrial, and both had an art deco feel, I would say the look of Alien is markedly different because Star Wars harkens back to bright Flash Gordon type set pieces, while Alien is much darker and stylized in a detailed way we hadn't seen before. In some ways, they are direct opposites

[@ammo76534]

#1 should be 2001. I mean Jurassic park holds up really well but it was made in the 90s. 2001 is like 48 years old and it really holds up.

[@alonsoarana5307]

The thing about Jurassic Park is that it revolutionized visual effects to the max, and 2001 is starting to age a bit, Jurassic Park's CGI shots have not aged at all, in fact Jurassic Park 3 has worse looking CGI

[@ammo76534]

+Alonso Arana no 2001 hasn't aged a bit. I watched it yesterday and it still looks fantastic. It also revolutionized space films with its amazing special effects and really great practical effects. 2001 proves what a truly amazing director is Stanley Kubrick

[@marcobazan4187]

+Alonso Arana I actually believe that 2001 aged better

[@Takeiteasy1489]

+TheWarrior Teddy Jurassic World has worse looking CGI than Jurassic Park

[@ammo76534]

+Ezequiel Perez so? Green lantern had worse effects than 2001. Also the CGI implies were a bit better than the original. It was the animatronics in the first one that stole the show. I mean compare any animatronic to Jurassic world. Even though jp looks better than 2001 is because 2001 was made in 1968 and Jurassic park was made in 1993

[@SW1EmpireAtWar]

I think the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park look better than the ones in Jurassic World

[@jackhackett80]

Robert Zemekis is on top of the special effects game almost every film he does. A totally underrated legend

[@yourmindvstheworld5807]

The whole time I was sure that Alien would make the top two or three. Yet, nary a mention. Steven Spielberg is obviously connected, while Ridley Scott is not.

[@racerhomie]

#1 Should be 2001:A Space Odyssey

[@Laceykat66]

I would have to say that two that you missed were Forbidden Planet (1956) and War of the Worlds ( 1953). Both deserved even Honorable Mention on your list as the effects have well stood the test of time and are well above most films made in the last 50 years.

[@vjpearce]

I think *Batteries not included still holds up pretty well.

[@acloserlook5823]

And "Cocoon" And "The Explorers."

[@vjpearce]

A Closer Look I haven't seen Cocoon in years, but yeah, that still holds up. Never seen The Explorers, though and other that holds up amazingly well is The Abyss.

[@vjpearce]

I didn't think it was that bad. I've seen worse effects.

[@yortsemloh1156]

I can’t believe the tornado scene from the wizard of oz wasn’t in here.

[@Vinkie]

12:11 never noticed how wobbly the T-rex's head was, haha. Still amazing looking animatronics regardless.

[@MrThunderMonky]

I would have thought Alien and especially Aliens would have made at least the honorable mentions list. I challenge anyone to watch Aliens and pull it's special effects apart.

[@ludeman]

+InFocus1977 Hell yes!

[@MizzWGGrrrl]

+InFocus1977 I'm more of an "Aliens" than "Alien" gal, but the chest-burster and the torn-up android still hold up as effects, ditto the monster. The fork-lift suit in "Aliens" looks like heavy equipment that should exist now, if not in the near future.

[@MrThunderMonky]

+Andrea Lyon I couldnt agree more!

[@tiagobernardo6807]

no no no. Blade runner is just a honorable mention?! that is just wrong, cmon. shoulb be second or even first. it looks like it was made in the late 90s.

[@justinmelecio8610]

I've watched them 1,000's of times but I will always appreciate the effects of Jurassic Park and Star Wars.

[@darthstarkiller1912]

I'm honestly surprised "The Wizard of Oz" isn't on this list.

[@theafroalien3169]

Absolutely

[@creech54]

I'm always disappointed that real tornados don't look as good as the one in "The Wizard of Oz"

[@kapilbusawah7169]

How is the matrix not on here?

[@BlunderCity]

If you think about it, there isn't that much special effects in The Matrix. Also, it may be a bit recent, if included, it would have been the most recent film on the list.

[@KaizerBeatz-vf9wf]

Because their effects haven’t aged well. Even the most impressive effect in that film is Bullet Time but that’s just cliched and unimpressive to a modern audience. So everything else like that simulated city Morpheus is trapped in a building within, or the weird monster alien robot things that attack the people at that technology base thing, or the thing Neo wakes up from and sees everyone plugged into...they just all look dated and akin to something from Sharkboy & Lavagirl. Both in effects & story, Matrix is one film that has not aged well. No surprise Matrix is the new film younger generations just see as overrated

[@MadChristoph]

And it came out in 1999

[@mydjmode]

The thing should be number one in the list. I watched it for the first time a couple of years ago and i was blown away and creeped the hell out by its visual effects!

[@TheDocfri]

Star Wars shouldve been the number one

[@Jabber-ig3iw]

TheDocfri no just no, I love the films but apart from the ship scenes in space the effects are pretty shonky.

[@FlorisYoung]

i think it should have been number 2 i think jurrasic park deserves the number one spot

[@DarthMohammedRules]

Everything from Poltergeist (the original), except the dude ripping his face off.

[@DarthHater100]

Fuck you Darth!

[@41illusion]

I remember seeing Jurassic Park re-released in 3D a few years ago on its anniversary and the movie worked so well with 3D despite having never been filmed in 3D that it truly felt like seeing it again for the first time which was such an amazingly strange and awe-inspiring feeling. Things like that rarely happen in film, I just can't even comprehend how in the hell they did it, but hats off to those who worked on the 3D cut. Bless you Steven Spielberg for working so carefully on the 3D cut to ensure it still remained intact for fans even after 20 years.

[@Loris71734]

I find it funny the Dinosaurs in Jurassic Park look better than Jurassic World.

[@itschad493]

+LorisMasta17 ikr!?

[@nativenchristian]

+LorisMasta17 you're smoking crack, JW dinosaurs looked incredibly realistic

[@giotm4077]

+nativenchristian oh, super (sarcasm evidentialy)

[@carlotajimenez7585]

That's because the dinosaurs were actually animatronics, not fake-looking SGI

[@itschad493]

Carlota Jimenez SGI? This ain't Stargate.

[@duchovny2]

Star Wars should be number one, simply for the fact that if it never had been created, there would have been no ILM, and thus, no Jurassic Park

[@DaveGilmour]

duchovny2 I was thinking the exact same thing.

[@vidneypopples]

irrelevant!

[@56postoffice]

Plus, no *Star Trek* films, no Battlestar Galactica.