Monday, June 16, 2008

RIP Stan Winston (1946-2008)

A sad bit of news indeed...

Special effects master Stan Winston died Sunday, at his home in Malibu, California after a seven year battle with multiple myeloma

A spokeswoman for Stan Winston Studio said that "Stan died peacefully at home surrounded by family."

What can be said about a man who revolutionized an industry...The first time I heard the name Stan Winston was right after I saw Aliens in 1986. I was watching a "making of" docu and he explained his work...The massive Alien queen scared the s**t out of me...Despite all of the mechanics of the beast--Winston and his team made the creature seem very organic-expanding and improving on concepts we had seen before. He won an Oscar for that film.

The work on Predator is in the same league....

Leviathan, Jurassic Park III (live action dinosaurs) and Predator 2 were OK flicks enhanced by his artistry and made watchable...

He also did incredible make up and effects for Edward Scissorhands, Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (vampire makeup and effects), Batman Returns (special penguin makeup & effects producer), Pearl Harbor, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, and Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines...

He also helped Iron Man get suited up this summer and is credited as effects supervisor on Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins in '09...

Winston helped shape movie effects for the better and with his passing they will never be the same again...

The LA Times-Thanks for the monsters...

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