Practical effects, the best effects

In the past decade, blockbusters such as “Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens” and “Mad Max: Fury Road” were praised for their use of practical effects over computer-generated imagery (CGI). This return to an art form that was not so long ago considered dying signaled a renaissance of sorts in special effects. Joe Cianciotto.

There’s a hold in which practical effects puts not just audiences but actors as well. Behind-the-scenes footages show people acting in entirely green-screen environments, and it just doesn’t feel “real.” Practical effects put in a physical studio or on-location set has an impact that audiences truly feel. One of the best examples of this is the new droid BB-8 in “The Force Awakens.” Joe Cianciotto.

However, the greatness of practical effects and its superiority over CGI goes back decades. Back in the ‘80s, the explosion of the action-adventure and horror genres led to the peak of practical effects. From Rick Baker’s effects from the award-winning werewolf transformation sequence in “An American Werewolf in London” to Stan Winston’s alien queen in James Cameron’s “Aliens,” there were many practical effects to go around. Joe Cianciotto.

And while well-crafted CGI effects are still very much appreciated, most viewers would still feel more of the impact of good practical effects over anything computer-generated. Joe Cianciotto.