Synopses & Reviews
Ever wondered how Harry Potter flew in that quidditch game? Ever puzzled over King Kong swatting down airplanes? Ever tried to figure out Spider-Man swung from building to building? Its all done with optical and digital effects, with miniature photography and animation, with pyrotechnics, animatronics, and even sound effects--and Special Effects: The History and Technique offers the definitive history of movie magic plus detailed technical explanations and diagrams. Packed with more than 500 photographs and profiles of such groundbreakers as George Lucas, James Cameron, and Robert Zemeckis, it is sure to appeal to fans of all ages. From A Trip to the Moon to X-Men 3, from The Lost World to War of the Worlds, from the 1933 King Kong to the 2005 King Kong, this stunning book reveals the magic of special effects.
Synopsis
Spanning the rich history of movie magic, from A Trip to the Moon to Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace and The Matrix, this up-to-date guide to visual trickery is unparalleled in scope, presenting an illustrated chronicle of special effects development over 10 decades of filmmaking.
About the Author
Richard Rickitt is the cofounder of Clockwork Digital, a company that creates animation and special effects for film and television. A leading authority on the history and technology of special effects, he is an award-winning author and a popular speaker. He lives in London. Ray Harryhausen is the greatest animator in movie history and a pioneer in stop-motion animation.