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Examples of old movies with CGI that has aged well
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User 479360
Banned
Jurassic Park for sure. That Spawn gif is also impressive, but I haven't seen the movie.
I recently watched part of Ice Age, and it has not aged well.
I recently watched part of Ice Age, and it has not aged well.
David H Wong
Banned
On set there was just a broomstick and a painted tennis ball standing there
More_Badass
Member
Got some news for youTerminator 2
Flight of the Navigator
That T2 GIF isn't CGI. That's a practical effect
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYQMfT6nsQs
The Edgar Roach in Men in Black
The entire movie save for a few exceptions (the pre credits scene ....) is godly cg effects and some pretty good non cgi too !
peanutbutterlatte
Member
I think the Lord of the Rings trilogy will age so much better than The Hobbit, because despite the difference in tech they didn't rely on it for everything.
There's a few moments when Gollum's clearly superimposed over a scene but the model itself hasn't aged neatly as bad as other early 2000's CGI. Weirdly the Pale Orc in Hobbit looks so much worse 12 years later.
There's a few moments when Gollum's clearly superimposed over a scene but the model itself hasn't aged neatly as bad as other early 2000's CGI. Weirdly the Pale Orc in Hobbit looks so much worse 12 years later.
Cameron's early CGI movies (The Abyss, Terminator ) still hold up pretty well. Another film's CGI that still looks great after all of these years is Forrest Gump. It wasn't a huge sci-fi extravaganza that needed effects in every frame, but they did a good job with seamlessly inserting Tom Hanks into footage with historical figures, multiplying 1,500 extras at the Lincoln Memorial into a 100,000 plus crowd, erasing Gary Sinise's legs and so on. These days, anyone with a GoPro and Adobe Premiere could duplicate the same effects pretty quickly and easily, but it was pretty impressive work back in 1994.
ffejeromdiks
Banned
I think the first Matrix still holds up perfectly, some things are a bit dated but it's easier to forgive since the movie takes place in a simulation..
Now the sequels....This shit never looked good
Now the sequels....This shit never looked good
A Link to the Past
Banned
I was gonna say, if that was CGI, that's some of the best CGI I've ever seen
neoism
Member
amazing... i just couldnt believe this when i seen this in theaters at 9 years old.. @_@
i know it'll never happen but it would be cool if ILM redid the rain scene again but with todays best cgi just to see how better or worse it is...
its a little bit of nostalgia and the fact it was the first cgi most everyone seen, that it remains soo good in our eyes...
but seriously what the fuck did they do, the rain scene is insane and i remeber reading that the trex was only 25000 polygons ��
WhiteRabbitEXE
Member
Is there any behind the scenes out there for that shot? Would be interesting to see the process for something like that back in 1983.
Despite being the right age to have seen Jurassic park as a child. I didn't see it until 2010 (post avatar) and it still held up 100%
whitemex88
Member
The orb scene in The Arrival (forgotten movie) still looks decent
https://youtu.be/WO-1MybFFvI
Another not great looking but still cool, the rebuilding of the body in the Fifth Element nsfw-ish https://youtu.be/UO7RNReR9Ys
https://youtu.be/WO-1MybFFvI
Another not great looking but still cool, the rebuilding of the body in the Fifth Element nsfw-ish https://youtu.be/UO7RNReR9Ys
vinnygambini
Why are strippers at the U.N. bad when they're great at strip clubs???
Titanic
whitemex88
Member
Next thing you know they're gonna tell us the ground on the other side of the fence was CGI too.Wait what? The T-Rex attack jeep was cgi?
Karsticles
Member
Poltergeist. The spirits are terrifying.
Obviously the razor bats in this shot from Spider-Man are CGI. But so is Spidey.
Vehicles have been pretty easy to do with CGI for a long time.
Funfact: Any time you've seen a flying vehicle in a movie in the last 15 years? 95% chance it was CG. Making a CG plane or helicopter is almost always cheaper than renting one and shooting it for real. Often goes for stuff on the ground, too. You've seen CG vehicles a hundred times and never known it. To say nothing of how often backgrounds and buildings are CG. David Fincher's Zodiac in particular is one of the champions of "I had no idea that entire shot was CGI."
Vehicles have been pretty easy to do with CGI for a long time.
Funfact: Any time you've seen a flying vehicle in a movie in the last 15 years? 95% chance it was CG. Making a CG plane or helicopter is almost always cheaper than renting one and shooting it for real. Often goes for stuff on the ground, too. You've seen CG vehicles a hundred times and never known it. To say nothing of how often backgrounds and buildings are CG. David Fincher's Zodiac in particular is one of the champions of "I had no idea that entire shot was CGI."
User 479360
Banned
Wait what? The T-Rex attack jeep was cgi?
Yeah, I didn't know that either. Color me impressed.
80s and 90s Disney animations where the CGI was used very sparingly and only in key scenes.
The Great Mouse Detective is especially impressive because the movie is from 1986 and the whole Big Ben scene is mostly CGI:
Stuff like The Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King don't look too bad either:
The Great Mouse Detective is especially impressive because the movie is from 1986 and the whole Big Ben scene is mostly CGI:
Stuff like The Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King don't look too bad either:
phazedplasma
Member
Starship troopers guys
Lord Error
Insane For Sony
Eh, citing Davey Jones is cheating IMO. That's not old enough, as the technology and knowhow at that time was definitely enough to produce something truly realistic.
I'm more amazed that something like T2 and JP still has scenes that look fantastic today. That was built on, by today's standards, really primitive software.
I'm more amazed that something like T2 and JP still has scenes that look fantastic today. That was built on, by today's standards, really primitive software.
Love Starship Troopers, and I think the movie holds up very well. The CGI really complimented the practical effects, was a very good mix.
Lys Skygge
Member
I actually watched Starship Troopers again a few months ago and I thought that while flawed, it still did look pretty good. I've always thought it was pretty ballsy to show off some of the bigger CG battles in broad daylight. Its usually something a lot of filmmakers try to avoid.
I know its already been said many many times, but my pick has always been Jurassic Park. I've rewatched so many old favorites and been disappointed at how noticeable older CGI really stands out in a number of them, but Jurassic Park still looks so very very good.
And this thread reminding me of how amazing Davy Jones looked has got me wanting to rewatch the Pirates series.
And this thread reminding me of how amazing Davy Jones looked has got me wanting to rewatch the Pirates series.
Azure Dream
Member
The movie was mostly practical effects, but I always thought The Last Starfighter's sparing CG held up way better than it had a right to for quite a long time after the film came out.
Eh, those razor-toothed aliens they love sticking on the covers and in the trailer for some reason never looked great IMO.
Eh, those razor-toothed aliens they love sticking on the covers and in the trailer for some reason never looked great IMO.
WhiteRabbitEXE
Member
Some odd choices in here for a thread with the words "old movies" in the title...
Andromeda Strain (1971)
I think it's just meant to be "old relative to the adoption mainstream CGI".
Adding to the list of Crichton films in this topic though, there's Westworld. Not entirely in line with the thread so a bit tangential, but a pretty significant film in the history of digital processing/effects:
http://www.newyorker.com/tech/eleme...ns-westworld-pioneered-modern-special-effects
supermarioworldE
Banned
There are a few bts videos for Return of the Jedi that focus on the visual effects, but I've yet to find one that talks about the cgi in that scene, specifically.
WhiteRabbitEXE
Member
Yeah, I kind of figured I would have seen it by now if there was one. Ah well.
JordanN
Banned
Star Wars Episode 1 (1999)
I know people hate on Lucas but I thought the first movie handled CGI in an elaborate way. The studio built real props and had the CGI mimic it, so it never looked uncanny or out of place when placed next to the real world.
Also from the same year was Stuart Little. They did a good job at making photorealistic fur with the technology at the time.
Edit: Hell, since I'm still on a 1999 binge I'll also include The Iron Giant. I know some people think he was drawn (because it's mostly a 2d animated movie) but him as well a lot of props were actually 3D models with a special shader designed to mimic hand drawn strokes.
I know people hate on Lucas but I thought the first movie handled CGI in an elaborate way. The studio built real props and had the CGI mimic it, so it never looked uncanny or out of place when placed next to the real world.
Also from the same year was Stuart Little. They did a good job at making photorealistic fur with the technology at the time.
Edit: Hell, since I'm still on a 1999 binge I'll also include The Iron Giant. I know some people think he was drawn (because it's mostly a 2d animated movie) but him as well a lot of props were actually 3D models with a special shader designed to mimic hand drawn strokes.
Chuckie
Member
Also, yeah, the Balrog still looks kickass.
2001 man.
This was one of the most impressive things I have ever seen. I remember it so well. As a huge Tolkien fan I really wondered how they would handle the Balrog.... seeing that in the theater almost made me cry haha. Fucking awesome.
ClivePwned
Member
Tron
WhiteRabbitEXE
Member
In general Phantom Menace had excellent CGI usage. It was one of the things it did really well, and honestly it is a pretty good looking movie.
PhantomZone
Member
Agree, my only gripe is the bullet holes on the T-1000 look incredibly fake when they switch to the prop version (like reverse side trash can lids) compared to the cgi crisp version.
Empty Space
Member
I remember reading an article about it several years after the fact and I shocked me to learn he was cgi. I mean of course he was, but the thought just never crossed my mind that is kind of the most impressive part to me. The were able to make my suspension of disbelief that he felt real in some way. Its weird how the brain works.
peanutbutterlatte
Member
I mean you can literally see the stunt double for Darth Maul turn into a very obvious CG model as he falls down the chute dude.
The blend of 2D animation and 3D animation in The Iron Giant holds up fantastically.
I'd also say Toy Story and Toy Story 2 still hold up fairly well, they really did a good job of understanding the limitations of the technology they were working with, and designing the premise and look around those limitations.
The Tron aesthetic has stood the test of time, even if the movie as a whole hasn't quite.
I'd also say Toy Story and Toy Story 2 still hold up fairly well, they really did a good job of understanding the limitations of the technology they were working with, and designing the premise and look around those limitations.
The Tron aesthetic has stood the test of time, even if the movie as a whole hasn't quite.
Obviously the razor bats in this shot from Spider-Man are CGI. But so is Spidey.
WHAT???!?!
NO way. My life is a lie
Also yeh, Trex night scene is fucking amazing. Spielberg did good.
old manatee
Banned
Forrest Gump.
I actually watched Starship Troopers again a few months ago and I thought that while flawed, it still did look pretty good. I've always thought it was pretty ballsy to show off some of the bigger CG battles in broad daylight. Its usually something a lot of filmmakers try to avoid.
Looking at it I think they realized the limitations at least somewhat and adapted accordingly. Frankly that seems to be the difference between good CG and bad CG.
kinda like this:
Wish directors would go back to worrying about the limitations of CGI instead of thinking they can do everything and we end up with some of the crap we get. Moderation should be key. HBO's John Adams and some things in GoT actually look better then some of the 200 million dollar films CG primarily because of the cognizant attempt to minimize and hide the CG.
Even for its time, there is some really spotty GCI work in Matrix.
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