Before computer-generated imagery (CGI) took over filmmaking across genres, visual effects artists were truly that: Artists! Blending state-of-the-art makeup techniques, advanced puppetry, animatronics, early green screens, and many other techniques of the trades, we got to witness some pretty awesome stuff in the 1980s, where movies were concerned. Here, we’re delving into 12 examples of this movie-making magic before computers called the shots.
#1: The Melting Faces – Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Few can forget what happened when the Ark of the Covenant was opened in the Indiana Jones classic Raiders of the Lost Ark. The terrifying face-melting scene combined wax sculptures, heat lamps, and stop-motion layering techniques to create an effect that made our hearts jump out of our chests. Gruesome, unforgettable, and the very reason why the PG rating had to be adjusted!
