In preparation for their upcoming Festival of Visual Effects (to be held 7-10 June 2007), the Visual Effects Society (VES) has announced their list of the “50 Most Influential Visual Effects Films of All Time.” Unsurprisingly, almost all the films on the list (see below) are science fiction, fantasy, or horror titles.
The festival will be open to the public, with ticket prices ranging from $15 to $200. Some of the program items include “Battlestar Galactica: Then and Now,” “The Art of the Miniature: What Can You Get Me in Two Weeks?” “VFX Manipulation: With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility,” “Shrek Through the Ages,” and “Pirates of the Caribbean: A VFX Voyage.” For tickets and more information, see this page.
The list of the 50 films (there are several ties):
1. Star Wars (1977)
2. Blade Runner (1982)
3 (tie). 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
3 (tie). The Matrix (1999)
5. Jurassic Park (1993)
6. Tron (1982)
7. King Kong (1933)
8. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
9. Alien (1979)
10. The Abyss (1989)
11. The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
12. Metropolis (1927)
13. A Trip to the Moon (1902)
14. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
15. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
16. Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
17. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
18. Titanic (1997)
19. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
20 (tie). Jason and the Argonauts (1963)
20 (tie). E.T. the Extraterrestrial (1982)
22. Toy Story (1995)
23. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006)
24. The Ten Commandments (1956)
25 (tie). The War of the Worlds (1953)
25 (tie). Forrest Gump (1994)
25 (tie). Citizen Kane (1941)
25 (tie). The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad (1958)
25 (tie). 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)
30. The Terminator (1984)
31. Aliens (1986)
32. Mary Poppins (1964)
33. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
34. Forbidden Planet (1956)
35. Babe (1995)
36 (tie). The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
36 (tie). Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
38. King Kong (2005)
39. Planet of the Apes (1968)
40. Fantastic Voyage (1966)
41 (tie). Jaws (1975)
41 (tie). Ghostbusters (1984)
43. Sin City (2005)
44. Superman: The Movie (1978)
45. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
46 (tie). The Lost World (1925)
46 (tie). Return of the Jedi (1983)
48. What Dreams May Come (1998)
49. An American Werewolf in London (1981)
50 (tie). Darby O’Gill and the Little People (1958)
50 (tie). The Fifth Element (1997)
The VES is “the entertainment industry’s only organization representing the full breadth of visual effects practitioners including artists, technologists, model makers, educators, studio leaders, supervisors, PR/marketing specialists and producers in all areas of entertainment from film, television and commercials to music videos and games. Comprised of a diverse group of more than 1,300 members in 16 countries, the VES strives to enrich and educate its own members and members of the entertainment community at large through a multitude of domestic and international events, screenings and programs.” Their mission is “dedicated to advancing the arts, sciences, and applications of visual effects and to improving the welfare of its members by providing professional enrichment and education, fostering community, and promoting industry recognition.”