From deep space to deep waters, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home engages the ever-stalwart crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise in a humanistic quest that begins and ends in the twenty-third century but unfolds for the most part in modern-day San Francisco. Along with its customary quota of spaceships and transporter beams, the latest adventure called for a representation of the planet Vulcan, a unique time travel effect, major storm sequences on earth and a totally convincing simulation of two humpback whales.

Article by Jody Duncan Shay

Forty-three years after toppling from the Empire State Building, King Kong was called upon to take an even greater tumble from the World Trade Center. Now, another decade later, the long-suffering ape has been resurrected once more for King Kong Lives - again as an ape-suited actor augmented by full-size mechanical artifacts. Discussing their work on the film are creature creator Carlo Rambaldi, production designer Peter Murton, visual effects supervisor Barry Nolan, and model shop supervisors David Jones and Dave Kelsey.

Article by Janine Pourroy

Even with full support from the U.S. Navy, the producers of Top Gun realized that some of the sequences planned for their film would have to rely heavily on special effects. To create crash scenes and aerial explosions that would simulate actual air-to-air photography and intercut convincingly with live-action flight footage, visual effects supervisor  Gary Gutierrez and his USFX organization launched an intensive campaign employing large-scale miniatures, outdoor settings and innovative pyrotechnics.

Article by Ed Martinez