Stan Winston

[ProfGriffin]

Apparently, Stan Winston has died.

Speechless.

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/37106

[ChrisW]

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=46007

He was a genius with practical effects. When ever you saw his Company listed in the credits you knew it was going to be a first class job. He was a perfectionist and will be missed.

RIP

[OldTimey]

This is a huge loss for horror/sci-fi fans, especially for those of us who abhor the over reliance of CGI in modern genre films.

[Mike Scott]

Shocking! Never heard anything about him being ill.

[Sleepyhollowstudios]

This truly is shocking. Stan Winston was the best effects man. I mean, we're talking about the man that gave us Alien, Predator, and the Terminator. It's always been my dream to become as good as Stan Winston. He will truly be missed by movie fans, especially us monster movie fans.

Rest in peace, Stan Winston.

-Andy

[mjaycox]

Shocking! Never heard anything about him being ill.

Apparently he suffered from Multiple Myeloma, a truly debilitating form of cancer, distinguished by the amount of pain it causes. . To think he did all that great stuff, much of it in recent years, while likely in great discomfort is truly astounding.

The world of fanti-films has lost a legend. For my part, my favorite make-up by him was not Alien or Predator or even the terminator. It was Danny DeVito's penguin.  It was a great make-up.

Matt

[Monster Bob]

Wow. Perhaps this is why his one-of-a-kind rarities (the original Terminator endoskeleton, etc.) where auctioned off at Profiles In History a few months ago. It seemed unusual at the time, but nothing was said as to why.

Very sad indeed.

[neonnoodle]

Rest in peace, Stan Winston, creator of a thousand images and dreams.

[jesse heywood]

 this is sad. when i think of my short list of fx/make up geniuses, he's top ten

[CinemBill]

His Creature Shop was the BEST...

God Bless him...

[raycastile]

This is sad news. 

[raycastile]

I guess my favorite Winston creation is Edward Scissorhands.  The characters from his studio were classic and cutting edge at the same time. 

The world of fanti-films has lost a legend. For my part, my favorite make-up by him was not Alien or Predator or even the terminator. It was Danny DeVito's penguin.  It was a great make-up.

Matt

[capt.hendry51]

I was saddened to see the news of Mr. Winston's passing here.  He was a great creature maker with a most singular talent. My favorite has to be the Velociraptors from the 1st Jurassic Park movie.  His family is in the thoughts and prayers of all his fans, myself included.

[ProfGriffin]

It's a tough call for me...but the Tyrannosaurus Rex  from Jurassic Park was a masterpiece.
A beautiful melding of CGI and practical effects...
In fact, most people thought the T-Rex (especially during the rainstorm attack scene) was all CG, but Stan Winston studios and his amazing team of technicians made that thing come to life.

Michael Creighton was quoted as saying, when he saw the T-Rex move in one fluid motion from one jeep to the other, in the rain, and lightning...he believed...and was floored.

But, I also LOVED Pumpkinhead...both the design of the demon of vengence and the direction by Stan.

AND...of course, not to be forgotten, Stan Winston Studios gave us the re-designed Universal classics from the Monster Squad!!

[BARON TIMOTHEUS BGG]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Stan Winston, the Oscar-winning special-effects maestro responsible for bringing the dinosaurs of "Jurassic Park" and other iconic movie creatures to life, has died. He was 62.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
... STAN WINSTON arrived, and, stayed, at a Pinnacle of Success. For 4 decades, to, not, only, "ply one's trade", but, to take that craft, into new dimensions, as he did, was an amazing ride; a feat, duplicated, on the impressively grand scale, which he engineered, by only a handful of artists, in The Film Industry.
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   As a child growing up in Virginia, Winston enjoyed drawing, puppetry and classic horror films.
After graduating from the University of Virginia, Charlottesville in 1968, Winston moved to Southern California to become an actor but instead worked behind the scenes and completed a three-year makeup apprenticeship program at Walt Disney Studios in 1972.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
... A STORY-BOOK MONSTER-KID Life! Like any of us, who were, also, nourished and nurtured, on the UNIVERSAL MONSTERS, FMOF, etc, STAN gravitated, instinctively, to keep that reference point, as his sole purpose, which, in turn, was the guide to his whole life.
... He never wavered, in following that star, and, so, was accorded a rare opportunity, to grow, with the Industry, which technologically paralleled the Space Age consciousness it embraced... light-years, and, light-speed, from the common antecedents, from whence they sprang.
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   Working with such directors as Steven Spielberg, James Cameron and Tim Burton in a career spanning over four decades, Winston created some of the most memorable visual effects in cinematic history. He helped bring the dinosaurs from "Jurassic Park," the extraterrestrials from "Aliens, the robots from "Terminator" and even "Edward Scissorhands" to the big screen. Winston won visual effects Oscars for 1986's "Aliens," 1992's "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" and 1993's "Jurassic Park." He also won a makeup Oscar for 1992's "Batman Returns." Winston was nominated for his work on "Heartbeeps," "Predator," "Edward Scissorhands," "Batman Returns," "The Lost World: Jurassic Park" and "A.I." He last worked with director Jon Favreau on "Iron Man."
   At the time of his death, Winston was in the process of transforming his physical makeup and effects studio into the new Winston Effects Group with a team of senior effects supervisors. Winton's most recent projects included "Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins," "G.I. Joe," "Shutter Island" and Cameron's "Avatar."
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
... STAN'S brilliant body of work, which has inspired countless others to celebrate their talents, and, thanks to the recorded media, will continue to do so! A living epitaph, a worthy testament, to his generous life.
... PROJECTS... The endless enticement, of some new field to conquer; of some new product, upon which to inscribe one's name. STAN'S reputation ranked, amongst the upper echelon, of Hollywood's Gold Standard, of movers & shakers.
... He delivered, with passionate genius, so many indelible images, of Monsters and Heroes; of Beings, larger than life, which were, appropriately, birthed, upon Movie screens, world-wide, before they found a permanent, enduring home, via VHS, or, DVD format, in the hearts, and, minds, of Fans, everywhere.
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   "The entertainment industry has lost a genius, and I lost one of my best friends with the death Sunday night of Stan Winston," Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said in a statement. "Stan's work and four Oscars speak for themselves and will live on forever. What will live forever in my heart is the way that Stan loved everyone and treated each of his friends like they were family."
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
... One of my favourite avenues, of Shape-Shifting, is, that, of Body-Building; as, both, honest work, and, meditation, upon this finite, corporeal mode of Being. Like any other work, the results speak for themselves, and, in humility, are subject, to time's inevitable erosion; thus, fleeting, and, imperfect.
... It was, of course, ARNOLD, along, with STEVE REEVES, LOU FERRIGNO, etc, who inspired me, to make it a daily habit, for, now, 24 years. Despite numerous lay-offs, forced upon me, by the vicissitudes, of time & space, I keep on celebrating the simple, yet, complex Miracle, that, these human frames, genuinely, are, in their healthy, active state!
... As ARNOLD'S close friend, for many decades, STAN, too, came under the thrall, of Weight-Training. I remember, back in the early '90's, JOE WEIDER'S FLEX, or, MUSCLE & FITNESS, giving coverage to STAN, showing an impressive physique; naturally buff, and,
obviously non-steroidal; signal proof, of the life-style's benefits. STAN, in any photograph, I've
ever seen, always impressed me as a balanced, happy gentleman.
... He was among the most visible Make-Up Artists, to represent the Magic and Miracle, which, to many, is Hollywood's most fascinating aspect.
... DICK SMITH, that Venerable Sage & God-Father, of Hollywood's make-up elite, was a Mentor and Friend, to STAN, as he has been to the prolific plethora, of astounding Geniuses, in Make-up, such as RICK BAKER & KEVIN HANEY, who have been taught, by, and, followed
him, into this Cinematic World Of Wonder.
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   Winston died at his home in Malibu surrounded by family on Sunday evening after a seven-year struggle with multiple myeloma, according to a representative from Stan Winston Studio. Winston is survived by his wife, Karen; a son, daughter, brother and four
grandchildren.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
... "Death comes for us all my Lord, even, for kings, he comes." St. Thomas Moore; MAN FOR ALL SEASONS.
... That STAN lived, with the disease, so, privately, while he kept tackling the newest, latest & greatest advances, in his particular aspect, of the Cinematic arena, shows great courage, pluck and humility.
... That he was a Loving Husband and Father; Beloved Friend, and, Shining example, of Humanity and Artistry, may he, now, Rest In Peace, In Light Eternal, and, his surviving family, know The Peace which surpasses understanding, in their time, of loss and grieving.
... His earthly battle, with such a dread menace, is over. May STAN WINSTON'S Spirit find, EVERNOW, the True Meaning and Joy of LIFE, WHO, Alone, IS GOD; CREATOR, EVERNOW, and LOVE DIVINE, IMPERISHABLE & INCORRUPTIBLE.
AMEN.
EXANIMO EVERNOW,
TIMOTHY FRANCIS MEYER HERRON, B.G.G.