CGI versus Practical fx

[Jen]

Had a similar conversation last night and was curious as to everyone's opinion.

Which do you prefer for your movies?

I'm a sucker for awesome practical fx. Prime example is the movie Alien. No CGI could have done what those puppeteers were able to create (especially considering the movie came out in 1979!). Another excellent example is Dog Soldiers. An example of how to do practical fx the RIGHT way. Too many werewolf movies rely on CGI and the creatures end up looking silly.

I realize that CGI is sometimes necessary but a lot of times I think camera tricks and makeup could have done the trick. Nothing worse than watching a movie loaded with CGI. It often times looks forced and unrealistic.

Opinions? Which movies are the best for either type? Or is a combination of the two the best?

[FrighT MasteR]

I think most of us will agree the practical is the way to go, especially for horror flicks. Though, little touches of CG here and there doesn't hurt if the scene calls for it, just don't overdue it

[Deadly Fiend]

Practical all the way. CGI can be okay though when done right.

[I_Drink_Your_Blood]

I'm also a big advocator of practical FX over CGI. Great example with Alien, as Giger's designs coupled with the practical effects used made for one terrifying experience. Ditto The Thing - some of the best practical effects I've ever seen committed to celluloid.

Whilst CGI will undoubtedly get better with technological advancements, it looks too cleanly obvious and fake a lot of the time, even in big Hollywood blockbusters.

What makes me really sick is how people praise films like Avatar for their awesome effects (which I'll add, to me, were nothing special), where the story itself is pretty hollow, and makes for a very weak film. Effects nowadays seem to dominate a lot of films; whereas my view is that the effects should be there as a tool to compliment and support an already decent film, not be the sole purpose for a film's existence.

[strtfghtr]

"I love CGI it is the best, practical FX look like shit. I hate when you're watching a movie and some dumb practical effect shows up, ugh I wish they added a CGI cartoon blood splat instead. The more cartoony the better, it really takes me out of a movie when something realistic happens, I like to know I'm watching a movie by having all my effects made on computer. Star Wars Episode 1 is the greatest film ever made."

- said by no one ever.

[Deadly Fiend]

"I love CGI it is the best, practical FX look like shit. I hate when you're watching a movie and some dumb practical effect shows up, ugh I wish they added a CGI cartoon blood splat instead. The more cartoony the better, it really takes me out of a movie when something realistic happens, I like to know I'm watching a movie by having all my effects made on computer. Star Wars Episode 1 is the greatest film ever made."

- said by no one ever.

[shanebotwin]

"I love CGI it is the best, practical FX look like shit. I hate when you're watching a movie and some dumb practical effect shows up, ugh I wish they added a CGI cartoon blood splat instead. The more cartoony the better, it really takes me out of a movie when something realistic happens, I like to know I'm watching a movie by having all my effects made on computer. Star Wars Episode 1 is the greatest film ever made."

- said by no one ever.

[Oxley]

"I love CGI it is the best, practical FX look like shit. I hate when you're watching a movie and some dumb practical effect shows up, ugh I wish they added a CGI cartoon blood splat instead. The more cartoony the better, it really takes me out of a movie when something realistic happens, I like to know I'm watching a movie by having all my effects made on computer. Star Wars Episode 1 is the greatest film ever made."

- said by no one ever.

I pretty much dislike CGI, I don't mind it in touch ups and the like, but I hate it when it's used for entire characters and the like. Hell, I would much rather Stop Motion than CGI in near any film. Imagine Transformers in stop motion! That would easily make those films watch-able.

Most directors don't know where to stop with it, especially these days. Nolan is great the extent he goes to to keep things practice is amazing. We need more people like him. People like Bay and Cameron are so far up their own ass and think they invented the shit. IF they ever have a film with a chick with fake tits, it's sad that they would be the most real thing in the movie.

[DMHead777]

CGI is fine for huge budgeted action flicks, but for horror flicks and smaller budgeted films I will always love practical effects. It always gets to me when a film is fantastic, but they make something so CGI is laughable. At the end of True Grit (the new one) I remember these horrid looking CGI snakes in a pit. The entire movie was great, but they added in these laughable snakes. Now, I only seen the flick once so maybe my memory doesn't recall them being actual snakes, but that's how I perceived it. Shit like that bothers me.

[shanebotwin]

CGI is fine for huge budgeted action flicks, but for horror flicks and smaller budgeted films I will always love practical effects. It always gets to me when a film is fantastic, but they make something so CGI is laughable. At the end of True Grit (the new one) I remember these horrid looking CGI snakes in a pit. The entire movie was great, but they added in these laughable snakes. Now, I only seen the flick once so maybe my memory doesn't recall them being actual snakes, but that's how I perceived it. Shit like that bothers me.

I agree.

For big budget flicks you need CGI, otherwise films like Transformers can't exist. I just don't like CGI when a practical effects can be used. CGI blood for example looks terrible.

[Deadly Fiend]

I agree.

For big budget flicks you need CGI, otherwise films like Transformers can't exist. I just don't like CGI when a practical effects can be used. CGI blood for example looks terrible.

I wish the Transformers films didn't exist, bad movies with extreme CGI overhaul. Same goes for that awful Total Recall remake.

[shanebotwin]

I wish the Transformers films didn't exist, bad movies with extreme CGI overhaul. Same goes for that awful Total Recall remake.

I don't mind the Transformers flicks. They are what they are. The second one is shit but Dark of the Moon, especially the last hour has some of the best sci-fi action I've seen in years. Effects are outstanding.

[Deadly Fiend]

I don't mind the Transformers flicks. They are what they are. The second one is shit but Dark of the Moon, especially the last hour has some of the best sci-fi action I've seen in years. Effects are outstanding.

I suppose Dark of the Moon does have some great effects.... but that really doesn't make up for the lackluster effort towards everything else in the film. Also, they really should've trimmed down the runtime. The movie felt never ending imo, and not in a good way.

[Oxley]

I'm a big Trasformers fan of the 80's show. The first film, wasn't tooooooo bad. But the two sequels, epically DOTM was some of the worst shit I've seen. Such horrid trash with zero likeability.

[BurnetRhoades]

None of the Transformers flicks could have been done practically. Not until we can actually build functioning giant robots that transform into cars and planes, and walk, and jump, and run, and fly, and...

[Deadly Fiend]

I'm a big Trasformers fan of the 80's show. The first film, wasn't tooooooo bad. But the two sequels, epically DOTM was some of the worst shit I've seen. Such horrid trash with zero likeability.

Well put. Revenge of the Fallen is the worst of the three for me, but Dark of the Moon is close. I hear their rebooting the franchise, but I'm not sure if I'll bite this time. They've used up all their strikes.

[Oxley]

I'm also a big advocator of practical FX over CGI. Great example with Alien, as Giger's designs coupled with the practical effects used made for one terrifying experience. Ditto The Thing - some of the best practical effects I've ever seen committed to celluloid.

Giger's work in Alien is near unmatched. Give me the practical Giger atmosphere over Cameron's CG Avatar world any day of the weak. It looks better and has so much more presence.

[Oxley]

None of the Transformers flicks could have been done practically. Not until we can actually build functioning giant robots that transform into cars and planes, and walk, and jump, and run, and fly, and...

Stop motion FTW!

Well put. Revenge of the Fallen is the worst of the three for me, but Dark of the Moon is close. I hear their rebooting the franchise, but I'm not sure if I'll bite this time. They've used up all their strikes.

I hated how Megatron was handled in DOTM. He looked like my sick, wasted away GrandPa before he died. I used to love Megatron, and seeing him, not only as not the real leader, and a cripple Arab looking hobo made me sick to my stomach. Fuck Bay.

[BurnetRhoades]

Stop motion FTW!

Isn't a viable technique for motion picture visual effects anymore. You couldn't do even the most middle-of-the-road Transformer's shot with this technique without serious, serious restrictions on movement, composition...everything.

It's still viable for animated films where style is more important than realism.

[MisterTwister]

I hate lazy uses of CGI. Gore shouldn't be CGI, neither should be bullet hits etc. CGI has its purpose but sadly it's used in the most lazy way possible most of the time.