From ‘Wings’ to ‘Ex Machina’ in 12 fascinating minutes.
A couple of weeks ago we brought you a compilation from supercut masters Burger Fiction that edited together clips from every single film to ever win an Oscar for Best Cinematography. Now, with less than two weeks to go before this year’s ceremony, the BF chefs are back with an update to their video from last year that compiled every single winner of the Best Visual Effects Academy Award, now including 2016 winner Ex Machina.
Before you press play, though, a brief history of the award: in the first year of the Oscars, 1928, Best Visual Effects wasn’t a category but there was a plaque presented for “Best Engineering Effects” to the film Wings, which was also the first Best Picture winner; for the next decade no such or similar awards were given out, but then in 1938 the Academy recognized Spawn of the North with a “Special Achievement Award for Special Effects,” which in turn launched the official category “Best Special Effects” in 1939. For 20 years or so the category included visual and audio effects, meaning there were a couple awards given out each year, but that changed in 1964 when the category chose a side and became known as “Best Special Visual Effects.” That cumbersome moniker continued for eight years until the Academy up and discontinued the category, choosing to honor worthy recipients with a blanket “Special Achievement Academy Award” instead. But then at long last in 1977 the Best Visual Effects category we all know and love was introduced, and filmgoers everywhere finally started to give the field the proper appreciation it deserves.
So check out this fascinating trip through the history of the movies’ most magical facet, a field that has advanced exponentially with each new decade and each new innovation. This year’s nominees are Rogue One, Deepwater Horizon, Doctor Strange, The Jungle Book, and Kubo and the Two Strings. Tune in February 26th to see who gets the next slot in Burger Fiction’s video.
Related Topics: Awards, Filmmaking
