Special Effects From 70 Years Ago

Groundbreaking visual effects from 2023.

Modern blockbusters, like The Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 have impressive state-of-the-art special effects.

According to Variety, 10 visual effects companies and more than 3,000 visual effects shots were used in the Marvel blockbuster.

But special effects weren't always this seamless and realistic. It's taken the film industry decades to achieve the on-screen magic we see today.

In keeping with the Jewel's 70th Anniversary, let's take a quick look at some of the sci-fi special effects used in 1953.

Shape-shifting aliens in "It Came from Outer Space" (1953).

An atomic blast unleashes "The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms" (1953).

Avant-garde aliens want your electricity in "Killers from Space" (1954).

An alien with an ultimatum in "The Day the Earth Stood Still" (1953).

"Cat-Women of the Moon" (1953) deserves an award for the eyebrows.

Alien or rummage sale? "Robot Monster" (1953).

A dangerous isotope emerges in "The Magnetic Monster" (1953).

As you can see, special effects have advanced greatly since 1953.

Sci-fi filmmakers from the 1950s had formidable budget and technical obstacles. Even so, they laid the foundation for later generations, including the talented artists who worked on the Guardians movies.

Guardians of the Galaxy is held over for a third week at the Jewel Theatre. Check jeweltheatre.ca for showtimes, and plan to come early to beat the ticket and popcorn lines.

See you at the movies!

Ruth