Gallery: Best Sci-Fi Effects of All Time, as Voted by You
012001-a-space-odyssey-floating-pen
Sometimes it's the little things that send the mind soaring. Take the pen that floats, weightless, before being plucked from the air by a space stewardess in *2001: A Space Odyssey*: It's a simple scene, but it feels real and sends the imagination into hyperdrive. Still, when Wired.com asked its readers to name their favorite sci-fi visual effects of all time, we got plenty of over-the-top nominations, from *Alien*'s vicious extraterrestrials to *Avatar*'s groovy bioluminescent trees. The conversation that unfolded in the [comments section of our *Monsters* giveaway post](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/underwire/2010/10/monsters-giveaway/) was surprisingly thoughtful — and surprisingly long. We received more than 1,300 comments. Here, in no particular order, is a sampling of the best sci-fi visual effects of all time that readers recalled. __Above:__ *Space Odyssey*'s Floating Pen ------------------------------ The best visual effect in any sci-fi film has to be the floating pen in *2001: A Space Odyssey*. It's just floating in the spaceship and the woman grabs it outta midair and starts writing with it! How did Kubrick do that in 1969? Still my favorite film from my favorite director. *—machin3man*
02men-in-black
*Men in Black*'s Aliens ----------------------- I like the aliens in *Men in Black*. So creepy and real. *—dianawaite*
03poltergeist
*Poltergeist*'s Pranks ---------------------- The monster that comes out of the door in *Poltergeist*. It was done by submerging the sculpture in water and allowing it to dissolve, creating that horrifying misty look. Brilliant!*—gabbot20* In *Poltergeist* where things are just starting to turn strange, there's a scene where the camera follows the mom bending to get something from a lower cabinet, and when she stands back up, all of the chairs are stacked on the table. This was pre-CGI, and the thing is not blue-screened. The chairs had to be moved in real time off-camera, only in the moments the camera was turned downward. It's amazing! *—BlueHerring*
04godzilla
1954's Original Godzilla ------------------------ My favorite sci-fi film effect is "suitimation." While jeered by many as inferior, it is a very common effect and, if done well, makes the film. Through suitimation, like it or not, you get to see the full heart of the actor or actors in the production.... My favorite sci-fi film that showcases this special effect to my liking is of course the original uncut 1954 *Godzilla*. While not impressive by today's standards, its effects were fantastic given the year and the time limit allowed to make the film. [Haruo Nakajima](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haruo_Nakajima) does a great job at portraying the monster's somber reign of terror upon Tokyo, truly bringing Godzilla alive like no other suit actor has since. It really showed the monster's fury and that he was the victim of human experimentation of nuclear weapons that wanted vengeance rather than a demon of ill intent. I felt more for the monster than the military Godzilla destroyed after he was killed. If that isn't a classic, nothing is. *—ByStorm*
05aliens-ripley-bishop
Amazing Aliens From Alien Movies -------------------------------- One of the all-time sci-fi effects has to be in *Alien* when the monster is nose-to-nose with Sigourney Weaver dripping its acid saliva. *—markmobs* My favorite sci-fi effect of all time? That has to be the first time I saw the Alien burst out of the stomach. I didn't expect it and it surprised the heck out of me. Now it looks kinda cheesy, but at the time it was effective! (Get the pun — effective, special effect? Never mind.) *—jimocz* The chestburster scene in *Alien* is a classic, especially when you learn that not one member of the cast — apart from Lance Hendrickson — was told exactly what was going to happen. (This is from the \[H.R.\] Giger documentary). Their expressions are entirely genuine. Some of the cast were apparently a little worried before that first terrifying take because the crew were wearing raincoats!*—JeffCGD* The face-hugger from *Alien*. The subtle idea that this "thing" completely covers your face as well as incapacitates most of your senses is considerably unsettling. Not to mention that there's really no way to cut it off unless you want to spill acid all over yourself at the same time as the alien tightens its tail around your neck, suffocating you. *—Hanpa\_etc* Can't beat the chest-popping alien in the first *Alien* movie. So creepy. *—Kewger* I love the original *Alien* and *Aliens* movies; great monsters and old-school special FX \[that were\] still very "real." *—seraphimpunk* My favorite sci-fi visual effect will always be the chest burster from *Alien*. There really isn't anything more terrifying than the thought of a parasite inside your body exploding from your chest cavity. No matter how tough you are, how smart you are, its going to pop out of your chest and kill you. It was such a powerful visual effect the first time I saw it on screen my jaw physically dropped. *—ilblissli* I love the alien versus Ripley-in-a-construction-robot battle scene where Bishop's head, torso and arms slide across the grating when Ripley opens the outer hatch. He looks freaked out and his robot guts are just dangling out. Intensely suspenseful, believable and hilarious at the same time. Sometimes you don't need the CGI to make awesome SFX. *—hughho*
06matrix-bullets
Bullet Time in The Matrix ------------------------- My favorite is probably the [bullet-time rig](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullet_time) used in *The Matrix*. At the time, it was incredibly innovative and completely integrated into the narrative. So while it was an eye-popping effect, it wasn't gratuitous. It was also an effect that, when I first saw the film in the theater, had me wondering how on earth it was achieved. When I found out, it was so brilliantly simple (at least in concept) that I felt a little foolish for not figuring it out myself. *—stuminnis* I believe *The Matrix*'s introduction of bullet-timing was the most innovative visual effect in sci-fi movies. It really moved me!*—BlackCharles*
07balrog-roar-2
*The Fellowship of the Ring*'s Balrog ------------------------------------- I particularly liked the visual effect when the Balrog roars in *The Fellowship of the Ring*. Seeing the heat stream out of its mouth was a really awesome effect. *—ncampbe1* My favorite sci-fi effect is the Balrog in *Lord of the Rings*. Maybe it's more fantasy than sci-fi but it's still badass. *—sposborne*
08corellian-corvette-pursues-imperial-star-destroyer
Star Wars' Spaceships --------------------- The opening flight of the fleeing ship chased by the Star Destroyer in the original *Star Wars* completely changed the way a movie could transport you to another world. I lost two hours of my life in that movie but gained a lifetime of fascination with special effects, whether handmade or CGI. It really was the beginning of groundbreaking genre creation by George Lucas. *—RobGardiner* My all-time favorite special effect has to be the opening scene in *Star Wars* where the little ship carrying Princess Leia zooms past and you think, "Oh, that's cool," followed by an interminable goliath of a Star Destroyer that makes you feel very, very small. Nothing beats that Star Destroyer for me. *—Cristian202* Though dated by today's standards ... nothing, to my mind, has come close to the moment of wonder, shock and awe that came with seeing that Corellian Corvette being pursued by an Imperial Star Destroyer! *—Doraemond* Pretty big on the laser cannons in *Star Wars* — I mean, what does a laser sound like? What does a laser sound like in space?! Good stuff. *—shicks* I still love the old, slow-moving X-wing and TIE fighters from the original *Star Wars* movies. They always remind me of how watching those movies made me feel when I was a little kid. *—BrashRansom* Best visual effect (ever ever ever) is the "going into hyperspace" sequence from *Star Wars: Episode IV*. Second best is when they lit that whiny bitch Hayden Christensen on fire. *—chromedome*
09dark-knight-two-face
Two Face From *The Dark Knight* ------------------------------- The visual effect used on Two Face was incredible. Grossed me right out, but completely captivated the "visual effect"-seeking part of my brain. *—Louisville*
10harry-potter-dumbledore-vs-voldemort
Dumbledore vs. Voldemort ------------------------ My favorite scene is in *Harry Potter 5* when Dumbledore and Voldemort fight. Everything and anything could be used. I just wished it could have been longer and that they tried Silly Putty. *—balisana*
11inception-2
Inception's Upside-Down Fight Scene ----------------------------------- I loved the movie *Inception*'s special effects; the exploding objects, the tilting landscapes and especially the tricks-of-the-eye staircases and walls that fooled you into believing the worlds went on forever. *—JulioLonnieLopez* Hands down, the best sci-fi effect I've seen was the hotel fight scene in *Inception*. I'm not talking about the rotating landscape; it must have taken some serious editing to get that kid from *Third Rock From the Sun* to be a badass. *—dfain*
12benjamin-button
*Benjamin Button'*s Aging Effects --------------------------------- The way the actors were aged or de-aged in *Benjamin Button* was amazing. The effects were so real and usually you can tell a CG by the mouth movement. Sometimes it is so fake-looking and the way they did that was so good, mapping it over the real faces. *—Hopper44*
13blade-runner
Blade Runner's Futuristic World ------------------------------- *Blade Runner* has a number of shots that continue to blow away anything I've seen done in CG (e.g. flying cars, L.A. skyline on fire or flying video-wall blimps). *—HankyTheXmasPooh*
14brazil
*Brazil*'s Face-Lift -------------------- The face-lift scene in \[Terry\] Gilliam's *Brazil* cannot be unseen; it was made before CG really took off and relies on concept more than execution, mind you the execution is brilliant and the acting is spot on. *—Sharperlight*
