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-   -   Top Five CGI Characters (https://forum.dvdtalk.com/movie-talk/559320-top-five-cgi-characters.html)

caligulathegod 08-05-09 01:50 AM

Re: Top Five CGI Characters
 
The usual:
King Kong
Gollum
Davy Jones
Cloverfield
Starship Troopers.

I have to say, Jurassic Park's T-Rex and the T-1000 from T2 are over-rated (hate that word, but it actually fits here). The T-Rex is an animatronic puppet for most of its appearance and when it is CGI, it is in the dark or rain and very brief. The T-1000 is barely a CGI creation at all. Most of the effects are practical effects and they just morph between them. That is, they had actual chromed puppets in various poses and stages of transformation that were physically present on the set and when there was some kind of transformation, like pouring into the helicopter or being shot to hell with the guns, they just morphed between models. Unlike most CGI creations that are entirely CGI, like King Kong or Gollum, the T-1000 and the T-Rex barely even count as CGI characters.

Kal-El 08-05-09 02:14 AM

Re: Top Five CGI Characters
 

Originally Posted by caligulathegod (Post 9621429)
The usual:

I have to say, Jurassic Park's T-Rex and the T-1000 from T2 are over-rated (hate that word, but it actually fits here). The T-Rex is an animatronic puppet for most of its appearance and when it is CGI, it is in the dark or rain and very brief.

I think you have it backwards. It's in very clear daylight when it attacked the Gallimimuses and during the ending money shot at the visitor center. It's the animatronic that's actually in the dark shots and rain.

UAIOE 08-05-09 02:25 AM

Re: Top Five CGI Characters
 
Jar-Jar Binks!

Vipper II 08-05-09 07:03 AM

Re: Top Five CGI Characters
 
1. King Kong
2. Gollum
3. Davy Jones
4. T-Rex
5. The Witch King's flying steed in LOTR: ROTK

Hokeyboy 08-05-09 10:13 AM

Re: Top Five CGI Characters
 
That stupid purple monkey from LOST IN SPACE or David Schwimmer

Blu Man 08-05-09 10:34 AM

Re: Top Five CGI Characters
 
More pics of some listed.

Cloverfield Monster
http://unrealitymag.com/wp-content/u...eldmonster.jpg

Optimus Prime
http://backseatcuddler.com/wp-conten...imus-prime.jpg

David Schwimmer
http://pop.ology.com/files/2008/10/0...wimmer_004.jpg

visitor Q 08-05-09 10:41 AM

Re: Top Five CGI Characters
 
The T-800 character in Terminator Salvation. Not necessary my favorite from a character stand point (can't touch the original) but the life like recreation of an 80's Arnold is impressive and downright scary.

Hokeyboy 08-05-09 11:06 AM

Re: Top Five CGI Characters
 
It boggles the mind how many people think David Schwimmer is a live-action actor. -ohbfrank-

Blu Man 08-05-09 11:59 AM

Re: Top Five CGI Characters
 

Originally Posted by Hokeyboy (Post 9622165)
It boggles the mind how many people think David Schwimmer is a live-action actor. -ohbfrank-

I'm pretty sure that ILM did that one.

UAIOE 08-05-09 01:25 PM

Re: Top Five CGI Characters
 
ILM created David Schwimmer? I have a new appreciation for their technical skills.

The realism they achieved, even back in 1994...

devilshalo 08-05-09 01:42 PM

Re: Top Five CGI Characters
 
I give honorable mention to:
http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/7...nalfastasy.jpg
http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/5056/beowulfl.jpg
http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/8315/plio.jpg

I can discount what I feel is not life-like (ie. Transformers). Or else I would have to credit Titanic and Apollo 13 as realistic.

Blu Man 08-05-09 02:31 PM

Re: Top Five CGI Characters
 

Originally Posted by devilshalo (Post 9622866)
I can discount what I feel is not life-like (ie. Transformers). Or else I would have to credit Titanic and Apollo 13 as realistic.

Really? Transformers has some of the best CGI out there.

OldBoy 08-05-09 02:59 PM

Re: Top Five CGI Characters
 
best use of CGI in the history of the medium...


Randy Miller III 08-05-09 03:04 PM

Re: Top Five CGI Characters
 
Probably not considered a character, but the ship from Flight of the Navigator was amazing for its time.

House13 08-05-09 03:11 PM

Re: Top Five CGI Characters
 
Damn, someone beat me to Joan Rivers....

Anyways, I'm real impressed with stuff from over 10 years ago that still looks amazing and can compare to things of today. That's why the dinosaurs, specifically the T-Rex, from Jurassic Park is just amazing to me.

Anubis2005X 08-05-09 03:13 PM

Re: Top Five CGI Characters
 
Not full CGI, but the work they do on Voldemort's face is pretty impressive...

EDIT: By the way, I didn't know Davey Jones was entirely CGI, that's pretty crazy.

GoldenJCJ 08-05-09 03:24 PM

Re: Top Five CGI Characters
 
Wouldn't Gollum lose points for changing appearance from Fellowship to the Two Towers?

devilshalo 08-05-09 06:02 PM

Re: Top Five CGI Characters
 

Originally Posted by Blu Man (Post 9623098)
Really? Transformers has some of the best CGI out there.

In terms of what? Mechanical Autobots and Decepticons? I have a hard time giving that type of character animation the props it probably deserves because it's not life-like. There's nothing to compare it to, whereas photorealism of skin and/or fur compared to real things is IMO harder to replicate.

Blu Man 08-05-09 06:21 PM

Re: Top Five CGI Characters
 

Originally Posted by devilshalo (Post 9623971)
In terms of what? Mechanical Autobots and Decepticons? I have a hard time giving that type of character animation the props it probably deserves because it's not life-like. There's nothing to compare it to, whereas photorealism of skin and/or fur compared to real things is IMO harder to replicate.

There both different. Optimus Prime is composed of 10,108 different moving pieces. You can't tell me that that wouldn't be tough to animate. Also, the way the light reflects off robot's is very difficult because the robot's are pretty much big reflective surfaces. Plus, your right, it's not organic. That makes it even harder because ILM has to try to create facial expresses that make us feel as if this shiny metal robot has a soul. King Kong was incredible, so was Gollum. But honestly I think Optimus Prime would be even harder to animate then those characters. Davy Jones is another story........

Rockmjd23 08-05-09 06:28 PM

Re: Top Five CGI Characters
 
The chase on the freeway in Transformers was pretty damn good CGI, and I hate CGI.

Blu Man 08-05-09 06:58 PM

Re: Top Five CGI Characters
 

Originally Posted by Rockmjd23 (Post 9624025)
The chase on the freeway in Transformers was pretty damn good CGI, and I hate CGI.

Why?

printerati 08-05-09 07:03 PM

Re: Top Five CGI Characters
 
http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/tr...bc/Bitidle.png http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/tr...0px-Bityes.png http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/tr...0px-Bit_no.jpg

Rockmjd23 08-05-09 07:25 PM

Re: Top Five CGI Characters
 

Originally Posted by Blu Man (Post 9624073)
Why?

It's generally overused.

Supermallet 08-05-09 07:29 PM

Re: Top Five CGI Characters
 
The baby in The Hangover was a pretty good CGI character.

Rival11 08-05-09 09:23 PM

Re: Top Five CGI Characters
 
I don't know if it's just because I'm exhausted but I nearly pissed myself when I scrolled down and got the David Schwimmer picture. Can't stop laughing.


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