Visual effects are as important sometimes more important than a movie's plot, script or acting ability. If you disagree, I have two words for you: Pacific Rim. Visual effects development has accelerated enormously over the past 20 years, and we're now at a point in filmmaking where seemingly nothing is impossible. But the amazing visual effects we enjoy today wouldn't exist without the trailblazers of yesteryear, those that pushed the boundaries of visual effects to bring something new to the movie industry. Visual effects have long been associated with the sci-fi genre, but before (and indeed since) the peak of the sci-fi movie genre in the 1980s, they were used to tell stories and delight audiences in all manner of movies. From skeleton warriors to dinosaurs and talking toys, there have been some truly monumental moments in filmmaking history: without which, many of our favourite films could have even been conceived, let alone attempted.
