Eclipse Special Effects--are they getting better?

[bac]

What did you think of the special effects in Eclipse? Are the effects getting better as the movies are going along? Any specific aspect of the special effects that you really like?

[SwanCullen]

I think they way they did the wolves was fantastic. I could totally see a difference with the way Jake and Sam looked, not bad at all, just different. They had more time to work on the wolves so the way they look is fabulous!

[gamb1t]

A lot of people have been complaining about the new "breaking" effect of how the vampires die, but I enjoyed it. It's not what I pictured, but when u think of skin like granite/diamonds, it applies. I really liked the sound effect too! Also, I doubt that Slade could have gotten away with a lot in terms of dismemberment/blood and still keep a PG-13 rating.

[marielle]

A lot of people have been complaining about the new "breaking" effect of how the vampires die, but I enjoyed it.

I agree.... SM describes the sound as metal snapping...and it really did sounded like that...
I was a bit let down by how fake Victoria looked after Edward tore her head of...
I had it imagined more like in the pirates of the Caribbean movie ( the first one) when the cut off arm was still moving, only without blood, because in the books SM tells that a vampire can be put back together if not burned...and with a porceline Victoria on the ground it really didn't show that.....

The wolfs were really getting better...

and I really really liked the sparkling..they finally got it right... the rainbows reflecting on Bella in the opening meadow scene....was perfect....

the negatives I thought...
- the sound effect when Bella hit Jacob...it really didn't sound right...
- and the Vampire strength,...Victoria throws Emmett of her into a tree and the tree survives... that really wouldn't happen in the books, the tree snaps..(in the book when Edward and Victoria fight her throws her into a tree and the tree snaps...Emmett is much bigger and strongs so that tree wouldn't have had a chance..

[alphanubilus]

You can tell that Summit spent a considerable amount of money on effects this time around. Not that New Moon's effects were bad, but the wolves feel a lot more wolf like... but that also sports an interesting issue. In some ways, I felt that the wolves behaved a bit TOO wolf like. I know it sounds odd, but remember the wolves aren't just wolves they are humans, who can become wolves. The wolf form is in essence a suite of armor. It would have been nice to feel the humanity of the wolves of which would cater to the tragedy of their existence. They are humans who have to become wolves. In many ways, once Jacob, Sam, Seth, and the rest of crew become wolves, they lose almost all aspects of their humanity. Stephenie Meyer, much like the writers of the 12th century werewolf lies of France, continuously reminded you through out her book that even though she was describing a large dangerous wolf, it's soul was still quite human. A few good examples are her first description of the Jacob wolf, where Bella's looks into it's eyes and is reminded of Jacob Black. In Eclipse, the Jacob wolf barks a laugh, lolls his tongue, and does little things to make Bella feel comfortable around him. Embry and Quil are always teasing each other, as best friends would. In the movie, this is completely ignored. You see them playful as humans, but overtly serious as wolves. In the wild, wolves are very playful. They have their serious moments, but they also have playful ones. In short you need to see the wolves reflect their human counterparts, as in Eclipse the human character simply disappears when the wolf appears. Without that connection, it is just a really large pretty wuff.

What is sad is the easiest way to resolve this type of issue, is to have the actors present to rep their wolf. Have them literally pretend to be their wolf. This was heavily used in Chronicles of Narnia, where actors stood in for their animal personas. While yes, the Narnia beasties talked, but still you get more than just mouth movements and expressions, you get a feel of soul and depth, that is lacking otherwise. The same thing was done for Gollum in Lord of the Rings. Andy Serkis continual presence helped bring Gollum to life in ways that couldn't have been achieved w/o him being there. So producers, please listen, let the Wolf Pack be present during all wolf scenes. It will capture much more depth and humanity of the pack.

The technology is there, but all it needs now is the correct application.

[misspikaboo]

I think they way they did the wolves was fantastic. I could totally see a difference with the way Jake and Sam looked, not bad at all, just different. They had more time to work on the wolves so the way they look is fabulous!

TOTALLY AGREE. I wasn't sure how they'd pull off the wolves since there is so many more scenes with them this time around, and now they'd have to show more wolf-like qualities for battle, but I was really impressed. They even managed to give each wolf their little differences so that they didn't appear to be carbon copies of each other; Sam and Jacob were bigger then the rest, Seth was fairly gangly, Paul was always hunched for attack. LOVED IT.

And I liked the effects used for the vampires. It was the director's own spin on the story that we were all waiting for. When you're adapting a book into a movie, it's important to do things your own way so as to make the story your own, and Slade did that wonderfully. It was neat and imaginative without being tacky or majorly out there.

[Edwards Ragazza]

I think it is getting better and it helps that they keep getting bigger budgets.

Marielle~ I have to agree with whole Emmett thing the tree would have been broken and Victoria should have been squirming to try to piece herself back. I guess DS wanted the impression that she was definitely dead by Edwards hands.

The only thing that bothered me on the wolves I liked them better in NM. In Eclipse they seemed like they where the size of a horse and the way Seth walked up to the tent was like he was moving like a horse.

[Lieziewiezie]

Defenitly better in every way possible!

[pennybug84]

I was a bit let down by how fake Victoria looked after Edward tore her head of...
I had it imagined more like in the pirates of the Caribbean movie ( the first one) when the cut off arm was still moving, only without blood, because in the books SM tells that a vampire can be put back together if not burned...and with a porceline Victoria on the ground it really didn't show that.....

This was the first thing I commented on after watching the movie. It really kind of bugged me that she just layed there headless. Edward needed to rip up her whole body. Just decapitating her would not kill her. Maybe they needed to do that to stay w/a PG-13 rating. But it still kind of annoyed me.

I actually prefer the wolves in NM. They're different & I'm not sure what it is but I liked them better in NM. I like the fact that CW used the actor's eye as the eyes when they're in their wolf form.

And definitely the vampire speed & Edward sparkling was sooo much better!! (One reason I loved the first meadow scene. I can't remember if he sparkled at the end.)

Hopefully since they're getting better w/each movie that they'll have something figured out & can do Renesmee in BD.

[marielle]

This was the first thing I commented on after watching the movie. It really kind of bugged me that she just layed there headless. Edward needed to rip up her whole body. Just decapitating her would not kill her. Maybe they needed to do that to stay w/a PG-13 rating. But it still kind of annoyed me.

Yes, but I thought they had it almost right in new moon, I don't like the stone thing very much, but I can see where they get it from.
They just had to make the porceline a bit more fleshy...Bella tells us that Edward feels like flesh but is as hard as stone...it a bit against each other and they have gone with the stone thing...

still I'm happy they don't really destroy Vampires in BD, they don't have to do that again...