From the back cover
Special effects have kept audiences on the edge of their seats since the beginning of film. From "Execution of Mary Queen of Scots" (1895) and "A Trip to the Moon", through classics like "Ben Hur" and "King Kong", and onto blockbuster hits including "Die Hard", "Demolition Man", "True Lies" and "Lawnmower Man2", The Art of Illusion takes you behind-the-scenes, onto the sets and inside Hollywood's hottest special effects studios. Towering infernos explode, intergalactic battles sizzle the screen, and monsters frighten us in the dark... all as a result of the continuing technological advancements in computer graphics, pyrotechnics, stop-motion animation, robotics, and miniature photography. Meet award-winning visual effects directors as they blast off in Apollo 13, bring Gremlins to life, submerge into The Abyss and clone Jurassic dinosaurs. With all this and more, The Art of Illusion will entertain and delight viewers of all ages as it celebrates 100 years of movie magic!
