The Titanic Sinking, Titanic (1997)
The enormous ship was not always as enormous as it appears, with detailed miniatures, partial sets, controlled water tanks, and digital effects combining to create the disaster.
The Dementors, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
The sinister creatures look otherworldly on screen, but much of their appearance was created through costumes, puppetry, wires, and digital manipulation rather than actors simply walking around as finished creatures.
The Na’vi World, Avatar (2009)
Pandora looks completely real, but much of what audiences see was created digitally, with performers working against virtual environments and motion capture technology.
The Giant Ants, Them! (1954)
The enormous ants were created using oversized props, puppets, and practical effects, producing a very different sight once the camera pulled back and revealed the people operating the creatures.
The Yellow Brick Road, The Wizard of Oz (1939)
The magical world of Oz was largely constructed on studio soundstages, with painted backdrops, artificial landscapes, elaborate costumes, and enormous amounts of theatrical machinery hidden outside the frame.
The Spaceship Interiors, Alien (1979)
The Nostromo feels like a gigantic industrial spacecraft, but many of its corridors and rooms were compact sets packed with pipes, lights, wires, and practical machinery.
