Dennis Muren
Encyclopedia
Dennis Muren, A.S.C. is an American
film
special effects artist, most notable for his work on the films of Steven Spielberg
, James Cameron
and George Lucas
. He has won eight Oscars for Best Visual Effects
.
, California
, the son of Charline Louise (née
Clayton) and Elmer Ernest Muren. He developed an interest in film-making and special effects from an early age. While studying business at Pasadena City College
, Muren spent $6500 to make Equinox
, a short science fiction
film. Tonylyn Productions, a small film company, liked the film enough to distribute it. Tonylyn hired film editor Jack Woods to direct additional footage in order to make Equinox into a feature-length movie. When the feature-length Equinox
was released in October 1970
, Muren was credited as a producer in spite of having directed much of the film and creating the special effects himself. Despite mixed to poor reviews the movie made enough money for Muren to recoup his $8000 investment, and in the years since it has become a minor cult classic.
, Muren began working as a visual effects artist full-time. In 1976, Muren was hired at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), then an upstart visual effects studio founded by little-known director
George Lucas. Lucas and ILM's first film, Star Wars
, was released in 1977
to wide critical and public acclaim and was the highest grossing film of all time up until that point.
Muren has been an important voice for pioneering new technologies in special effects. Muren spearheaded ILM's move from models and miniatures to CGI
for the film Terminator 2: Judgment Day
. In a 2000 interview, he stated that Terminator 2: Judgment Day was the film he was most proud of.
Muren, along with Steve Williams and Mark Dippe, helped to usher in a new age of computer generated imagery with the CG dinosaurs of Jurassic Park
. Steven Spielberg had intended to use go-motion for the dinosaurs, but quickly changed his mind when shown a test of a CG T-Rex (with Marin County as the backdrop). Jurassic Park was the breakthrough that convinced George Lucas that technology had advanced enough to make the Star Wars prequels.
In June 1999, Muren was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
, the first visual effects artist to ever be so recognized. He has also been the recipient of nine Academy Awards
(including special achievement awards), the most of any living movie-maker.
Muren continues to work for ILM to this day; his title is Senior Visual Effects Supervisor. Currently he is taking time off to author a book on visual effects; he also consults for Pixar. His most recent project was War of the Worlds, in which he led a team to create complex effects in a span of only three months.
He has a small, non-speaking role in Raiders of the Lost Ark
as a spy. Standing in for an absent Ronald Lacey
as Major Toht, due to their similarity in facial appearance (though great variation in height), he's the man who looks over the Life Magazine as Indiana Jones
(Harrison Ford
) boards the passenger plane.
Muren has an almost invisible cameo in the theme park ride Star Tours
. He and two other ILM'ers are visible in a movie-within-a-movie... they are rear-projected into the windows of a miniature Maintenance Bay building, which is then rear-projected into the cabin of the flight simulator. They can be seen ducking in fear as the point-of-view spaceship almost careens into them.
Dennis is married to British documentary filmmaker of "Dream of The Sea Ranch" and landscape architect Zara Muren, and they have two children together. They currently live in California.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
special effects artist, most notable for his work on the films of Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, video game designer, and studio entrepreneur. In a career of more than four decades, Spielberg's films have covered many themes and genres. Spielberg's early science-fiction and adventure films were seen as an...
, James Cameron
James Cameron
James Francis Cameron is a Canadian-American film director, film producer, screenwriter, editor, environmentalist and inventor...
and George Lucas
George Lucas
George Walton Lucas, Jr. is an American film producer, screenwriter, and director, and entrepreneur. He is the founder, chairman and chief executive of Lucasfilm. He is best known as the creator of the space opera franchise Star Wars and the archaeologist-adventurer character Indiana Jones...
. He has won eight Oscars for Best Visual Effects
Academy Award for Visual Effects
The Academy Award for Visual Effects is an Academy Award given for the best achievement in visual effects.-History of the award:The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences first recognized the technical contributions of special effects to movies at its inaugural dinner in 1928, presenting a...
.
Early life
Muren was born in GlendaleGlendale, California
Glendale is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the city population is 191,719, down from 194,973 at the 2000 census. making it the third largest city in Los Angeles County and the 22nd largest city in the state of California...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, the son of Charline Louise (née
Married and maiden names
A married name is the family name adopted by a person upon marriage. When a person assumes the family name of her spouse, the new name replaces the maiden name....
Clayton) and Elmer Ernest Muren. He developed an interest in film-making and special effects from an early age. While studying business at Pasadena City College
Pasadena City College
Pasadena City College is a community college in Pasadena, California, USA, located on Colorado Boulevard. PCC is the third largest community college campus in the United States. PCC was founded in 1924 as Pasadena Junior College. In 1954, Pasadena Junior College merged with another junior...
, Muren spent $6500 to make Equinox
Equinox (film)
Equinox is a 1970 American horror film. Originally made in 1967 under the title The Equinox... A Journey into the Supernatural it was directed by Dennis Muren, and stars Edward Connell as Dave, Barbara Hewitt as Susan Turner Frank Bonner as Jim Hudson and award-winning science fiction/horror writer...
, a short science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
film. Tonylyn Productions, a small film company, liked the film enough to distribute it. Tonylyn hired film editor Jack Woods to direct additional footage in order to make Equinox into a feature-length movie. When the feature-length Equinox
Equinox (film)
Equinox is a 1970 American horror film. Originally made in 1967 under the title The Equinox... A Journey into the Supernatural it was directed by Dennis Muren, and stars Edward Connell as Dave, Barbara Hewitt as Susan Turner Frank Bonner as Jim Hudson and award-winning science fiction/horror writer...
was released in October 1970
1970 in film
The year 1970 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* January 9 - Larry Fine, the second member of The Three Stooges, suffers a massive stroke, therefore ending his career....
, Muren was credited as a producer in spite of having directed much of the film and creating the special effects himself. Despite mixed to poor reviews the movie made enough money for Muren to recoup his $8000 investment, and in the years since it has become a minor cult classic.
Career
After earning his associate's degreeAssociate's degree
An associate degree is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by community colleges, junior colleges, technical colleges, and bachelor's degree-granting colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study usually lasting two years...
, Muren began working as a visual effects artist full-time. In 1976, Muren was hired at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), then an upstart visual effects studio founded by little-known director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
George Lucas. Lucas and ILM's first film, Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
, was released in 1977
1977 in film
The year 1977 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*In the Academy Awards, Peter Finch, Faye Dunaway and Beatrice Straight win Best Actor and Actress and Supporting Actress awards for Network....
to wide critical and public acclaim and was the highest grossing film of all time up until that point.
Muren has been an important voice for pioneering new technologies in special effects. Muren spearheaded ILM's move from models and miniatures to CGI
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
for the film Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Terminator 2: Judgment Day is a 1991 science fiction action film directed by James Cameron and written by Cameron and William Wisher Jr.. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Robert Patrick, and Edward Furlong...
. In a 2000 interview, he stated that Terminator 2: Judgment Day was the film he was most proud of.
Muren, along with Steve Williams and Mark Dippe, helped to usher in a new age of computer generated imagery with the CG dinosaurs of Jurassic Park
Jurassic Park (film)
Jurassic Park is a 1993 American science fiction adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Michael Crichton. It stars Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, Martin Ferrero, and Bob Peck...
. Steven Spielberg had intended to use go-motion for the dinosaurs, but quickly changed his mind when shown a test of a CG T-Rex (with Marin County as the backdrop). Jurassic Park was the breakthrough that convinced George Lucas that technology had advanced enough to make the Star Wars prequels.
In June 1999, Muren was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame consists of more than 2,400 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California...
, the first visual effects artist to ever be so recognized. He has also been the recipient of nine Academy Awards
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
(including special achievement awards), the most of any living movie-maker.
Muren continues to work for ILM to this day; his title is Senior Visual Effects Supervisor. Currently he is taking time off to author a book on visual effects; he also consults for Pixar. His most recent project was War of the Worlds, in which he led a team to create complex effects in a span of only three months.
He has a small, non-speaking role in Raiders of the Lost Ark
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Raiders of the Lost Ark is a 1981 American action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg, produced by George Lucas, and starring Harrison Ford. It is the first film in the Indiana Jones franchise...
as a spy. Standing in for an absent Ronald Lacey
Ronald Lacey
Ronald Lacey was an English actor. He made numerous television and film appearances over a 30 year period and is perhaps best remembered for his villainous roles in Hollywood films, most famously Major Arnold Toht in Raiders of the Lost Ark.-Career:Lacey attended Harrow Weald Grammar School and...
as Major Toht, due to their similarity in facial appearance (though great variation in height), he's the man who looks over the Life Magazine as Indiana Jones
Indiana Jones
Colonel Henry Walton "Indiana" Jones, Jr., Ph.D. is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Indiana Jones franchise. George Lucas and Steven Spielberg created the character in homage to the action heroes of 1930s film serials...
(Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford is an American film actor and producer. He is famous for his performances as Han Solo in the original Star Wars trilogy and as the title character of the Indiana Jones film series. Ford is also known for his roles as Rick Deckard in Blade Runner, John Book in Witness and Jack Ryan in...
) boards the passenger plane.
Muren has an almost invisible cameo in the theme park ride Star Tours
Star Tours
Star Tours is a motion simulator attraction currently operating at Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Park at Disneyland Paris. The ride is based on the successful Star Wars film series created by George Lucas, making it the first Disney attraction based on a non-Disney produced film.The first...
. He and two other ILM'ers are visible in a movie-within-a-movie... they are rear-projected into the windows of a miniature Maintenance Bay building, which is then rear-projected into the cabin of the flight simulator. They can be seen ducking in fear as the point-of-view spaceship almost careens into them.
Dennis is married to British documentary filmmaker of "Dream of The Sea Ranch" and landscape architect Zara Muren, and they have two children together. They currently live in California.
External links
- Starwars.com (2005). Dennis Muren. Retrieved 3 July 2005.
- Hollywood.com (2005). Dennis Muren. Retrieved 3 July 2005.
- Tome, Chris for 3dvfx.net (2000). The Dennis Muren Interview. Retrieved 3 July 2005.
- Erickson, Hal for Allmovie (2004). Equinox entry at Allmovie. Retrieved 3 July 2005.