Stan Winston: 1946-2008

Written by: Big Ross, CC2K Staff Writer

The news first broke earlier today on AICN and has just been confirmed by IGN . Legendery special effects wizard Stan Winston passed away last night.  Variety reports that Winston's cause of death was the end of a seven-year fight with cancer, specifically multiple myeloma.  He was 62.

The special effects guru was key in creating numerous movie icons/monsters from films such as Terminator, Predator, Aliens, Jurassic Park, Edward Scissorhands, Batman Returns, and many, many more.  Winston won three Academy Awards for his work on Aliens, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, and Jurassic Park, and he is only the second special effects artist to be honored on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  

In his own words:

"You have to understand that rightly or wrongly, I consider myself an artist and I consider the work that we do art. In helping to tell stories by creating these characters. I came out as an actor. I am not a technician. I am techno-ignorant, but I love creating characters and telling wonderful stories. Thinking of myself as an artist doesn't allow me to think of size having to do with importance."

Indeed you were, Stan.  Rest in peace.