Films in which miniatures were used to create massive structures (23 photos)

You probably guessed that in the films where there is grandiose buildings, they were not rebuilt in real size. Here deceivers decided not to build a real Death Star or a fantasy castle, and replaced them with a miniature!





Well, this, among other things, is the meaning of the phrase "magic cinema" - when something small in the frame turns into a grandiose one.

By the way, in most of these cases we are talking about thumbnails, not computer graphics. The thumbnails have some advantage over animation, since they are still real objects that are visible in the frame. They can be set on fire, blown up and somehow epic destruction, which will look much more realistic than use of fully computerized models.

Therefore, miniatures are used to this day, despite advancement of technology. As for films made in the 20th century - there without miniatures anywhere, there was no particular choice.

Let's see what famous movies used this cunning visual trick, passing off small as huge, and toy as objects of real size.

1. Shutter Island (2009)



2. Beginning (2010)





3. Independence Day (1996)



A miniature version of the White House is visible in the background, which in the film will be blown up by aliens. It was blown up and filming location.

4. Star Wars. Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999)



5. Ghostbusters (1984)



6. Titanic (1997)






Several models of the Titanic were created for the film, including those in 1:20 scale.

7 Blade Runner (1982)



Special effects director Douglas Trumbull poses behind a model of the Tyrell Corporation pyramid building on the set of the film.

8. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)



9. The Fifth Element (1997)



The film's crew poses in front of a completed model of New York 2263.

10. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001)



Model of Hogwarts in a London studio. This model with with the addition of some computer effects was used for filming general plans of the castle.

11. Back to the Future 3 (1990)



12. Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)



13. Ben-Hur (1959)



Legendary Hollywood special effects artist Albert Arnold Gillespie on the set of the battle of miniature ships.

Bonus: Star Wars (original trilogy, 1977-1983) and inking technology



Some of the scenery was hand painted in oils. paints on plexiglass panels and then added to the film to the real personnel. Also a kind of work with miniatures.

Miniature waterfall made of salt and flour



Stage workers preparing the set for the filming of Steven Spielberg's "War of the Worlds"



Ship model for the movie "Interstellar"



Model train for the movie "Time Keeper"



Shooting a scene for the film "Cape Fear" (1991)



City destruction in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull



The Return of Superman