Aliens

Stan Winston, June 15, age 62: It's safe to say that movie special effects would very likely not be quite so special were it not for the Oscar-winning Stan Winston, whose creations appeared in (and shaped) films for decades, including, memorably, the dinosaurs in "Jurassic Park... more," the critters in "Aliens," the "Terminator" robots, and the array of special effects in this year's blockbuster "Iron Man." Winston was also an accomplished makeup effects artist, and helped directors meld physical models with computer-generated effects. At a memorial service this summer, director Steven Spielberg, visibly moved, said, "What Stan did is that he took our dreams — he took all of our dreams — and he blended them with his own dreams. ... He would basically give life to all of our ideas. He would make them come to life." And for more than that, a movie fan would be hard-pressed to ask.

(Sara De Boer/Retna Ltd.)