That Crazy Young Man and His Flying Machines

Martin Scorcese's "The Aviator" is collecting awards and accolades. See the movie on the big screen, if you have a chance; it's well done all the way around. I heartily endorse it not only because it's a fine example of what Hollywood can and should be doing (compelling stories, beautifully told), but also because the miniature effects are spectacular and worthy of recognition. Dozens of talented artists -- modelmakers, painters, sculptors, carpenters and mechanical effects experts -- worked for months to recreate scale models of 1930's Hollywood Boulevard, the Beverly Hills neighborhood where Howard Hughes crashed his XF-11, the world-famous Hercules ("Spruce Goose"), and several other pieces.

It's unfortunate that the current trend in the film industry is to forget or dismiss this time-honored craft and go whole-hog digital, often to the detriment of the look of the film. What New Deal Studios does is a little like good acting: if we've done our job, you won't notice there was a job to be done. And films like this one make it even harder to attract attention because we're dealing with airplanes, objects that exist in the real world. Nobody's looking at an airplane in a film and saying "how did they do that" the way they would with, say, an exploding alien spaceship.

Today marks the launch of a website devoted to "The Aviator" visual effects. Hop on over to www.aviatorvfx.com and take a peek at the miniature effects section. See for yourself what meticulous craftsmanship and attention to detail can add to a period film.