The Saturn Award for Best Special / Visual Effects is one of the annual awards given by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films. The Saturn Awards, which are the oldest film-specialized awards to reward science fiction, fantasy, and horror achievements (the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation is the oldest award for science fiction and fantasy films), included the category for the first time at the 2nd Saturn Awards in 1975.
Winners and nominees
1970s YearRecipients Film Marcel Vercoutere The Exorcist Douglas Knapp, Bill Taylor, John Carpenter, Dan O'Bannon Dark Star L. B. Abbott (for his career) John Dykstra, John Stears Star Wars Douglas Trumbull Close Encounters of the Third Kind Albert Whitlock, Chuck Gaspar (Van der Veer Photo Effects) Exorcist II: The Heretic Ray Harryhausen Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger Colin Chilvers Superman Henry Millar (Van der Veer Photo Effects) Capricorn One Ira Anderson Jr. Damien: Omen II Dell Rheaume, Russel Hessey Invasion of the Body Snatchers Albert Whitlock The Wiz Douglas Trumbull, John Dykstra, Richard Yuricich Star Trek: The Motion Picture Brian Johnson, Nick Allder Alien Peter Ellenshaw The Black Hole John Evans, John Richardson Moonraker Robbie Knott The Muppet Movie
1980s YearRecipients Film Brian Johnson, Richard Edlund The Empire Strikes Back Chuck Comisky Battle Beyond the Stars Richard Albain Jr., Tommy Lee Wallace, James F. Liles The Fog Dave Allen, Peter Kuran The Howling Gary Zeller Scanners Richard Edlund Raiders of the Lost Ark Ray Harryhausen Clash of the Titans Brian Johnson, Dennis Muren Dragonslayer John Stears Outland Jon Bunker Time Bandits Carlo Rambaldi, Dennis Muren E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Douglas Trumbull, Richard Yuricich Blade Runner Roy Field, Brian Smithies The Dark Crystal Tom Campbell, William T. Conway, John Carl Buechler, Steve Neill Forbidden World Rob Bottin The Thing Richard Edlund, Dennis Muren, Ken Ralston Return of the Jedi (Entertainment Effects Group) Brainstorm Ian Wingrove Never Say Never Again Lee Dyer Something Wicked This Way Comes Chuck Comisky, Kenneth Jones, Lawrence E. Benson Strange Invaders Chris Walas Gremlins Richard Edlund 2010 Lawrence E. Benson Creature Barry Nolan Dune Ralph Winter Star Trek III: The Search for Spock Kevin Pike Back to the Future (The L.A. Effects Group) Commando Bruce Nicholson, Ralph Winter Explorers Richard Edlund Fright Night (Apogee) Lifeforce Stan Winston, Robert Skotak, Dennis Skotak Aliens Lyle Conway Little Shop of Horrors Richard Edlund Poltergeist II: The Other Side Syd Mead, Eric Allard Short Circuit Ken Ralston, Michael Lantieri Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home Peter Kuran, Phil Tippett, Rob Bottin, Rocco Gioffre RoboCop Vern Hyde, Doug Beswick, Tom Sullivan Evil Dead II Dennis Muren, Bill George, Harley Jessup, Kenneth Smith Innerspace Richard Edlund Masters of the Universe Joel Hynek, Stan Winston, Richard Greenberg, Robert M. Greenberg Predator Michael Lantieri (Industrial Light & Magic) The Witches of Eastwick George Gibbs, Ken Ralston, Richard Williams Who Framed Roger Rabbit Peter Kuran, Alan Munro, Ted Rae, Robert Short Beetlejuice Kevin Pike, Hoyt Yeatman, Will Vinton Moonwalker Eric Brevig, Allen Hall (Dream Quest Images) Scrooged Eric Allard, Jeff Jarvis Short Circuit 2 John Richardson (Industrial Light & Magic) Willow Ken Ralston (Industrial Light & Magic) Back to the Future Part II (Industrial Light & Magic, Dream Quest Images, , Wonderworks) The Abyss Richard Conway, Kent Houston The Adventures of Baron Munchausen Bruce Nicholson, John T. Van Vliet, Richard Edlund, Laura Buff Ghost Rick Baker, Ken Pepiot, Dennis Michelson Gremlins 2: The New Batch Rick Fichter, David Sosalla, Peter Chesney Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Phil Tippett, Rob Bottin, Peter Kuran RoboCop 2 Thomas L. Fisher, Eric Brevig, Rob Bottin (Dream Quest Images, , Stetson Visual Services Inc.) Total Recall Tom Woodruff Jr., Alec Gillis (4-Ward Productions, Illusion Arts Inc., ) Tremors
1990s YearRecipients Film Stan Winston (Industrial Light & Magic, Fantasy II Film Effects, ) Terminator 2: Judgment Day Richard Yuricich, Kevin Yagher (Video Image) Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey Syd Dutton, Bill Taylor, Gene Warren Jr. (Illusion Arts Inc.) Frankenstein Unbound Stan Winston, Joel Hynek (R/Greenberg Associates Inc.) Predator 2 Ken Ralston (Industrial Light & Magic) The Rocketeer (Perpetual Motion Pictures, Dream Quest Images) Warlock Ken Ralston, Tom Woodruff Jr., Alec Gillis Death Becomes Her Alan Munro (Visual Concept Engineering (VCE), Alterian, Inc., ) The Addams Family George Gibbs, Richard Edlund, Alec Gillis, Tom Woodruff Jr. Alien 3 Richard Taylor, Bob McCarron Braindead (Dead Alive) Roman Coppola Bram Stoker's Dracula Frank Ceglia, Paul Haines, Tom Ceglia The Lawnmower Man Bruce Nicholson, Ned Gorman (Industrial Light & Magic) Memoirs of an Invisible Man Dennis Muren, Stan Winston, Phil Tippett, Michael Lantieri Jurassic Park Michael J. McAlister, Kimberly Nelson LoCascio Demolition Man (Pacific Data Images (PDI), 4-Ward Productions) Heart and Souls (Buena Vista Visual Effects, Matte World Digital, Rhythm & Hues) Hocus Pocus John E. Sullivan (Sony Pictures Imageworks [us], Boss Film Studios, , Visual Concept Engineering (VCE), ) Last Action Hero Ariel Velasco-Shaw, Eric Leighton, Gordon Baker The Nightmare Before Christmas Richard Edlund Solar Crisis John Bruno (Digital Domain) True Lies Andrew Mason (International Creative Effects) The Crow Ken Ralston (Industrial Light & Magic) Forrest Gump (Illusion Arts Inc., Fantasy II Film Effects, Visual Concept Engineering) The Shadow Jeffrey A. Okun, Patrick Tatopoulos Stargate Gregory L. McMurry Timecop Stan Parks (Industrial Light & Magic, Amalgamated Dynamics) Jumanji John Dykstra, Thomas L. Fisher, Andrew Adamson, Eric Durst Batman Forever Scott Farrar, Stan Winston, Michael Lantieri (Industrial Light & Magic) Congo Eric Brevig (Industrial Light & Magic) The Indian in the Cupboard Joel Hynek (Mass. Illusions LLC) Judge Dredd Richard Edlund, Steve Johnson Species Volker Engel, Clay Pinney, Douglas Smith, Joe Viskocil Independence Day Scott Squires, Phil Tippett, James Straus, Kit West Dragonheart Wes Takahashi, Charlie McClellan, Richard Taylor The Frighteners Jim Mitchell, Michael L. Fink, David Andrews, Michael Lantieri (, Warner Digital Studios) Mars Attacks! John Knoll (Industrial Light & Magic) Star Trek: First Contact Stefen Fangmeier, John Frazier, Habib Zargarpour, Henry LaBounta Twister Phil Tippett, Scott E. Anderson, Alec Gillis, Tom Woodruff Jr., Starship Troopers Pitof, Erik Henry, Alec Gillis, Tom Woodruff Jr. Alien Resurrection Ken Ralston, Stephen Rosenbaum, Jerome Chen, Mark Holmes Contact Karen E. Goulekas, Mark Stetson The Fifth Element Dennis Muren, Stan Winston, Michael Lantieri, Randy Dutra The Lost World: Jurassic Park Eric Brevig, Peter Chesney, Rob Coleman, Rick Baker Men in Black Volker Engel, Patrick Tatopoulos, Karen E. Goulekas, Clay Pinney Godzilla Pat McClung, Richard R. Hoover, John Frazier Armageddon Andrew Mason, Mara Bryan, Peter Doyle, Tom Davies Dark City Angus Bickerton Lost in Space Rick Baker, Hoyt Yeatman, Allen Hall, Jim Mitchell Mighty Joe Young Roger Guyett, Stefen Fangmeier, Neil Corbould Saving Private Ryan Rob Coleman, John Knoll, Dennis Muren, Scott Squires Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace Stan Winston, Bill George, Kim Bromley, Robert Stadd Galaxy Quest John Gaeta, Janek Sirrs, Steve Courtley, Jon Thum The Matrix John Andrew Berton Jr., Daniel Jeannette, Ben Snow, Chris Corbould The Mummy Jim Mitchell, Joss Williams, Kevin Yagher, Mark S. Miller Sleepy Hollow John Dykstra, Henry F. Anderson III, Jerome Chen, Eric Allard Stuart Little
2000s