This ShotBlows Me Away: Iconic Jumanji Lion Scene Gets Rave Response From VFX Artists 29 Years Later

VFX artists analyze Jumanji’s lion scene, complimenting the 1995 effects. The Joe Johnston film starring Robin Williams, Kirsten Dunst, Bonnie Hunt, Bradley Pierce, and Jonathan Hyde is about a magical board game that comes to life, unleashing a world of adventure on siblings Peter (Pierce) and Judy Shepherd (Dunst). Though the original film debuted in 1995, the animation is considered highly impressive.

In a recent Corridor Crew video, VFX artists Sam Gorski, Wren Weichman, and Jordan Allen take a look at Jumanji’s iconic lion scene. Weichman points out that the movie came out at an interesting time because 1995 was a little too late to do everything with animatronics and puppets, but a little too early to do everything with CG. “This is like the earliest of days when it comes to CGI animation,” he notes. The VFX artist goes on to say he thinks the animation in Jumanji is a product of its time. Despite that, he thinks the animators did a great job. Check out the video below:

“This shot, honestly, kind of blows me away,” Weichman says of the shot of the lion walking towards the camera before he jumps at Alan. “This is the only shot where they actually get a nice close-up, long shot of the CG lion rather than using the animatronic one.” Weichman also points out that CG hair didn’t exist before Jumanji. Modern hair techniques were specifically invented for the movie. Gorski likens doing CGI in the nineties to being an astronaut, saying:

You’re literally in outer space. There’s no one to help you. Everything is ultra primitive. You have to know what you’re doing, and you have to be able to do it blind basically because there’s no previews.

Jumanji Has Helped Define Today's CGI

The first Jumanji movie is a beloved film that’s still a fun watch to return to, even as animation progresses through the years. Weichman and Gorski’s comments confirm something casual Jumanji viewers have suspected ever since the film came out: the animation is pretty darn impressive. Learning that certain CG techniques were invented during the animation process for Jumanji only adds to the novelty of the film. In a big way, audiemces have to thank the artists who worked on Jumanji for a lot of the CGI seen today.

Jumanji's Effects Only Make It More Magical

Weichman and Gorski’s analysis only adds to the enchantment that surrounds Jumanji. When I think about Jumanji, I think “magic.” A board game comes to life and a brother and sister go on an adventure of a lifetime. Back in the '90s, watching the movie felt like going to Disneyland. It was an all-encompassing experience that gripped viewers for an hour and forty minutes.

Little did we know the magic it required to bring these fantastical images to the screen. It's more impressive than one might think, seeing how accustomed we are to CGI spectacles these days. One can overlook Jumanji's VFX, but recognizing how revolutionary it is only enhances the viewing experience. Not only did the artists who worked on Jumanji help move CGI forward, they also succeeded in mystifying audiences for years to come.

Source: Corridor Crew