CGI versus Non-CGI

When is the last time you watched a movie that did not use CGI (computer-generated imagery)? Most likely, you can’t even remember, because Hollywood has relied on this mode of storytelling for decades. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not here to bash CGI. Instead, I’m here to try and shed light on some movies that do not use CGI, and are some of the best pieces of Hollywood cinema ever put to film.

When thinking of large-scale action movies or historical epics, we may revert to Peter Jackson’s Lord of The Rings, Wolfgang Peterson’s Troy, or maybe even the Russo brother’s Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame. Although these may be fantastic films, they rely heavily on CGI for the more substantial action set-pieces, and understandably so. To achieve some of these visions, outsourcing is needed to provide the proper scale and convey the director’s message.

I love how far we have come, and the stories we are able to tell are absolutely incredible with our technology. But revisiting movies with no CGI, only practical effects, is something that could either be terrible, or could open you up to a collection of films widely regarded as some of the best ever created. I’d prefer the latter.

My first stop is Lawrence of Arabia: the epic backdrop of WWI, the ability to transport the audience with stunning cinematography, the ever-evolving character development focusing on Post-Traumatic-Stress (PTS), the historical accuracy, and the commitment to using thousands and thousands of extras to accomplish the shots, is timeless.

My second stop is A Bridge Too Far: with the true story of the bridge at Arnhem, fluid character arcs of numerous essential historical figures, real practical effects, an extensive in-depth historically accurate portrayal of these events, with legendary actors playing key roles, all of which culminate to produce a highly enjoyable film that again, is timeless.

And my final stop is Waterloo: the extraordinary true story of Napoleon’s exile, his come back, and lastly, his eventual defeat at Waterloo. This film is something of an absolute masterpiece. The director essentially recreated the entire battle with 15,000 real French soldiers and 2,000 real cavalry to achieve the sequence, making for one of the most stunning scenes ever put to film.

Movies were different in the 1960s and 1970s. These directors pulled off vast sequences never seen before and never seen again on film. It’s fun to note that we also landed on the moon numerous times during this period. All of these considerations begs the question… Can we get those massive non-CGI sequences and start landing on the moon again?