Industrial Light & Magic:  The Art of Special Effects
Author Smith was general manager for Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) which provided astounding special effects for the sf/horror films of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, beginning with Star Wars. This book is something of a puff-piece for the renowned company (and a panegyric to Lucas) and includes a history of the company, profiles of its artists and technicians, and solid explanations of the various techniques, from animation to matte painting to models. The writing is competent but repetitious. However, the volume has been designed as a fan-oriented, large-format tome, and it is lavishly illustrated with excellent color visuals. The filmography of ILM work includes each film's poster, a nice touch. David Bartholomew, NYPLCopyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.