The Fourth Annual
Dead Man of the Year Award!

And the Winner is...   Honorable Mention!    
About the DMOTYs: Photos
A winsTON of Merchandise!

2008 Rising Again!
You can't scare away
THIS Excitement!


The 2008
Dead Man of the Year Award
goes to:

(1946 - 2008)

Another year, another Dead Man of the Year award! I started this little corner of surreality as 2005 dawned with the intention of calling attention to those who have passed away and have left the world of entertainment better than when they got their hands on it. Each year I focused on one of our best from Obie O'Brien to Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster to Phil Hartman, each of whom made great impacts on the years in which they were nominated (and beyond).

This year's winner is no different in impact. If anything, this year's winner had more impact on 2008 than our previous honorees had on their own years. Unlike most years, this is the first memorial WorldsGreatestCritic.com has given to someone who died in the same year in which they won their DMOTY.

This year's winner was a director, a writer, a visual effects wizard, an entrepreneur, a make-up artist and a visionary who created, or helped create, some of the most recognizable movie monsters of his lifetime (and beyond) and even put new spins on some old classics.

His name is Stan Winston.

Mr. Winston put his own name on the map in the 1970s, along with the studio he named for himself, but it was the 1980s that saw his star rise to some amazing heights. His original design creations include the Terminator endoskeleton, the Alien Queen, the Predator and even Mr. Roboto's mask.

But Winston's story starts long before he became a Hollywood staple. Stanley Winston was born on April 7, 1946 in Virginia. As a child he was more interested in toys, comic books and monster flicks than in playing outside with the other kids. That is until he started making his own Super 8 Movies, which fueled his creative interests. Winston's family encouraged him in a more "business" oriented direction (and it worked, too, seeing as how eventually, Winston was instrumental in launching no less than three companies). This practical persuasion led him to the University of Virginia in Charlottesville with the original intention of studying dentistry. It wasn't long before young Stan sunk his teeth into new studies, including painting, sculpture and acting.

After graduating from "Mr. Jefferson's University" with a degree in Drama and Fine Arts (Class of 1968), Stan Winston attended California State University, Long Beach, which soon led him to seek his fortune in Hollywood. It's noteworthy that one of the top "Creature Creators" of all time originally knocked on Hollywood's gilded door not for special effects or makeup, but to become an actor.

Stan worked as a stand up comedian while looking for an acting job. Unfortunately the well for such gigs was dry for the aspiring thespian. Therefore, he used his skills as an artist to enter into a makeup apprenticeship with Walt Disney Studios.

After a reported six-thousand hours at Disney, Stan Winston set out to start his first company appropriately named "Stan Winston Studio". Success came fast, both for the artist and for his new studio. His very first credited work as the makeup designer on the 1972 CBS television movie Gargoyles won him his very first Emmy Award. That's right, first pitch and it's a home run.

This was no fluke, either. Stan broke into film with 1974's The Bat People, but continued to work in such notable television shows as Pinocchio, Roots, The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, for which he won his second Emmy and even The Star Wars Holiday Special for which he designed the "Wookiee Family" Costumes. Yes, Stan Winston designed Chewie's dad! He continued to work in film as well, lending his makeup skill to films like The Wiz, The Entity, Oliver Stone's The Hand and the Video Nasty known as Dead & Buried.

It was around this time that Winston was nominated for his first Academy Award for the 1981 film Heartbeeps. While Winston lost the award to An American Werewolf in London's Rick Baker, it's worth mentioning that 1981 was the first year that an Oscar for Best Makeup was offered... and Stan Winston was nominated! It was John Carpenter's The Thing that first got Stan Winston noticed by name. His makeup effects in The Thing were among the film's biggest draws and his work earned him not only a credit for his makeup, but a "Special Thanks" as well.

After The Thing, Winston teamed up with an up-and-coming young Canadian director named James Cameron on his third film. In hindsight it might make sense that the special makeup effects artist on the 1980 crime thriller The Exterminator and the designer of Styx's futuristic robots called Mr. Roboto would go on to create the T-800 endoskeleton from Cameron's The Terminator! This surprise hit would be among Winston's most enduring successes. Not only did The Terminator engender legions of international fans, but also led to a series of sequels and tie-ins. Adaptations of Winston's designs soon found their way into comic books, toys and novelizations. The Terminator spawned several sequels (all of which, to date, Winston has been involved in), a television series and even a theme park attraction in multiple countries.

If he had stopped with The Terminator, Winston would still have been a legend. Stan Winston, however, was nowhere close to resting on his laurels. He reteamed with John Carpenter on Starman, with Tobe Hooper on Invaders from Mars and he even worked on the gory Friday the 13th Part III.

Stan Winston hit another major career high point in 1986 with Aliens, another collaboration with James Cameron. Winston served as second unit director (as he had on The Terminator and successfully elaborated on H.R. Giger's Alien design, most notably in his creation of the now-iconic Alien Queen. Winston was nominated for an Oscar for the second time in his life for Aliens and this time he won. Two sci-fi/ horror icons in two years. How could Stan the Man follow such a feat up?

With another new sci-fi/ horror icon, of course. Stan Winston created the title character from Predator (reportedly with some input from his buddy James Cameron). Predator was yet another big hit for Stan, leading to another expanded franchise (and another Oscar Nomination). Predator 2 also featured work from Stan Winston and inspired a series of comic books in which some of his Alien creations matched up with some of his Predator creations (in a few cases they even added Terminator to the sparring list). Winston's Alien Queen went on to appear in Alien 3 and Alien Resurrection. When the Alien Vs. Predator concept made it to the big screen in 2004 and 2007, the Alien Queen was there!

Just when Stan Winston was becoming best known for creating brand new movie monsters, he used his makeup skills to re-imagine some long-established monsters like Dracula, Frankenstein, the Wolfman and others in 1987's The Monster Squad. Though Winston had been burning the camera at both ends for fifteen years by that point, he still had yet to direct a film of his own.

This changed when he co-wrote and directed Pumpkinhead in 1988. Though less than a huge hit at the time, Pumpkinhead has gone on to gain a cult following and is considered by many to be a cult classic. Since its release, three sequels, a comic book and even a model kit have been released to fans.

The 1990s showed an even bigger role for Stan Winston and his studio. After directing a kids' movie called A Gnome Named Gnorm, the effects wizard designed and created Edward's scissor hands in Edward Scissorhands (for which he was nominated for another Academy Award). Without Stan, the film would just have been Edward and probably wouldn't have had quite the impact it had.

In 1991, Winston and Cameron reteamed once again to create the enormous hit Terminator 2: Judgement Day, in its day, the most expensive movie ever made. This was no cash-in sequel, but a spectacular expansion over the original's much lower-budget vision. It won critical acclaim, an incredible box office take and even more fans and Stan Winston, whose name appeared in the credits like spots on a dalmatian, won two more Academy Awards for Best Makeup Effects and Best Visual Effects!

As if the list of big Movie names wasn't long enough, 1992 followed with Batman Returns. Stan designed the garish makeup of The Penguin, commissioned the robotic Emperor Penguin puppets (from some of the most memorable scenes) and redesigned the already gothic Gotham City to a new level of darkness. One year later and Winston's work on Spielberg's Jurassic Park was seen by audiences world wide. Jurassic Park featured literally tons of animatronics credited to Winston and his Studio and became, for a while, the biggest selling motion picture of all time. Winston's fourth Oscar (for Visual Effects) was won for Jurassic Park. Also in 1993 Winston teamed up with James Cameron again, not for a film, but to start a new company with their friend and colleague Scott Ross, called Digital Domain, which remains one of the top digital effects companies on the planet.

Digital effects, James Cameron and Iconic Hollywood Monsters all combined again in Stan Winston's next directorial effort, which he co-directed with Cameron and John Bruno. This project was not simply a film, but an experience. I'm talking about the Universal Studios theme park attraction T2 3-D: Battle Across Time! The 3-D film (which actually starred Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong and Robert Patrick in the roles they made famous in T2) was mixed with live look-alike actors and varied presentations, including early versions of the Terminators brought to animatronic life, right there in the theater with park patrons! After 12 years this 12 minute movie is still quite a sight to see, especially in its hard-hitting visual effects.

The list of big Winston accomplishments goes on and on, from his amazing work on AI: Artificial Intelligence (for which he was nominated for another Oscar) to his long form music video Ghosts (a collaboration with Michael Jackson and Stephen King) to his full circle trip back to the Creature Features he created for Cinemax and HBO. You'll also find the Stan Winston credit on such films as The Lost World: Jurassic Park (for which another Oscar Nomination came his way), Interview with the Vampire, Small Soldiers, Big Fish, Constantine, Galaxy Quest and, yes, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines!

It's hard to believe that a man with this many accomplishments had any time at all for a family. After all, he considered his creations, such as Predator and the Alien Queen, to be like children to him. However, Stan Winston was a Family man in his own right. He had been married to the same woman since 1969 and he and his lovely bride Karen Winston had two children, Matt and Debbie. He was the father-in-law of actress Amy Smallman and he had four grandchildren. His extended family is far and wide with this many credits to his name and his fan base is nearly incalculable. But it's his true family that we extend our condolences and praise to here.

Stan Winston had been fighting a type of plasma cell cancer known as Kahler's Disease (or Multiple myeloma) since 2001. The Great Creature Creator succumbed to his illness on June 15th 2008. He passed away peacefully while sleeping and surrounded by his family at home in Malibu, California. He was 62 years old. His extended family immediately paid tribute to him, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, who had gone from an actor who appeared in Stan Winston's films to his job as Govern(at)or of California.

One of the truly striking things about this accomplished artist is that he continued to work on his craft right up until the very end. Stan Winston's 2008 influence is undeniable starting with his most obvious credits in 2008's blockbuster Iron Man. A huge fan of the comic book, Winston and his studio created the practical armors (of metal and rubber) that Tony Stark wore in the film and even created a giant animatronic version of the Iron Monger that stood 10 feet tall and weighed 800 pounds. Iron Man went on to become the third biggest selling film of 2008, behind Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (at #2) and The Dark Knight (at #1).

Even without Iron Man, Stan Winston's influence was all over 2008. His works have inspired and influenced the makeup and effects artists of today to an extent that few others have. The Dark Knight was among the most makeup-centric films of the year and not only showed a definite Winston influence in its designs on Gotham City, but even showed a twinkle in its redesign of the Batman villain (just as Winston had done 16 years prior with Batman Returns). His work on T2 combined amazing makeup work with one of the first times a computer generated character was seen onscreen in place of a live actor. This was, of course, used to great success in 2008's The Incredible Hulk and Hellboy II: The Golden Army! He wasn't involved with these films, but his influence on them, direct or indirect, is clear. Then again, what company do you think designed the title prop from that Crystal Skull movie? Yep, the Stan Winston Studio! Even on television, Winston's scions continued to shine in the new television show Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, now in its second season.

At the time of his death, Stan Winston was working on two films that seem somewhat familiar given his resume. Terminator Salvation was his fourth feature film in the series as Visual Effects Supervisor (not counting T2:3D). Winston also appears in a cameo in the film, which is dedicated to his memory. Terminator Salvation is scheduled for release in 2009. Winston was also working with Spielberg on Jurassic Park IV, which was to be the fourth film in that series to feature Winston's work. Sadly, with both Stan Winston and writer/ creator Michael Crichton passing away in 2008, Jurassic Park IV has been shelved for the time being.

Whether Jurassic Park IV ever makes it to the screen or not, the legacy of Stan Winston is written all over film today and will continue to be for years to come. His fingerprints can be found on such icons as The Terminator, Batman, Edward Scissorhands, Chewbacca's family, The Thing, Jason Voorhees, the Alien Queen, Predator and the famed T-Rex from Jurassic Park! His works have not only inspired like-minded artists in his own field(s), but also comic book creators and even theme park attractions, such as T2: 3D and Jurassic Park: The Ride!

Stan Winston did more in a fraction of his career than most could claim in their entire lifetimes. As writer, director, special effects artist and makeup designer, the man has earned his place in history and his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (he's one of only two special effects techs to have one). He worked with some of the biggest names in film and created (or re-created some of the biggest movie monsters of all time, while still having time for a family life. 2008's year in film would look very different without the influence and impact of Stan Winston. The same is true for 2009 and beyond. The Stan Winston Studio, Digital Doman and Stan Winston Digital are still creating and turning heads, as are those less directly affiliated with Winston, who nonetheless have learned from his many examples. Rest in Peace, Creature Creator! Thank you for your contributions every year since 1972 including this year, next year and beyond. Your undeniable influence has made you the unquestionable Dead Man of the Year in the very year we lost you. While you are more than deserving of the memorial, I only wish you weren't qualified for this one and we could see a few more of your creations!

See you in the next reel, Creature Creator!


Stan Winston
(1946 - 2008):
The World's Greatest Critic's
2008 Dead Man of the Year!

.WinsTONS of Creations!
"The Creator and the Creations"
Stan Winston poses with just a few of his intellectual scions!
TeethRex!
"He bites!"
Stan Winston relaxes with one of his creations, a T-Rex from Jurassic Park.
Endo-Skele-Wins-TONS of Fun!
"Orthopedic Winston!"
Stan Winston works on one of his most famous creations, the Terminator endoskeleton!
Just a quick Bite!
"Yes, your Majesty!"
James Cameron gives direction to the character he created with Stan Winston... the monstrous Alien Queen from Aliens (1986).
Feel like a Net!
"Dread Central!"
Kevin Peter Hall was the man behind the Mandibled Mask that Stan Winston created for the Predator films. This ad for Predator 2 (that ran in comic books, among other places) shows just some of the great detail that Stan Winston put into his creations.
Book 'em, Pumpkinhead!
"Attack of the Winston Scions!"
The "How'd he do that?" effect was strong enough that an entire book called The Winston Effect: The Art & History of Stan Winston Studio was released in 2006. The book was written by Jody Duncan (author of a great many "behind the scenes" books) with a foreword by James Cameron. Pictured are the Predator, the Alien Queen, the T-Rex, the Terminator and Pumpkinhead.



About the DMOTYs:
The Dead Man of
the Year Awards
AKA: The DMOTYs (de*MOT*tees)
By the World's Greatest Critic!
The DMOTYs are a way to honor those whose legacy still impacts the worlds of Film, Television, Literature or Music visibly if not nominally

The nominee must have a current impact on the arts during the year in which they are nominated. The influence must be noteworthy but not necessarily commercial in import.

The intent of the DMOTY award is to pay tribute to that influence by detailing who they were, what they did and how their legacy is still being felt today. In short, its a way to put a name on the accomplishments of those who might not be in the public eye to have credit given where due.

In spite of the fact that this can only be offered posthumously, there is no morbidity in this award. Only respect and fondness.

This year we salute Stan Winston, the great makeup artist, special effects genius, writer, director and Creature Creator whose influence in all these fields and more has been felt since he first started his career and continue to be felt in 2008 and beyond.

This year we received a ton of DMOTY Nominees (see below), but only one can win. Like any year there will be people that the readers might think should have gotten the award and probably some choices that you'll disagree with. Remember, opinions are like elbows, everybody's got a couple. The honoree won't be the one I "like" the best. The awardee is the one whose influence is felt most. Agree or disagree, you're always invited to participate in nominating the DMOTY for next year!

-The Most Memorable KNEUMSI!


Honorable Mention:
Other Nominees
and Runners Up:
    1. Name: George Carlin (May 12, 1937 – June 22, 2008)
    2. 2008 Influence: George Carlin was not only one of my very favorite comedians, he was one of the most influential comedians of all time. Carlin's "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television" was not only a hilarious bit, but was also a cornerstone of a US Supreme Court Case (F.C.C. v. Pacifica Foundation). His irreverent style of comedy was one of the first and most groundbreaking of the profane comics of the late 1960s and the early 1970s. Echoes of his style can be heard all over the comedy world today. He was the first ever host of Saturday Night Live, a show that had particular poignancy during the 2008 Elections.
    3. Cause of Death: Heart Failure
    4. Other Impact: George Carlin was a profane comic who took no issue with lampooning politics, religion and the normal conventions of American life. However, he was never shy about quite simply getting silly, making funny noises and speaking in hilarious voices. His observational humor went beyond the parr and into the realm of absolute deconstruction of social norms. He reduced suburban housing to, simply, "places for our stuff" with covers over them, discussed, in great detail, the reasons that only baseball, basketball and football are "really" sports and gave the world thorough instructions on how to "free a fart". Next time you see someone jumping up and down on a hotel lobby seat cushion, you need not wonder why they're doing it. Assuming, that is, that you see that terribly often.
    5. Recommendations: One of the best purchases I ever made was of the album A Place for My Stuff on Vinyl. The disc contains not only stand up comedy material, but also audio sketches of game shows, commercials and even an interview with Jesus Christ, which managed to be both inoffensive and comical. His HBO Special Playin' with Your Head is another gem that features near non-stop laughs from all over the spectrum. All of Carlin's stand up is worth trying, of course, and you readers may appreciate his books Napalm and Silly Putty, Brain Droppings and any of his four others. However, if you receive an email forward that purports to contain the words of George Carlin, keep in mind, it's probably more "Bullshit!"
    1. Name: Theodor S. Geisel (March 2, 1904 - September 24, 1991)
    2. 2008 Influence: Ted Geisel was much better known as Dr. Seuss, the acclaimed and influential children's author and illustrator. His books are more popular than ever, having universal appeal that draws in both kids and adults. 2008 saw the release of the CGI Adaptation of his famous story Horton Hears a Who and the DVD release of some of his beloved animated specials. But his influence goes far beyond the direct. His amazingly bizarre characters have freed up cartoonists to create surreal, extraordinary characters just familiar enough to be cute and just bizarre enough to be remarkable. Similarly, his superb talent with Rhyme followed many of the same unbounded rules his art did. When a rhyme didn't present itself, Seuss would make up his own word and have his poetic and easy-to-read tales work just as well. In December 2008, Universal Studios Hollywood celebrated an event called "Grinchmas", based on Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas, that featured a tree-lighting in real snow with the Grinch himself and a number of Whos.
    3. Cause of Death: Cancer
    4. Other Impact: His work as an author and illustrator of children's books is incalculable in its influence. He published several popular "Beginner Books" that put children on a fast track to reading. Among the most popular, enduring and endearing was Green Eggs and Ham which contains only fifty total words (used in varied combinations). It would be a mistake to imply that Ted Geisel's impact was only in the realm of kid lit. Geisel worked as a popular illustrator for advertising campaigns. He also allowed his brave politics to shine through in a series of political cartoons that still have impact today (look closely and you'll even see Horton in some of them). His cartoons showed an anti-fascist, anti-discrimination bend. He called attention to the holocaust (before most in the United States had much knowledge of it) and he mocked the so called "red scare", believing that fascism was a much bigger danger than communism. He worked as an animator for the US Air Force during World War II and even wrote Design for Death, a film that would win an Academy Award. His mistrust of the Japanese didn't last long after the war. Geisel laid his ill-feelings to rest in Horton Hears a Who, an allegory for the Occupation of Japan. Such allegorical social commentary pops up in many of his other books, such as Yertle the Turtle, The Sneeches, The Lorax and The Butter Battle Book amongst others.
    5. Recommendations: You can't go wrong with Dr. Seuss, no matter what age you are. Like the best children's literature, the appeal is on multiple levels. Any list of Seuss will be incredibly obvious, but I'm partial to The Cat in the Hat (and its sequels), Oh, The Places You'll Go!, the Horton books and Green Eggs and Ham. The animated television adaptations are all fantastic and the 2008 theatrical Horton Hears a Who is quite good as well. His musical Seussical wasn't a huge Broadway hit, but if you're a Seuss fan, you can probably find a local production sometime soon sometime near you... and it's fun. My best recommendation, however, is to grab one of his big, collected volumes and read the stories in any order you like. Some may be somewhat unfamiliar to you, some may be completely new and some will remain your old favorites. However, any way you slice it, you're sure to have fun and you're more than likely to find something new.
    1. Name: Bettie Page (April 22, 1923 - December 11, 2008)
    2. 2008 Influence: Bettie Mae Page was a model who pushed the limits of 1950s social mores, becoming a pin-up, fetish and nude model. She was one of the first Playboy Playmates. She was uninhibited, but also somehow above exploitation. Regardless of the tone of the photo shoot, the impression that Bettie was in control was written all over every frame. In 2008, Bettie Page's image was a popular as ever, as were the movies about her (such as The Notorious Bettie Page). Her image inspired a Batman villain named Poison Ivy (who debuted in 1966) and the love interest for The Rocketeer in the 1980s. Needless to say, Batman is still being enjoyed in 2008. In the 2005 film Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith the droid BD-3000 was inspired by Page. Her look has inspired that of a great many goth, punk and rockabilly chicks who consider her an idol. In 2008 Mark Mori worked on finalizing the documentary Bettie Page Reveals All, set for 2009 release. This is to be an authorized biography, the culmination of ten years of work with Page herself.
    3. Cause of Death: Disputed. Pneumonia, Heart Attack or both.
    4. Other Impact: Page was never ashamed of her career, regardless of the subject matter of the pictures. Nude, clothed or in-between, Page was Page. This has inspired many who have reclaimed their sexuality by not shying away from being sexy. Her avant-garde sexiness has inspired models like Dita Von Teese and the Suicide Girls, along with mainstream success stories like Katy Perry, Madonna and Rihanna.
    5. Recommendations: The Notorious Bettie Page is not only incredibly sexy, but is also quite a fine film worth seeing for its acting alone (and actress Gretchen Mol, who plays Bettie, isn't exactly hard to look at). Musicians might want to check out the Halo Guitars collection of Bettie Page axes. Other guitars may have Page's likeness on them, but this is the only series she authorized. There is no shortage of Bettie Page memorabilia (and for the last years of her life, Bettie was paid for her likeness). Any comic book bearing the name Jim Silke is worth reading and any merchandise bearing the name Olivia De Berardinis is worth buying. I recommend grabbing a book of her pin-ups and just sitting back and enjoying this unbridled beauty.
    1. Name: Richard W. Sprang (July 28, 1915 - May 17, 2000)
    2. 2008 Influence: 2008 was not only a year of great success for Comic Book movies, but was above all the Year of the Bat with unparalleled success of The Dark Knight. Dick Sprang didn't create Batman, nor did he create the Joker, however his unique, garish designs marked some of the most memorable issues of Batman and Detective Comics. Sprang's Joker was a vision to say the least. His smile went from the occasional piece that Bob Kane would draw on his primarily stern and angry face to a permanent and impossibly wide deformity that was infinitely more frightening than a scowl could have been. Sprang redesigned the Batmobile for the late 40s and early 50s... you know the one with the Bat's Head Battering Ram on front? Possibly as part of his mastery of the Joker, Sprang created The Riddler (with Bill Finger) for his 1948 debut. Many praised The Dark Knight's monstrous Joker, but the real nightmare Joker with the twisted, frightening smile was that of Dick Sprang.
    3. Cause of Death: Undisclosed Illness.
    4. Other Impact: Dick Sprang didn't only draw Batman. He was also accomplished as a Superman artist after one of the hardest acts to follow, Curt Swan, left World's Finest Comics. He even drew the first "prototype" Supergirl. Sprang was largely unknown during his lifetime, as he was a "Ghost" artist for Bob Kane. Dick collaborated with his wife Laura (who worked under the pseudonym Pat Gordon) on some comic book work. She was credited as a colorist and letterer. Outside the entertainment world, Dick Sprang was also an adventurer in his own right. He rediscovered the Anasazi ruins and his writings on his explorations have been preserved with the Utah Historical Society. He was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1999, the year before his death.
    5. Recommendations: I highly recommend a book called The Greatest Joker Stories Ever Told, which traces The Joker throughout his appearances over several decades and features a lot of Dick Sprang art. His work on World's Finest is also quite a sight if you're interested in the era. One of the best examples of Sprang's over-the-top and striking work can be found in Batman #73, which features "The Joker's Utility Belt". The cover alone is worth your time. Further, if you can find a copy of Sprang's splash called "Enter the Batcave", I highly recommend you buy it. It's a highly detailed virtual "Where's Waldo" of the Batcave and its many trophies and gadgets. Not to be missed.
    1. Name: Heath Andrew Ledger (April 04, 1979 - January 22, 2008)
    2. 2008 Influence: Heath Ledger died at the beginning of 2008 and the world of Entertainment had his name written all over it throughout the year. His untimely and tragic death was mysterious and shocking and called attention to the question nobody likes to ask: What could he have done had he lived. Questions immediately rose of whether his last two films The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus and The Dark Knight could be finished. While the first film is still unfinished, The Dark Knight was released to wide acclaim and fame and is, at the time of this writing, the second highest grossing film of all time. Many critics have attributed a good deal of this success to Ledger's portrayal of The Joker.
    3. Cause of Death: Accidental toxic combination of prescription drugs.
    4. Other Impact: At the age of 28, Heath had already won a Golden Globe for Best Actor and was nominated for a Best Actor Academy Award. These were far from his only awards and nominations. He starred in a number of acclaimed films such as Monster's Ball, Cassanova and The Patriot. He floated between genres in such comedies as 10 Things I Hate About You, the horror film The Order, the bio-pic Lords of Dogtown and the fantasy film The Brothers Grimm. One of his most highly acclaimed performances was in the 2005 romantic, tragic drama Brokeback Mountain in which he played a tough cowboy who finds himself in a gay relationship. Ledger's latest film, the fantasy movie The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, has yet to be released, but Colin Farrell, Jude Law and Johnny Depp have stepped forward to play varied transformations of his character Tony.
    5. Recommendations: Brokeback Mountain is a great film, well worth the hype. A Knight's Tale had some interesting moments to it, not the least of which was a medieval dance routine set to a David Bowie song. Though not the widest known of his films, I recommend The Order and The Brothers Grimm!

    Other Nominees include: Michael Crichton, Eartha Kitt, Will Eisner, Richard Wright, Robert Wise, Ian Fleming, Bill Finger, Bob Kane, Harvey Milk, Bernie Mac, Tim Russert, Charlton Heston, Arthur C. Clarke, Brad Renfro, Anthony Minghella, Bo Diddley, Allan Melvin, Harold Pinter, Issac Hayes, Jeff Healey, Harvey Korman, Paul Benedict, John Law, Roy Scheider, Ron Leavitt, Sydney Pollack, Tiffany Sloan, Paul Newman, William F. Buckley, Tony Snow, Levi Stubbs, Jerry Reed, Forest Ackerman, Adrienne Shelley, Madeline L'Engle, Molly Ivins, Ada Lovelace, Richard Harris, Syd Barrett, Errol Flynn, Jack Kirby, Bill Bixby, Ingmar Bergman, Michelangelo Antonioni, Andy Warhol, Darren McGavin, H.P. Lovecraft, John Ritter, Henry Mancini and Audrey Munson.

    -That Kneumsi person!




Have a TON of Winston here!!!
The best of Stan is right here!!!



TURN ME ON, DEAD MAN...
Man, that'd sound so much better if this year we had a
Dead WOMAN of the Year.
Oh, wait... no! No it wouldn't.
Dude!
Trust me, I do take this seriously.
Click here for More Reviews and see for yourself!

The 2008 World's Greatest Critic's Dead Man of the Year Awarded to Stan Winston!
This article was written by J.C. Maçek III, who is solely responsible for the content of this Site.
And for the fact that he's still the deciding factor in who gets this particular No-Prize.
But he's open to nominees!!! Bring them on!
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