Big Trouble in Little China special effects

[FFactory0x]

How do they make that cool a$$ lightning in Big Troble in Little China?? I mean with limited computing resources back then how did they do it?

Are there any programs that can recreate that lighting on sombody that are really simple to do and use.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Probably hand-drawn, like the lightsabers in the original Star Wars.

 

[FFactory0x]

Really. How would one go about doing that

 

[Parrotheader]

One of my all-time favorite movies.

And you're right, the special effects (what little they used anyway) were very good for that time.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Originally posted by: FFactory0x
Really. How would one go about doing that

The effect is animated like a cartoon on clear cels, then they are layered over the real footage frame-by-frame.

Definitely some cool effects in BTiLC, including Egg Shen's bit of lightning in the prologue.

 

[ShowdOWN]

man what a coincidence, my coworkers and I was just discussing how cool it would to remake this movie with the special effects that we have in today's movies.