STAN WINSTON, 1946-2008

It is the sad duty of The Morlock Heights Harbinger to report the death of Stan Winston. Winston, the Oscar-winning special-effects master who created the creatures in many of our favorite movies at the Monster Shop, has died at 62 following a long battle with multiple myeloma.

Notable among Winston's works are creatures and characters for The Terminator, Aliens and Jurassic Park series of films. Winston, who worked with such fantasy stalwarts as James Cameron, Steven Spielberg and Tim Burton, for whom he created makeups for Edward Scissorhands and Batman Returns, leaves behind a legacy of over four decades' worth of special effects work. He won four Oscars under those directors for 1986's Aliens, 1992's Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Batman Returns, and 1993's Jurassic Park. Most fondly remembered here at the Monster Shop are his splendid makeups for the genre favorite The Monster Squad and the title creature of Pumpkinhead, which is considered by us to be a masterwork. His last work was with director Jon Faverau for the recent hit movie Iron Man, based on the Marvel Comics character. Winston is survived by his wife Karen; a son, daughter, brother and four grandchildren.

In pace requiescat, Mr. Winston. Thank you for everything.