James Cameron's Best Special Effects

The Abyss, 1989
Because special-effects technology had not advanced enough to create the underwater environments needed to make The Abyss, Cameron did the next best thing: he shot underwater. An unfinished nuclear reactor in South Carolina provided a space large enough to allow him and his crew to submerge an entire set for the underwater scenes. To render the iconic alien water tentacle featured in the film, Cameron turned to another pioneer in the industry — George Lucas' renowned special-effects company Industrial Light & Magic.

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