For once, I agree with Arnold

Stan Winston, the Oscar-winning special-effects maestro responsible for bringing the dinosaurs of "Jurrasic Park" and other iconic movie creatures to life, has died. He was 62.

"The entertainment industry has lost a genius, and I lost one of my best friends with the death Sunday night of Stan Winston," Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said in a statement. "Stan's work and four Oscars speak for themselves and will live on forever.

I'm "old school" in the sense that I usually don't care how incredible SFX makeup is. If it's not being used by filmmakers who know how to tell a story, I always figure, it's meaningless. Look at Burton's "re-imagining" of Planet of the Apes, or Spider-Man 3.

You can't fault the f/x, but the movies sucked (more or less). And don't even get me started on George Lucas's precious ILM.

But Winston's name was always a mark to me. First of all because, I admit I haven't done a film-by-film comparison, but I would guess he did more actually good films than Rick Baker, ILM or anyone else you want to name.

Look at his filmography: Aliens. Iron Man. The Monster Squad. Terminator 2 (and one). Batman Returns. Tideland. How to Make a Monster (just to name a handful of my favorites).

Of course, he didn't score a direct hit every time--that would argue against logic.

Ghosts, an extended video he directed for Michael Jackson, for instance, uses a lot of SFX makeup to "disguise" Jackson as a white man. The revelation that he played the part is meant to be a funny "gotcha." But the minute he walks onscreen you say "Look! It's Michael Jackson made up as a white man!"

Pumpkinhead, which Winston co-wrote as well as directed, doesn't exactly compel repeat viewing and I don't think it won Winston any prizes.

It still has one of the most memorably cool-looking movie monsters of the past 20 years. It's probably been almost that long since I've seen it (refer to "doesn't compel repeat viewing," above), but I remember the atmosphere of the film as being effectively moody, too.

Still, even when the films weren't as good, Winston's creations had, the only word I've ever been able to come to for it is, a certain beauty to them.

Look at the Predators for another example. I don't love those moves as much as some do--though they both have great endings--but the Predator itself is still an astonishing design today.

(if you're not familiar, that's it directly above Winston's head, left)

Better yet look at one or two of the out-and-out financial travesties on which he worked, like Heartbeeps and The Wiz. In some, his makeup is the best, if not the only good thing in them.

Stan Winston, 1946-2008. RIP.