If a film script requires a ruddy great dragon or giant space station, then computer effects are obviously the best way to go.



Since CGI became possible and affordable for movie studios in the late 1980s though, it’s also been used for the most random and minor reasons.



From groin bulge reduction to making water more… watery, these are the special effects the world could have lived without.



[Related story: PETA demands Jackson CGI pledge]

[Related story: Spielberg's E.T. regret]





Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

Tobey Maguire's contract demanded $15,000 to shave his head in this small role, so director Terry Gilliam opted for a bald cap and CGI instead. In the end, it was more expensive.







Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

The trailer for the 2008 Indy reboot was deceptively decent; there were car chases, exploding warehouses, angry Russians and lots of guns. Too many, in fact. The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) doesn’t allow guns to be directly pointed at a person in its “green band” (i.e. ‘Suitable for all’) trailers. Rather than use a different clip, the studio turned to computer boffins, who lowered all the weapons and gave Ray Winstone a weird-looking new jacket.







Ghost Rider

As well as keeping his agent busy, one of Nicolas Cage’s pastimes is staying in shape. Unfortunately the then 42-year-old wasn’t shapely enough for this daft comic adaptation; producers made his abs bigger in post-production.







Waterworld

One thing 1995’s ‘Waterworld’ has lots of, apart from script issues, is water. Apparently not enough though. CGI blue stuff was bafflingly added to fill out backdrops and improve splashes.







Your Highness

Despite the medieval comedy featuring more than its fair share of less-than-subtle innuendo, when marketing the R-rated movie to audiences too young to see it anyway, Natalie Portman’s derriere was deemed too cheeky for the “green band” trailer. Digitally shape-shifting the star’s thong solved that problem.







Blood Diamond

When reviewing the heartbreaking phone-call scene at the end of ‘Blood Diamond,’ it was decided Jennifer Connelly just wasn’t distressed enough. The CGI team sliced up a few digital onions and added tears to her face.







Superman Returns

The Man of Steel has it all: super strength, ability to fly, x-ray vision… and a distracting bulge. Or at least that’s what studio bosses decided whilst filming the 2006 series reboot. Fearing it might affect younger audiences as well as toy sales, actor Brandon Routh suffered some digital reduction surgery.















































































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