Concept Drawings For Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (1968): An Early “Star Gate” Version,

Illustrations by Chica for a 1976 French edition of THE HOBBIT. Love that Gollum.

I’ve featured several foreign editions of the book (and LOTR in general) now. It’s interesting to compare the different versions and styles, the literal and the faithful, and the wild and the weird. Illustrations that differ too much from the descriptions in the book can be jarring, whereas illustrations that too literally depict what’s already vividly described in prose can make you wonder, Why even bother with illustrations?

SHINING, by Eduard Zhikharev.

Señorita Gato, by Stephanie Chaves.

Ghost world: photographer, Christopher McKenney.

The neon-lit Gotham City of BATMAN FOREVER (1995). Constructed mostly from matte shots and miniatures, with a splash of CGI.

The Gotham of these films resembled Blade Runner’s LA mixed with Dick Tracy’s candy-colored metropolis, with some seriously huge statues. The films themselves have no weight of course (they are parodies), though I enjoy the scenery and the art.

Aliens of the 1980s: the robots from BATTERIES NOT INCLUDED (1987), the KILLER KLOWNS FROM OUTER SPACE (1988), the Greys from COMMUNION (1988), the cute lizard baby from V (1984), and Mister Burns—no, an undisguised alien from COCOON (1985).

The Changelings, from Cyrus Graner's Among Gnomes and Trolls 7 by John Bauer (1913)

Concept art by Harley Jessup for RETURN TO OZ (1985). Dare I use the word—“underrated”?

It wasn’t until today that I realized that two of my all-time favorite movies are Oz adaptations: THE WIZ (1978), and this unusually dark film, a sequel of sorts to THE WIZARD OF OZ (1939).

ALICE IN WONDERLAND by Russian/Soviet artist, Maĭ Miturich. 1977.

Jim Henson and Frank Oz Performing Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy on the Muppet Show