In 1895, Alfred Clarke used the first special effects shot in the film The Execution of Mary, Queen of Scots by stopping the camera, having everyone hold still while replacing one actor with a dummy, and then restarting the camera to continue the shot. From that point on, filmmakers have created various tools and techniques to wow film audiences and make the unreal real. Our film series this year will look at some of the films that have pioneered or spotlighted special effects to immerse us in spectacles no other art form can achieve.