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1[[quoteright:318:[[WebVideo/StuartAshen https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rubbish_movie_monster.png]]]]
2[[caption-width-right:318:[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubYC5h0jmq0#t=3m54s WATCH OUT! IT'S A BIG GIANT HAND-PUPPET!]]]]
3
4->''"Franchise/{{Godzilla}} is either breaking the laws of physics or he's throwing around an empty rubber suit!"''
5-->-- '''Tom Servo''', ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'', "[[Recap/MysteryScienceTheater3000S02E12GodzillaVsMegalon Godzilla vs. Megalon]]"
6
7When {{special effects}} look really cheap and dodgy, to the point of pulling the audience out of the narrative, you have a [[TitleDrop Special Effect Failure]]. All-too-common prior to 1980, and still with us today despite relatively inexpensive digital effects that can be very convincing and realistic... but often aren't.
8
9The audience's expectations for effects have grown up with the media. For example, it is obviously a dummy being thrown from a train in ''Film/{{The Great Train Robbery|1903}}'' -- but since it was filmed when filmmaking ''itself'' was in its infancy, people forgave it. If a modern remake had done that, however, they would not have been nearly as kind unless it was for [[StylisticSuck other reasons]]. ''Franchise/StarWars'' raised the bar for visual effects so high that only the most advanced pre-1977 effects can measure up. It should also be noted that the modern push to update everything to HD can also result in a retroactive form of this, as a matte painting in a 1980s VHS release looks fine, but on the cleaned up, [[DigitalDestruction "remastered"]] Blu-ray looks like, well, a cheap matte painting in the background. Same for video games when prerendered backgrounds look weird.
10
11Sometimes a Special Effect Failure is caused by resorting to OffTheShelfFX. Many examples are just plain {{Blooper}}s (a literal failure of the effects). In a video game it can be because of ModelDissonance being revealed by a glitch or oversight. In animation, it can be lumped in with OffModel.
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13Sometimes cheesy FX are regarded as part of the SoBadItsGood charm of a work. Sometimes authors will [[IntendedAudienceReaction intentionally aim for this]] as a form of StylisticSuck. See also {{Prop}}. Compare FightSceneFailure.
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15Note that, despite the name, many newer examples may actually be ''visual effect'' failures, the difference being special effects are [[PracticalEffects created practically]] while [[ComputerGeneratedImages computer generated imagery]] are visual effects.
16
17----
18!!Example subpages:
19[[index]]
20* SpecialEffectFailure/{{Advertising}}
21* SpecialEffectFailure/AnimeAndManga
22* [[SpecialEffectFailure/AnimatedFilms Films — Animated]]
23* [[SpecialEffectFailure/LiveActionFilms Films — Live-Action]]
24* SpecialEffectFailure/LiveActionTV
25** ''SpecialEffectFailure/DoctorWho''
26** ''SpecialEffectFailure/TheTomorrowPeople1973''
27** SpecialEffectFailure/GameShows
28* SpecialEffectFailure/{{Music}}
29* SpecialEffectFailure/ProfessionalWrestling
30* SpecialEffectFailure/{{Theatre}}
31* SpecialEffectFailure/VideoGames
32* SpecialEffectFailure/WebOriginal
33** ''SpecialEffectFailure/DeathBattle''
34** ''SpecialEffectFailure/EpicRapBattlesOfHistory''
35** ''SpecialEffectFailure/GoAnimate''
36** ''SpecialEffectFailure/TheIrateGamer''
37* SpecialEffectFailure/WesternAnimation
38[[/index]]
39
40!!Other examples:
41
42[[foldercontrol]]
43
44[[folder:Asian Animation]]
45* The Chinese animated series ''The Adventures of Kiki and Qeqe'' have several animation errors; for example, one of the titular characters in the air appears frozen.
46* ''Animation/MotuPatlu'': In "Motu Banega Don", Motu and Patlu hide in one of the containers in a container yard to hide from John the Don's gang, who are chasing after them. Inspector Chingum notices John's gang entering the container and goes in as well. In the dark insides of the container, the characters can only be seen ByTheLightsOfTheirEyes... but then they start to beat each other up, creating visible hit stars that light up the inside of the container just enough to make it noticeable that their eyes are actually the only part of their bodies that they animated for that scene, with the rest of their bodies nowhere to be seen.
47[[/folder]]
48
49[[folder:Fan Works]]
50* InUniverse from ''Fanfic/CalvinAndHobbesTheSeries'', combined with NightmareRetardant:
51--> '''Hobbes:''' Bumper cars are fine when there aren't ghosts constantly flying down in your face!\
52'''Calvin:''' They were ''paper'' and on ''fishing line!''
53* The "destruction" of the Munich terrorist facility in the ''Franchise/JamesBond'' fan film ''WebVideo/DiamondsCut'' seems to intentionally go for the Camp factor with what seems like a really bad photoshop. Absolutely nothing collapses and the only signs of destruction are little tongues of flame with thin tendrils of smoke at the forefront.
54* Essentially all of the special effects in the animated version of ''FanFic/TheEndOfEnds'', but [[spoiler:Count Logan's dragon form breathing fire]] stands out.
55* In ParodyFic ''Fanfic/Plan7Of9FromOuterSpace'', the alien abductor D'Ork of the Thorkoth looks like a cheap prop from a Creator/RogerCorman [[Film/ItConqueredTheWorld film]], has a KillerRobot that's just a [[Film/RobotMonster diving helmet on a gorilla suit]], and pilots a FlyingSaucer that's held up by visible strings.
56* ''Fanfic/ThroughHerEyes'': InUniverse, the SinisterScythe Ruby can summon with her powers doesn't seem to reflect light at all, and is described as looking like rather sloppy special effects, possibly a jab to the background figures in canon before things picked up or to highlight how [[OutsideContextProblem unnatural the thing is.]]
57[[/folder]]
58
59[[folder:Literature]]
60* In-universe example in ''Literature/DiaryOfAWimpyKidDoubleDown'', where Greg and Rowley try to create a homemade horror movie on NoBudget:
61** Rowley is the only actor, and has to [[ActingForTwo act for many]]. Since Greg has no video editing skills, this means that no scene in the movie can feature more than one character.
62** Rowley [[CrosscastRole plays an unnnamed woman]]. Unfortunately, he refuses to wear a dress, and they don't have a wig for him. He ends up wearing yoga pants and a hooded sweater, and having the character never show her face.
63--> '''Woman''': I hope you don't mind if I don't turn around but I am really concentrating on doing these dishes.
64** They try to make a scene in which an unnamed man tries to take a shower, but worms come out instead of water. Greg can't find a way to make it look natural, and settles for throwing gummy worms at Rowley's face and hoping it'll look realistic once they make the final cut.
65** They use ketchup as fake blood.
66** Discussed when Greg points out that he still hasn't figured out how to film the climax of the movie, which would feature a battle against a giant worm. Sadly, they never get around to attempting this scene at all.
67[[/folder]]
68
69[[folder:Podcasts]]
70* ''Podcast/MomCantCook'': SpecialEffects in Disney Channel Original Movies are often mocked as being very obvious, although they are occasionally more congratulatory to the creators.
71** In ''Film/{{Halloweentown}}'', they make quite a few mentions of the "monsters of varying levels of attention to detail", which range from people in decent costumes to "person in a Franchise/{{Shrek}} mask" and "man in a hat".
72** After ''Film/GetAClue'' has a newspaper article as a plot point, Luke starts looking closely at newspapers shown in other [=DCOMs=] to see what the articles say. The one from ''Get A Clue'' turns out to feature the same text repeated 3 times, while one from ''Ready to Run'', with a headline about a horse coming to an inspiring finish in a race, has text about the disappearance of a couple in Hawai'i from an area notorious for its drug dealers!
73** One of the podcast's more notable {{Running Gag}}s is to refer to wonky special effects as "[effect]_notfinal.png" being wiggled around in the shot. TheMerch even includes a black T-shirt reading "tshirt-design-NOT-FINAL.png".
74[[/folder]]
75
76[[folder:Sports]]
77* Digitally-overlaid graphics can often go awry;
78** One time, ESPN's 1st down line during a football game [[https://twitter.com/WillBrinson/status/916803189617328128/photo/1 rendered on an angle]].
79** During game 2 of the 2017 World Series, a Masterpass sign was digitally added to the outfield wall with a chroma key, but at one point, it accidentally overlaid on top of a player's head.
80** The 2017 Army vs. Navy football game was played on a very snowy day in Philadelphia, leaving the field continuously covered in snow. The production crew must have changed the "greenscreen" effect of the play lines to white. This lead to the first down and line of scrimmage overlays to appear on the jerseys, gloves, and wrist tape of players.
81** Sometimes Australian sports broadcasters superimpose advertisements onto the grass beside the field or over other advertisements on billboards. The flat, jittering graphics tend to be unconvincing to say the least.
82[[/folder]]
83
84[[folder:Theme Parks]]
85* Ride/DisneyThemeParks:
86** The Hatbox Ghost from ''Franchise/TheHauntedMansion'' ride at Disneyland remained a legend for decades due to this. He was a skeletal old man with a hatbox in his hand, placed in the attic with the Bride figure, whose heart beat and glowed. Promotional materials said that in the story, the Hatbox Ghost was the groom, whose head faded from his shoulders and reappeared in his box in sync with his bride's heartbeat. (There is evidence that this was part of a murder story in the attic scene, with other hatbox heads in the attic, and the Hatbox Ghost exposing the Bride as the killer with his trick.) The effect was meant to be done with careful lighting- the light would go off above his shoulders, making his head seem to vanish, and go on in his box, revealing the second head inside. However, proximity of the figure to riders made the first part of the illusion fail and the Hatbox Ghost was removed very early in the ride's operation, never made it to the Walt Disney World version, and most riders never saw it, to the point that it was considered a myth until photos of the figure ''in situ'' emerged. After, the Attic scene was retooled to make the Bride a lonely, mournful character due to the lack of a victim. After several decades, during which a new murderous Bride story was implemented with more detail, the Hatbox Ghost was finally brought back to Disneyland in 2015 with much more complex effects, with fluid animation, a projected, animated face, and a head-traveling effect that worked while the character was placed right next to the riders' vehicles. (Part of this is due to the new figure being hollow and the head being pulled into the body when the "switch" occurs.) While the new Bride is more obviously murderous, the Hatbox Ghost assumes a similar narrative role to before, likely showing what's in the attic hatboxes, as the hats are on a rack.
87** ''One Man's Dream II: The Magic Lives On'' at Tokyo Disneyland ended with a musical number where the company sings the praises of Mickey Mouse, complete with Mickey himself rising from the stage via an elevator. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7R_SE3NOpI One performance]] had the elevator get stuck midway, causing the show to end abruptly. Mickey's performer is visibly confused at the malfunction, and some of the dancers can be seen [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere booking it off the stage and behind the curtain]] when they realize what happened.
88** ''Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros'' originally featured an animated sequence of the title characters singing their theme song as part of the finale. When the ''Mickey Mouse Revue'' ended its run at Tokyo Disneyland, however, the Imagineers decided to fix up the animatronics of Donald, Jose, and Panchito used in the old show to enhance the finale of ''Gran Fiesta Tour''. While a good idea in theory, the transition was anything but smooth; the animatronics were in their forties by that point and had a very hard time standing up on their own. In one notorious instance, Jose completely fell over during normal operating hours, forcing the park to replace him with a mock "memorial" while he underwent repairs (the same fate later befell Donald despite efforts to keep him propped up with poorly disguised boxes). Eventually the Imagineers decided all three animatronics were long overdue for a refurbishment, so as a temporary measure, they replaced the finale... not with the original animated sequence, but with cheap-looking, static cardboard cutouts of the characters. Soon afterward, the animatronics would return with more fluid movements.
89[[/folder]]
90
91[[folder:TV News]]
92* Quite a few examples exist of two main failures: putting up the wrong headline or accompanying image (the small pics appearing next to a news anchor's head for each story) and someone who decided to wear the wrong shade of blue or green, causing the clothing to pick up images or video meant for the green/blue screen behind the anchor. Weather forecasters are particularly prone to the second one, given all the use of this type of imaging in their segments.
93* People responsible for news graphics are only human, and sometimes they put up a picture of the wrong person. Or in one case, [[https://youtu.be/uTVVgY3gGGs show a hamster instead of a murder suspect.]]
94[[/folder]]
95
96[[folder:Webcomics]]
97* Most of the ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' fancomic ''Webcomic/HowIBecameYours'' looks rather poor. Special mention goes to all the copied poses. Diaz copies from everything, mostly the show itself (though she often uses [[Manga/{{Bleach}} Ichigo]] as a model for Zuko), and often uses the same artwork over and over (Iroh is depicted in the "holding out the white lotus tile" pose from "[[Recap/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheWaterbendingScroll The Waterbending Scroll]]" several different times). He's also depicted in a pose from "[[Recap/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheStorm The Storm]]" wherein he is in a dark room and lit from below by a fire, and no attempt was made to change the lighting, despite the ''How I Became Yours'' scene taking place in bright sunlight.
98** She also has a nasty habit of making characters change position by rotating their models, which tends to make them look more like mannequins than people. The most infamous example is when Sokka and Zuko carry Aang off after a sparring session, but it also makes the Toph/Aang sex scene unintentionally hilarious when you realize that the characters are in the ''same position'' the entire time.
99** When Diaz ''doesn't'' copy, the characters tend to look like they belong in the UnintentionalUncannyValley, like one scene where Aang has a twelve year old's face, a teenager's body, and elongated limbs.
100* Ever-omnipresent, as long with OffTheShelfFX, in ''Webcomic/TheBMovieComic''.
101* In ''Webcomic/CommanderKitty'', [[http://www.commanderkitty.com/2009/12/06/mittens-has-a-cunning-plan/ Mittens and Fluffy's plan for creating a fake teleporter effect involves distracting Ace right before CK himself shows up with an accompanying spray of glitter.]] [[http://www.commanderkitty.com/2010/07/11/hot-sparkly-adventure/ The actual execution leaves much to be desired as well.]]
102* Parodied by ''WebComic/{{Freefall}}'', where cheesy special effects have been [[http://freefall.purrsia.com/ff500/fv00448.htm painstakingly re-created by CGI.]] Sam considers the programmers responsible to be geniuses.
103* Referenced in ''Webcomic/SkinHorse'' where UNITY refers to Tip's new wolf form as a [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sh090801ringed_by_cherry.jpg plywood shark.]]
104* In ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'', this trope is [[StylisticSuck used intentionally]] to make [[http://egscomics.com/comic/2013-10-08 Sarah throwing a couch]] look fake [[http://egscomics.com/comic/2013-10-09 as intended]] in-universe.
105[[/folder]]

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