Special Achievement Award (Visual Effects) — Every Winner and Nominee

Every film recognised in the Oscars Special Achievement Award (Visual Effects) category in CineRoll's records: 9 films across 8 years, 9 of them winners.

The most recent winner is Total Recall (1991); the earliest on record is The Poseidon Adventure (1973).

The last three winners were Total Recall (1991), Return of the Jedi (1984) and Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1981).

The list is newest first. Each year shows the winner at the top, then the other nominees; a year with enough nominees links to its own page.

Last updated August 12, 2026

1991

Total Recall(1990)
Eric Brevig, Rob Bottin, Tim McGovern, Alex Funke
Winner

1984

Return of the Jedi(1983)
Richard Edlund, Dennis Muren, Ken Ralston, Phil Tippett
Winner

1981

Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back(1980)
Brian Johnson, Richard Edlund, Dennis Muren, Bruce Nicholson
Winner

1979

Superman(1978)
Les Bowie, Colin Chilvers, Denys Coop, Roy Field, Derek Meddings, Zoran Perisic
Winner

1977

King Kong(1976)
Carlo Rambaldi, Glen Robinson, Frank Van der Veer
Winner
Logan's Run(1976)
L. B. Abbott, Glen Robinson, Matthew Yuricich
Winner

1976

The Hindenburg(1975)
Albert Whitlock, Glen Robinson
Winner

1975

Earthquake(1974)
Frank Brendel, Glen Robinson, Albert Whitlock
Winner

1973

The Poseidon Adventure(1972)
L. B. Abbott, A. D. Flowers
Winner