CGI on film, arguably, has two distinct eras: before, and after, the one-two punch of Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) and Jurassic Park (1993). The two films marked a major move forward in movie CGI, and the field has only grown at an unprecedented pace since then. In fact, CGI is at a point now where any instances of bad CGI is jarring, taking the viewer out of the film, even if only momentarily. Special effects without CGI are few and far between. But the period before CGI's renaissance is filled with CGI moments that laid the building blocks for what we have today. Here are 13 films that helped revolutionize the film industry.

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Vertigo (1958)

Judy wearing a robe and looking intently in Vertigo.
Image via Paramount Pictures

Alfred Hitchcock's classic, starring James Stewart as private investigator John Ferguson, a former police detective, who leaves the force after developing a fear of heights (acrophobia) and vertigo, was ground zero for not one but two cinematic innovations. It was the first film to use the dolly zoom effect, allowing distorted perspective to convey Ferguson's acrophobia. Secondly, it was the first film to use computer animation. The opening sequence, a continuous spiraling effect, was achieved by using an 850-lb WWII anti-aircraft targeting computer to record animation cels while rotating.

Westworld (1973)

Westworld is a film about a futuristic Western-themed amusement park that contains androids that interact with adult guests. Tragedy ensues when the androids begin malfunctioning, causing them to track and kill the humans in the park (brilliantly parodied in The Simpsons episode "Itchy & Scratchy Land"). Westworld would be the first use of 2D digital computer animation in a feature film, a technique used to show the pixilated point of view from the Gunslinger (Yul Brynner) android.

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)

Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford as Luke, Leia, and Han looking in the same direction in Star Wars Episode IV A New Hope
Image via Lucasfilm

The first, but fourth, Star Wars film was the first to use 3D wireframe graphics (Futureworld was first for 3D graphics). The graphics were used to create the Death Star attack briefing, as well as the targeting of the Millennium Falcon's guns. The film is also known for the birth of Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), the special effects juggernaut. Which led to the CGI-heavy Attack of the Clones, but every rose must have its thorn.

The Black Hole (1977)

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Disney's 1977 foray into science-fiction, The Black Hole, is about the crew aboard the spacecraft USS Palomino, sidetracked on their return home by a black hole and a long-lost ship nearby, the USS Cygnus. The film was moderately successful, and has since become a cult classic amongst science fiction fans. The opening credits depict a 3D wireframe of a black hole, which in itself isn't groundbreaking, but at the time it was the longest and fastest computer graphics sequence on film.

Tron (1982)

Where to start... The first combination of 3D CGI and live action. The first talking and moving CGI character. The first onscreen combination of CGI character and live action character. The first extensive use of fully computer generated polygonal animation in a movie. The first film to use fully CGI backgrounds. Disney's Tron was a touchstone moment in the history of CGI, famously inspired by director Steven Lisberger's fascination with video games upon seeing Pong.

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

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Image via Paramount Pictures

Genesis isn't just the first book in the Bible, as any Trekker can tell you. The classic Star Trek II featured the Genesis Device, which could turn a barren planet into a lush, livable planet. The striking visual to show how the device works is cinema's first entirely computer-generated sequence, the very first true CGI moment, created by Industrial Light and Magic, switching allegiances from the Rebel Alliance to the Federation.

The Last Starfighter (1984)

A couple looking up at the stars in a banner for the film The Last Starfighter.

The oft-overlooked science-fiction romp The Last Starfighter, the story of Alex Rogan (Lance Guest), a teenager recruited by an alien defense force to fight in a galactic battle, was the first to use integrated CGI backgrounds, where the effects represent real world objects. All spaceship shots, planet shots and visions of high-tech hardware were all computer-generated, a clear break from the more traditional use of miniature models (and an estimated savings of half the time and costs).

Young Sherlock Holmes (1985)

1985's Young Sherlock Holmes depicts a young Sherlock Holmes (Nicholas Rowe) and John Watson (Alan Cox) meeting for the first time at a boarding school, where they work together to solve a mystery. Besides the film being an introduction to the childhood lives of the famed Holmes and Watson (the film was based on the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, but the script is an original screenplay from Chris Columbus), it is especially notable for being the first to have a fully computer-generated character in a film, a knight composed of stained glass window components.

Labyrinth (1986)

Jennifer Connelly And David Bowie Dance In Labyrinth
Image via Lucasfilm Ltd

The 1986 musical fantasy film Labyrinth is a legitimate cult classic, directed by the legendary Jim Henson and starring musician David Bowie as Jareth, the Goblin King. In it, 16-year-old Sara (Jennifer Connelly) enters an enormous, fantastical maze to rescue her infant half-brother from the clutches of the Goblin King. Think the CGI moment is in the action of the film? Guess again - it's the intro that contains the first photorealistic CGI animal on film: an owl.

The Abyss (1989)

The Abyss Lindsay and Bud with the Water Tentacle

One can't discuss CGI in film without touching on the work of James Cameron. He works almost consistently on the cutting edge of cinematic technology. The Abyss, though, is his first feature to truly benefit from his pursuit. When an American submarine sinks in the Caribbean, a US search and recovery team race against Soviets to recover the sub, only to encounter something alien in the deepest recesses of the ocean. The water creature in the film is the first instance of photorealistic fluid morphing, and the first film to be rereleased with new CGI.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

The third cinematic adventure of everyone's favorite archaelogist, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade follows Jones (Harrison Ford) as he searches for the Holy Grail alongside his father, Dr. Henry Jones (Sean Connery). No, they didn't CGI in Monty Python's King Arthur. The CGI is used in one continuous shot, the scene where the villain's face is melting before turning to dust. Three motion-controlled puppet heads in varying decomposition stages, with ILM's Morphing technique blending it all in for the first digital composite of a full-screen live action image.

Total Recall (1990)

Quaid pointing a gun at someone and Lori standing right beside him
Image via TriStar Pictures

The trippy sci-fi Schwarzenegger classic Total Recall's contribution to CGI history isn't the alien prostitute with the three huge... tracts of land. Actually, Total Recall is the first film to use motion capture for CGI characters. In this case, it was used for the skeletal characters behind an X-ray screen in a subway shootout scene. And mo-cap has been used exclusively by actor Andy Serkis ever since.

Backdraft (1991)

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Image via Universal Pictures

Director Ron Howard's Backdraft, starring the likes of Kurt Russell and William Baldwin, follows Chicago firefighters on the trail of a serial arsonist, making it the logical place to debut photorealistic CGI fire. For the best, really. Professional firefighters admit that in reality, fires have smoke conditions that completely obscure all vision and safety gear that would cover the face of a Baldwin.