Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 15, 2026

Colin Chilvers

Colin Chilvers was an English television and music video director and special effects coordinator. He is known for his work on The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), Superman (1978), Condorman (1981), and X-Men (2000).

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Colin Chilvers
Born1945 (1945)
London, England
Died (aged 79)
Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada
OccupationsTelevision and music video director, special effects coordinator

Colin Chilvers (1945 – 19 November 2024) was an English television and music video director and special effects coordinator. He is known for his work on The Rocky Horror Picture Show1 (1975), Superman (1978), Condorman (1981), and X-Men2 (2000).

Chilvers directed the "Smooth Criminal" segment from Michael Jackson's Moonwalker.3 When working with Michael Jackson, Chilvers told Rolling Stone, "I showed Michael a movie that I felt would fit the theme of the piece, The Third Man. He loved the look of it, that sort of film-noir look, so we used that to get the camera man to light it in a similar way."4

Chilvers won a Special Achievement Academy Award in 1979 for Superman.5

Chilvers died at his home in Fort Erie, Ontario, on 19 November 2024, at the age of 79.678

At the 97th Academy Awards, his name was mentioned in the In Memoriam section.9

Awards

References

References

  1. "America's Film Legacy". google.com.
  2. "Special effects magician Colin Chilvers". CHCH - Your Superstation.
  3. Variety Staff. "Moonwalker". Variety.
  4. "5. "Smooth Criminal" (1988)". Rolling Stone.
  5. "Les Bowie, Colin Chilvers, Denys Coop, Roy Field, Derek Meddings, Zoran Perisic Academy Awards Acceptance Speech". oscars.org. Margaret Herrick Library - Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.
  6. Culic, James (19 November 2024). "Fort Erie loses a legend, Colin Chilvers dies at 79". Fort Erie Radio. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  7. Vlessing, Etan (22 November 2024). "Colin Chilvers, Visual Effects Veteran and Oscar Winner for 'Superman,' Dies at 79". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 22 November 2024.
  8. Evans, Greg (22 November 2024). "Colin Chilvers Dies: Oscar-Winning VFX Director Who Helped Christopher Reeve Fly and Michael Jackson Lean Into 'Smooth Criminal' Was 79". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
  9. "In Memoriam". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 2 March 2025.
  10. "1979 Film Outstanding British Contribution To Cinema - BAFTA Awards". awards.bafta.org. Retrieved 22 December 2018.
  11. "Colin Chilvers". GRAMMY.com. 17 March 2014. Retrieved 22 December 2018.
External links