As many of you know, this year marks the 50th anniversary of Star Trek, one of the most beloved and cherished science-fiction franchises of all time. So what better time to celebrate 50 years of “boldly going” into the unknown than with one of the greatest Star Trek movies of all time… Galaxy Quest? Yes, yes, you heard me right. I said Galaxy Quest is a Star Trek movie.

Maybe not officially, but what this 1999 film does far better than any actual Trek film is capture the bickering bond between the principal cast members (a brilliant Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, and Alan Rickman), the devoted loyalty of the fans, and just the overall fun and optimism of the classic TV series.

Galaxy Quest was also one of the many modern classics that exhibited the special effects and makeup skills of the legendary Stan Winston. Winston helped create the film’s various alien races, including the Thermians, and the reptilian bad guy Sarris . If you are for some reason unfamiliar with the name, Stan Winston was the man behind the makeup effects on the Terminator films, Predator, Aliens, Jurassic Park, Iron Man, and many, many more. He was one of the biggest names in the field of special effects makeup, up until his untimely death in 2008.

Today, The Stan Winston School of Character and Arts continues his work in his name. The institute’s official blog recently released a detailed behind-the-scenes look at the making of the various alien creatures from Galaxy Quest. Included is a video of a test for the animatronic “pig lizard” that Tim Allen has to fight at one point during the movie. (You can view the full video above).

To see tons of great concept art and behind-the-scenes photos, be sure to head on over to the Stan Winston School of Character and Arts blog for the full article. And if you haven’t revisited Galaxy Quest in awhile, do yourself a favor and watch it. That’s one movie that totally holds up, and then some.

Are you a fan of Galaxy Quest, and/or of the legendary Stan Winston? Let us know your thoughts down below in the comments.

Watch below to find out why Star Trek‘s transporters are sci-fi’s most mind-blowing technology.

Images: Dreamworks