Like every technology, 3D rendering had it's early days. These studies show some of the early steps taken on the journey to where we are today, on the verge of CGI humans that can pass as real.
That's the whole point, to see what they've progressed from, from rolling balls to Shrek. As for age all I can say is that stuff like this was cutting edge when Hillery..er...Bill clinton was banging interns and using them as a humidor for his cigars. The source almost never puts anything on thepics, or lable" that would help.