I was 15 years old when JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS was released in 1963. It changed my life on the spot. I became a stop motion animator using a cheap 8mm movie camera. My results paled in compared to Ray Harryhausen's genius, but what impressed me most was that I had taken a lump of clay, fashioned a lame form of a dinosaur, and realized, crudely as it had been done, my clay beast came to life on the little movie screen. I owe Ray so much not only for what he gave me but for what I was able to do with that gift.
I 100% agree with every bit of this essay: The 'real but not-real' (which somehow, to me, seems more 'real' than a lot of CGI), the thrill of watching RH's films when a kid (and never being too sure which Sinbad film is which) and the connection between watching things like Clash of The Titans and a later love of horror (I KNEW there must be a good reason why I own all of the Basket Case films on BluRay...!)
Thank you for your great celebratory video.All the things you love and put into your video is a great summary of all the things I also have long loved from Ray Harryhausen. In the late fifties, every Saturday, we neighborhood kids lined up for the all day matinee of 17 cartoons and 2 fantasy features. I think I saw every one of the amazing Ray Harryhausen films you mentioned - right there in that little theatre in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. Today I'm still watching them and still being awed by them in visual effects courses.
I couldn't agree more with the narrator. Same experience in the States. These movies and their sfx have a charm about them that make me watch them with fascination and awe. Modern sfx is also great, just different, with its own merits. Still it's hard to beat sword-fighting skeletons and mechanical owls. Thank you.
I had the great pleasure of meeting him at an art lecture at the institute of arts in Cleveland took a picture with hin and he signed my art book he inspired so many to want to work in special effects on the movies including me
He invented the use of skeletons to articulate the figures. He made metal skeletons which he inserted into the hand-modelled figures in sickly detail. I had the chance to see an exhibition of his where they included some of the fugures he used in the films. The level of detail is amazing. The pegasus had real feathers. A real genius. You could say he invented rigging.
Great show. Was there today. amazing to come face to face with the Medusa. Probably one of the scariest characters from childhood memories. Obviously the fighting skeletons are so brill.
Nice video. I actually have no interest in horror movies. But Harryhausen etched some impression my childhood brain, so I picked the dvds up as an adult. I rarely watch them, but I don't regret getting them. Golden Voyage is definitely my favourite. As a child, I think the one that made the biggest impression of me was either the gorilla one (Mickey Joe Young?: can't remember the name) or the one with the alien ('it came from outer space' was it called?) who gets hunted down but is an innocent. I always got suckered and bowled over by sob stories like that as a child. Part of who I am.
Great video! Wasn't Pegasus animated by Jim Danforth? I wouldn't say the casting was problematic. 300 had Gerard Butler and other's playing Greeks. It's acting!
“And some of the casting choices are CERTAINLY problematic....” 🙄 Can’t we just enjoy celebrating these great movies without injecting woke/cancel culture finger wagging?
Of course we can. At home, when enjoying the movie with a bowl of popcorn on a rainy bank holiday 🙂 But this is a piece of work, for a museum exhibition. If this isn't the right place to at least acknowledge the changing attitudes to 'blacking up' a white actor, then what is?
I was 15 years old when JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS was released in 1963. It changed my life on the spot. I became a stop motion animator using a cheap 8mm movie camera. My results paled in compared to Ray Harryhausen's genius, but what impressed me most was that I had taken a lump of clay, fashioned a lame form of a dinosaur, and realized, crudely as it had been done, my clay beast came to life on the little movie screen. I owe Ray so much not only for what he gave me but for what I was able to do with that gift.
I met Ray Harryhausen a couple of times. He was not only a genius but a really nice person.
Cool
I 100% agree with every bit of this essay: The 'real but not-real' (which somehow, to me, seems more 'real' than a lot of CGI), the thrill of watching RH's films when a kid (and never being too sure which Sinbad film is which) and the connection between watching things like Clash of The Titans and a later love of horror (I KNEW there must be a good reason why I own all of the Basket Case films on BluRay...!)
BEST memories. This is why I do what I do for work today!
Thank you for your great celebratory video.All the things you love and put into your video is a great summary of all the things I also have long loved from Ray Harryhausen. In the late fifties, every Saturday, we neighborhood kids lined up for the all day matinee of 17 cartoons and 2 fantasy features. I think I saw every one of the amazing Ray Harryhausen films you mentioned - right there in that little theatre in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. Today I'm still watching them and still being awed by them in visual effects courses.
Wow, Becky Darke just summed up my entire life in relationship to Ray Harryhausen. Thank you so much for your Eloquent words.
Imagine what would’ve happened if Harryhausen and Eiji Tsuburaya ever had the chance to collaborate! Peace.
I couldn't agree more with the narrator. Same experience in the States. These movies and their sfx have a charm about them that make me watch them with fascination and awe. Modern sfx is also great, just different, with its own merits. Still it's hard to beat sword-fighting skeletons and mechanical owls. Thank you.
Agreed!
I had the great pleasure of meeting him at an art lecture at the institute of arts in Cleveland took a picture with hin and he signed my art book he inspired so many to want to work in special effects on the movies including me
He invented the use of skeletons to articulate the figures. He made metal skeletons which he inserted into the hand-modelled figures in sickly detail. I had the chance to see an exhibition of his where they included some of the fugures he used in the films. The level of detail is amazing. The pegasus had real feathers. A real genius.
You could say he invented rigging.
Great show. Was there today. amazing to come face to face with the Medusa. Probably one of the scariest characters from childhood memories. Obviously the fighting skeletons are so brill.
I agree about Medusa...it's the way she moved and turned her head and slithered on her belly.....eeeeeyi
I often wish he and Gerrry Anderson had collaborated. Dynamation and Supermarionation working side by side.
THIS ESSAY is the best !!!!!
Nice video. I actually have no interest in horror movies. But Harryhausen etched some impression my childhood brain, so I picked the dvds up as an adult. I rarely watch them, but I don't regret getting them. Golden Voyage is definitely my favourite. As a child, I think the one that made the biggest impression of me was either the gorilla one (Mickey Joe Young?: can't remember the name) or the one with the alien ('it came from outer space' was it called?) who gets hunted down but is an innocent. I always got suckered and bowled over by sob stories like that as a child. Part of who I am.
YOU ARE SO RIGHT!!!!
I like his stuff better than cgi, I can’t put my finger on it, but it’s more entertaining to watch than cgi.
Great video! Wasn't Pegasus animated by Jim Danforth?
I wouldn't say the casting was problematic. 300 had Gerard Butler and other's playing Greeks. It's acting!
Wow just great!
The sword fighting skeletons are the best!
I ❤ Gwangi.
Ray was such a sweet guy.
Ray Harryhausen. German Genius!
He was a creator
“And some of the casting choices are certainly problematic....” (image of Tom Baker is on screen). Why? What's wrong with the Fourth Doctor?
Well it’s a white actor being brown faced as an Arab
@@GringoXalapeno it was 1974, so bore off with that crap. It is a film of its time and you're supposed to be mature enough to get it...
@@matthewh.9544 it’s int the past yes it shouldn’t have happened but we should all try to just enjoy the film for what it is
Genius
Am I a fan? Look at my avatar.
CGI doesn't even come close
“And some of the casting choices are CERTAINLY problematic....” 🙄 Can’t we just enjoy celebrating these great movies without injecting woke/cancel culture finger wagging?
Of course we can. At home, when enjoying the movie with a bowl of popcorn on a rainy bank holiday 🙂
But this is a piece of work, for a museum exhibition. If this isn't the right place to at least acknowledge the changing attitudes to 'blacking up' a white actor, then what is?
Guess what - there are blue eyed desert people in the Sahara - from times long ago when the northern Vandals invaded