Ive just watched a brilliant documentary about Ray Harryhausen and his films.
It struck me that his name for his form of puppetry was called dynamation is similar to Gerry Anderson's Supermarionation. Did Gerry know about Dynamation?
I'm beginning to think that Ray and Gerry gave me my entire monster-sci fi education when I was a kid.
Do you feel like that?
I was once a VERY minor speaker at The Festival of Fantastic Films in manchester. Harryhausen was the guest of honour. He came across as a really nice chap and he brought a case of his monsters with him!
ReplyDeleteHey thats fab kev. What did you speak about?
DeleteWould you believe Blakes 7! It wasn't a huge audience, but bigger than the Randall & Hopkirk one before me!
ReplyDeleteYour'e clearly a Blakes 7 aficionado Kev! You helped create the merchandise guide as well didn't you?
DeleteThe original one in a magazine and then in the second edition of the Programme Guide from virgin books. There is a much more comprehensive book on the subject now written by someone else!
DeleteDo you know the someone else?
DeleteForgotten his name now. We never met or discussed the contents but did exchange messages over a forum.
DeleteI think Harryhausen is responsible for quite a few people's interest and meals of believable monsters. Dynamation obviously is a combination of dynamic and animation and indicates that his version is far superior to other stop motion animation (which imo is true). His work holds up well given its age.
ReplyDeleteI agree Lance. Watched Jason and the Argonauts today and it still looks superb. Oddly enough the modern Clash of the Titans was on too and I much prefer Ray's Seventies version. the Kraken is just terrific! Have you got a fave Harryhausen film or creature?
DeleteRay Harryhausen is a real hero of mine. He took stop motion animation into the cinematic stratosphere with his sword-fighting skeletons, giant Ymirs, and beautiful flying saucers. Many of us grew up on Harryhausen monsters, and there really is nothing else like it. When you realize how painstaking that process of filmmaking is, you really appreciate the effort and talents of this man (and his father, who helped him immensely from what I recall reading). CGI is garbage next to Harryhausen.
ReplyDeleteWrre kindreds Zigg, part of the Harryhausen generation. In the documentary I saw today every sci-fi and fantasy film director and FX guy of note - Pete Jackson, Steve Spielberg, Denis Muran, James Cameron, Joe Dante etc recorded their debt of gratitude to Ray. Without Ray's genius they wouldn't have had their day in the sun either. What do you think of the other 'creature' features around back then like Tarantula, THEM and the Killer Shrews for example?
DeleteHi Woodsy, love the blog! I know this is an old post, but here is a video of the two legends meeting.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RqTS6aRxrI
hey thanks Pale Saint! I thought the two great men would have met. Superb video. Thanks!
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