Just enjoying a late Christmas TV special of the 7th Voyage of Sinbad and Clash of the Titans. Yep, its a Harryhausen bonanza!
I love these old stop motion effects movies. Like the great Willis O'Brien before him, Ray Harryhausen's genius was to bring lumps of clay to life almost golem-like.
His distinctive chained cave dragon in the 7th Voyage was utterly fabulous.
It reminds me of other lizard monsters in films like
Gwangipedia
It reminds me of other lizard monsters in films like
The Giant Behemoth
Giphy
The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms
Giphy
and the Danish-American Reptilicus
Wikipedia
I shall have to check any Harryhausen links to these other films.
I never had any Harryhausen-based toys I don't think. I was too old for Clash of the Titan toys and never found any as a collector later on. never saw a one at any UK car boot sales. I did see mint boxed Krakens and carded figures at larger toy fairs like Memorabilia.
Were there any other toys based on Harryhausen films? Do you like stop motion effects?
Reptilicus is one of my favorites, for all the wrong reasons. A terrible hand puppet as a monster, and Danish actors with bad English accents, which had to be overdubbed by the American producers to be released in the U.S. and a flying scene which was so bad it was excised from U.S. prints (search for Reptilicus Flying scenes on YouTube). Footage from Reptilicus even turned up on The Beverly Hillbillies! Plus, there was a paperback novelization of Reptilicus that was so raunchy, Sid Pink, the original producer, sued! Gotta love the train wreck that is Reptilicus!
ReplyDeleteYes, I saw it a few years back for the first time during a Kaiju fest and like the British Godzilla, Gorgo, I rather like the Danish sea monster Reptilicus Zigg! It used to be on You Tube.
DeleteI like your idea of viewing these films at Christmas time.I'm down to watch them anytime year round,but I think I will have a stop motion marathon next December!
ReplyDeleteDo it Brian, its monstrously festive! oh and thanks for the Harryhausen snaps. I'll blog them asap!
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