8mm Forum: Ray Harryhausen, special effects Titan

This is topic Ray Harryhausen, special effects Titan in forum General Yak at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by Jean-Marc Toussaint (Member # 270) on February 09, 2013, 07:28 PM:

For those of you interested in the master of stop motion animation, the excellent documentary "Ray Harryhausen, Special Effects Titan" is being released on Bluray in the UK March 4, 2013.
The film has been produced with the full collaboration of Harryhausen himself, with total access to his archives and the invaluable help of all members and curators of the Harryhausen Foundation. It's packed with a lot of previously unreleased footage (rehearsals, test scenes...) and interviews with not only people who have worked with this great wizard but people who have been strongly influenced by his craftsmanship (James Cameron, Dennis Muren, Peter Jackson, Nick Park...)
4 years in the making (and directed by two buddies of mine), the documentary has been approved by Ray himself as his definitive biography. I strongly recommend it.

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on February 11, 2013, 11:17 AM:

Thanks for that piece of info Jean Marc, I for one will certainly
snap this one up, although in normal DVD form.I would like to
think that Mr Ernest Farino & Mr Sam Calvin get a mention, as
their magazine FXRH published in the '70s was the only one of
it's kind and even had fan letters from Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) and has since been revamped as a book in it's own right,invaluable.Mention should also be made of Mr Mike Hankin
whose own in depth books on Ray reach their conclusion with
the final volume of three being published in a few weeks time.
These three people deserve credit, but no doubt it will be the
so called "fans" like Spielberg et al, More info can be gleaned from www.archive-edtions.com regarding availability of books.
Surely Jean Marc there are some fans on here, and it makes a
change from Star Wars.

Posted by Jean-Marc Toussaint (Member # 270) on February 11, 2013, 11:33 AM:

Hugh, I am sure that Mr H meant that this was his definitive biography in cinematic form with no intention whatsoever to minimize the written work that has been done about him. [Smile]

Posted by Oscar Iniesta (Member # 1731) on February 11, 2013, 02:19 PM:

The owner of a comic shop in Madrid, where you can find science fiction and fantasy merchadising, told me that 20 years ago, when she was at university, Harryhausen visited the place. So she, who was a fantasy cinema fan, decided to go to the conference. When she arrived with a friend, there were just a few people on the room. They spent a good time chatting with the master of stop motion in a relaxing encounter. That´s a lucky day!

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on February 11, 2013, 03:53 PM:

Ray's work is legendary and timeless. His work will forever tower above all the CGI stuff, which seen once, is quickly forgotten.

Posted by Laksmi Breathwaite (Member # 2320) on February 12, 2013, 01:25 PM:

If not for Ray I would never had maded my movie the Ramayan http://8mmforum.film-tech.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=8;t=002461 I wanted to talk Ray into doing it but he ended up talking me into it. He loved the idea and thought the subject matter lend to stop motion . I met his director Gordon Hessler ( Golden Voyage of Sinbad) and the late John Phillip Law . They both agreed to help me make my film. But I ended up directing with Hesslers aid and advice. Ray came to the showing in London of the film and said that he liked the film and fot my very first film he was pretty good.

[ February 12, 2013, 02:27 PM: Message edited by: Laksmi Breathwaite ]

Posted by Laksmi Breathwaite (Member # 2320) on February 12, 2013, 01:59 PM:

This very great news about my friend Ray the man. This is a painting I did and gave him on many of my trips to his house when I lived in London for 10 years. I did many oil paintings for Ray and for art shows dedicated to him. He was my adviser personally for my RAMAYANA FILM check out Pasquale DAlessio review http://8mmforum.film-tech.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=8;t=002461.

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on February 12, 2013, 01:59 PM:

I've met Ray on a few occasions, the last time at the Hammer
studios at Bray.He is a very approachable man and had a nice
chat with him before other fans spotted him and moved in.The
reason I mention the "three unsung heroes" above, is because the first two
played a very important part in answering questions about his
work, that Ray himself would not volunteer,through an excellent
magazine "FXRH", although he has a bound set himself. The third gentleman
has written three enormous tomes on Ray and his films, and the
Americans have now taken them as part of their National Archive.I would have thought that merited some recognition as
Tony Dalton,another author, is interviewed on the disc.That's
why I think it will be another "Oh yeah, Ray's films changed my life" episodes from the Hollywood pack that is usually very false
and done many times before.

Posted by Laksmi Breathwaite (Member # 2320) on February 12, 2013, 02:39 PM:

Yes Hugh I should do a bio someday of how I met Ray book and every thing we talked about for years. I would sit down and talk to him more times I can count and we talked about many personal and professional things. I love the man and he is like a father to me.

Posted by Joe Taffis (Member # 4) on February 12, 2013, 05:42 PM:

Laksmi, Your paintings are wonderful! My favorite is the cyclops and the dragon from 7th Voyage of Sinbad. Great work! [Smile]

Posted by Laksmi Breathwaite (Member # 2320) on February 13, 2013, 01:42 PM:

Thanks Joe I like the Ymir and Clash o The Titans Medusa. Did you check out my movie review by Pasquale DAlessio ? With Ray's inspiration, advice, and contacts helped me to make this film. He loved India and wanted to do a film there. http://8mmforum.film-tech.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=8;t=002461

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on February 13, 2013, 01:50 PM:

Those paintings are a credit to you Laksmi, the Mighty Joe is
especially well done.Congratulations

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