Sunday 18 April 2010

Postmodern Media - Special Effects Film Legend Ray Harryhausen Interviewed


Ray Harryhausen, the greatest stop-motion animator in the world...Stop-motion animation is a kind of alchemy. With little more than metal, latex and cotton wool, Harryhausen shaped the terrifying sword-wielding skeletons of Jason and the Argonauts, the monstrous sea-dwelling Kraken of Clash of the Titans and the horned, cloven-hoofed Cyclops from The 7th Voyage of Sinbad.

His creatures have presence. You can see the human hand at work in their movements, but it doesn’t matter. It’s as magical as if your toys awoke one day and began to walk about. Stop-motion is also the most enormous test of patience – “not”, Harryhausen admits, “everybody’s cup of tea”. Click on the title to find out more about a true, living, film legend and one of Mr Grogan's favourite filmmakers...and here's a clip from one of his best films, forget the acting and checkout the special effects...