Ray Harryhausen, the greatest special effects master in cinematic history, has gone to his reward at the age of 92.
When he was a boy, Ray saw King Kong and his life, and the lives of countless others, were changed forever. He determined that this was what he would do with his life, and from 1946 to 1981, he dazzled and inspired audiences with a series of spectacular creatures and effects.
It's hard to put into words what made his movies so magical. It wasn't just the craft or artistry of his expertly animated models, though that was superb (his masterpiece - the skeleton fight from Jason and the Argonauts - astonishes even modern audiences). Ray had a gift for putting souls into his creations, giving them a life and character all of their own. His special effects were somehow more than just special effects; they were like dreams brought to life. Anyone who was ever inspired by him knows what I'm trying to say.
Ray Harryhausen represented the capacity of movies to show us spectacular new sights, the kinds of things that no other medium could have possibly shown. He was the giant of his field; the master of his craft. Willis O'Brien, the creator of King Kong, lit the torch of movie special effects, which he passed to Ray, who passed it on to countless artists, writers, and filmmakers who saw his films. There is no doubt that without Harryhausen, there would be no Star Wars, no Jurassic Park, no Lord of the Rings, no Pixar. We will never know the full extent of his influence.
We will never see his like again, and everyone who appreciates cinema will mourn his passing.
Enjoy this collection of his work.
Requiescat in Pace.
Thank you for the dreams.
No comments:
Post a Comment