What Ray Harryhausen taught me

While we’re on the subject of stop-motion animation, today just happens to be the birthday of the granddaddy of them all (well, after Willis O’Brien that is).

7th voyage of sinbad poster

Yes, Ray Harryhausen, the man who gave us the wonderful creatures that inhabit films such as The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, The Three Worlds of Gulliver, the original Clash of the Titans, and, of course, Jason and the Argonauts, is 90 of the Queen’s years old.

Long before the shiny and sparkly CGI was used to divert the attention from a lack of character development and plot, Harryhausen was providing the special effects that brought to life mechanical Minotaurs, giant Cyclops, towering Krakens and an army of skeletons.

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Tags: doug mcclure, fantasy, ray harryhausen, science fiction, sinbad, stop-motion animation, valley of the gwangi, warlords of atlantis, writing

categories nostalgia, sci fi, writing | | datetime June 29, 2010 5:48 pm | comments Comments (0)

Imperial Walkies

Right then, I’ve neglected this bastard for too long now. Like a ginger-haired stepchild it has been left to rot in the non-existent attic that resides in our non-existent pitched roof.

I’d like to say I’ve been travelling, harvesting inspiration and generally living the life of the well-paid writer and gadabout town, financially freed from the shackles that bind and able to write whatever the hell I want.

I’d like to say all of that but I can’t. And if I did, I’d be lying.

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Tags: at-at, at-at day afternoon, daniel boivin, dog, star wars, stop-motion animation

categories random stuff | | datetime 3:40 pm | comments Comments (0)