Late the other night, Patti woke me up. "I hear a noise," she told me. Now, since our dog Sasi was sleeping peacefully at the foot of the bed I was not concerned. Rolling over, I told her to go back to sleep. A few minutes later, she is poking me in the side repeating her warning. This time, Sasi was looking toward the door.
Climbing out of bed, I softly walked through the house searching for the source of both their sounds. Thankfully, Sasi was with me. Behind me, of course letting me take the front in case there really was something dangerous. She's not stupid, let the human get eaten giving her time to plan an attack.
As I came into the den, I finally heard the noise that was bothering both of them. I reached for a weapon and my hand closed on something flat and heavy. As I lifted it, the outside light coming through the window revealed what was in my hand.
The Are of Ray Harryhausen book; I decided to let the criminal take what he wanted. I turned on a light and sat down to read.
I have been a fan of Harryhausen since I was a kid and watched Mighty Joe Young on Fantastic Features out of Memphis. I was totally blown away by the style and the work that went into his creations over the years.
Each time I saw one of his films, I saw a creative genius behind it. And now when I watch a Science Fiction film filled with CGI and computer animation, I am filled with wonder at the things they can do, that Harryhausen could do so much better in his workshop.
The book, "The Art of Ray Harryhausen" gives the reader a look at that genius and talent. It has the appeal of showing something that I think has been lost over years and that is the talent of a single creator working because he simply loves the medium.
Harryhausen at 85 is still loved by a great many fans. And even some of the younger ones brought up on CGI have come to see his ability in films like the original Mighty Joe Young and Jason and the Argonauts or even Clash of the Titans, all available on DVD now and thus available to the hordes of entertainment hungry folks who swarm the video stores on their way home from work.
Many of them never saw Harryhausen's work, or having seen it wondered how he was able to do such great computer work in a time before computers were used in movies.
And that is the thing, his work laced animation and mechanical figures decades ahead of Computer Graphics and made us believe more in them then we do in the blockbuster 'special effects' of today's big budget films. His movies had warmth, a depth of imagination that reached into the heart of the most jaded adult and reminded us of just why we went to the movies. To be thrilled, captivated, enthralled; to be made a captive of the Silver Screen, at least for a couple of hours before returning to out mundane life in what passes for real life.
The new book seeks to look at the man behind the creations as much as the created themselves. The images in the book are clear, concise and beautiful to see. Filled with pictures ranging from charcoal sketches to fully rendered frame stills, the book pulls the reader in giving them a look at film history and love.
My favorite film of his, "Earth vs. the Flying Saucers" is given a nice look and it is difficult to not compare it to the earlier mentioned "War of the Worlds." Especially when you discover that Harryhausen wanted to do his own version of "War" and even includes some sketches and models from his unrealized effort. "Earth" was the second Science Fiction film I actually remember, with the first being "Them".
Harryhausen put his own stamp on the movie industry with his techniques, voice, acting, writing or producing in almost forty films from his earliest professional work during World War 2 when he did shorts with George Pal and Army instruction films to his voice over work in "Elf".
He created life to an entire imaginations worth of creatures, from Aliens to Dinosaurs to Gods and deadly, sword waving skeletons.
Harryhausens creations and genius laden special effects were often the main thing to see in some films. Some movies with bad scripts, little known actors or lousy direction could always know they had Harryhausen to fall back on. And his work often shaped the outcome of a film.
The Art of Ray Harryhausen takes a loving look back at a career that has spanned centuries and universes, and shows how a man can do what he loves without giving up what makes him an individual.
Tony Dalton has been a friend of Ray's for years and knows him well. His look at the life of a man he admires and loves is almost perfect. He going into great detail to let Ray tell his own story, without throwing in his own opinion or ideas about 'What should have been dones.' It is clear that the two of them work well together and had fun doing this book. Tony Dalton is a lucky B!@*(&*.
The foreward is written by Peter Jackson, who is a fan and admirer of Harryhausen and who readily admits to including the type of creations in both Lord of the Rings and his own King Kong that were inspired by the work of Ray Harryhausen.
Harryhausen talks about how is love for the original King Kong got him into films. Jackson shares that love, and that memory. But his is augmented by the films of Ray Harryhausen.
I wonder in 30 years or so at the kids and young teens who will watch Lord of the Rings, or Jacksons King Kong and decide to go into movies. Will they realize the pedigree of such films? Will they understand that there is more to film then CGI?
It takes love as well. Harryhausen has that, and he shared it with millions around the world.
A beautiful book, well worth the price and the muscle gained from holding it while reading it.
What? The sound? What soun… Oh! That; well, I just bought a DVD recorder a few months ago and found out the other night that when it fills a disc, it will open and close the disc drawer until someone comes to take care of it.
And no, I have not let Patti forget it either.