Ray Harryhausen: Special Effects Titan: DVD Review

Ray Harryhausen: Special Effects Titan: DVD Review

Rating: PG
Released by Vendetta Films

To those in the know, Ray Harryhausen is an absolute genius.

You would not have the current wave of special FX that you have now, were it not for this man who pioneered the art of stop motion animation in the early days of film.

This talking heads doco brings together some titans of the industry these days to celebrate the work done by Harryhausen. You'll know his work from the likes of Clash of the Titans and Jason and The Argonauts. And if you don't, you should hang your head in shame.

Big names like James Cameron, Guillermo del Toro and our very own Peter Jackson are on hand to explain the reason why he's such an icon and influence on the industry. Along with clips of his work and his stop motion creatures, there's a real charm in this doco that's hard to deny. An interview with Harryhausen forms the majority of this, but it's nice to see his reaction to the praise from Spielberg, Joe Dante, Terry Gilliam et al as they explain how he shaped their personal futures.

Along with tight budgets, Harryhausen was responsible for bringing to life dinosaurs in his movies, and shaped the way we think of them moving. Expertly put together and spliced with interviews, this is an essential doco for anyone who loves any kind of FX film - and the fact that Jackson's masterminded the digitising of Harryhausen's work for preservation shows why he's so damned important.

A thrilling small screen release, Ray Harryhausen: Special Effects Titan is a testament to the imagination and the magic of the cinema.

Extras: Trailers of his work and extended interviews.

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