R.I.P. Ray Harryhausen

[Daikun]

I was debating whether to put this here or in General Animation. He worked on live-action films, but his focus was on fantastic stop-motion.

Ray Harryhausen, the animator and special-effects wizard who found ways to breathe cinematic life into the gargantuan, the mythical and the extinct, died on Tuesday in London. He was 92.

His family announced his death.

Often working alone or with a small crew, Mr. Harryhausen created and photographed many of the most memorable fantasy-adventure sequences in movie history: the atomically awakened dinosaur that lays waste to Coney Island in The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms; the sword fight between Greek heroes and skeleton warriors in Jason and the Argonauts; the swooping pterodactyl that carries off Raquel Welch in One Million Years B.C.

Though his on-screen credit was often simply "technical effects" or "special visual effects," Mr. Harryhausen usually played a principal creative role in the films featuring his work. He frequently proposed the initial concept, scouted the locations and shaped the story, script, art direction and design around his ideas for fresh ways to amaze an audience.

The full obit.

[Avaitor]

Here is fine.

This really is a shame, though. I haven't seen any of his films, but I know that his work is highly influential.

[Daikun]

I haven't seen any of his films, but I know that his work is highly influential.

I'd recommend checking out any of them. Jason and the Argonauts and the Sinbad movies are truly a wonder to behold. Also, although Harryhausen has less involvement with this film than any of his others, The 3 Worlds of Gulliver is also worth checking out. That movie has a lot of special effects that don't involve stop-motion, and they still look incredible.

I got all those films in a boxset as a birthday present. I'll always remember this guy for his amazing work.

[Commode]

When I first heard the news the thing that popped into my head was the restaurant in Monsters Inc.