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The 1966 adventure fantasy film One Million Years B.C., featuring Raquel Welch and John Richardson, continues to spark awe in the visual effects industry nearly seven decades after its release. Known for its portrayal of a fictionalized past between prehistoric creatures and angry cavemen, the film exemplifies Ray Harryhausen’s iconic mastery of stop-motion animation. Directed by Don Chaffey, the film went on to receive relative success as the UK's ninth most popular theatrical release of that year.
Recently, the VFX artists of Corridor Crew analyzed a few high-stakes action shots from the film, highlighting Harryhausen’s intricate techniques with a deep admiration for the artistry and patience involved. The late special effects creator is best known for pioneering a stop-motion technique dubbed "Dynamation," which integrates animated models, such as clay dinosaurs and sticks, into live-action sequences. Here's what they had to say about the animator's process:
Niko: I just want...
Recently, the VFX artists of Corridor Crew analyzed a few high-stakes action shots from the film, highlighting Harryhausen’s intricate techniques with a deep admiration for the artistry and patience involved. The late special effects creator is best known for pioneering a stop-motion technique dubbed "Dynamation," which integrates animated models, such as clay dinosaurs and sticks, into live-action sequences. Here's what they had to say about the animator's process:
Niko: I just want...
- 1/1/2025
- by Bella Garcia
- ScreenRant
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It takes a lot for a movie to be considered a masterpiece, and the standards are even higher when the film falls into the fantasy genre. Since speculative fiction isn't an immediate hit with all audiences, the special effects, characters, and plot must all work seamlessly for the project to connect with everyone who watches the movie. The films that fit the bill are some of the most influential and groundbreaking and are frequently cited and referenced in contemporary works. Every decade holds unique and mesmerizing additions to the genre that will capture the hearts and minds of viewers.
Sometimes, these movies are fantasy box office flops that deserve better and aren't recognized for their skill and talent until long after these films have premiered. However, with many of them, the merit is immediately obvious to audiences and critics alike. Despite this, it takes more than accolades and monetary achievements...
Sometimes, these movies are fantasy box office flops that deserve better and aren't recognized for their skill and talent until long after these films have premiered. However, with many of them, the merit is immediately obvious to audiences and critics alike. Despite this, it takes more than accolades and monetary achievements...
- 11/16/2024
- by Mary Kassel
- ScreenRant
![Image](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZmVmODY4YjEtOWQzZC00NzM1LTkzYWUtMjMwYTUxODgyNDAwXkEyXkFqcGc@._V1_QL75_UY281_CR0,0,500,281_.jpg)
The late Raquel Welch was always very pragmatic about her acting career. She understood that she was largely approached for very specific kinds of roles merely for her model good looks and dazzling on-screen sparkle. It's telling that one of her most famous roles, that of Loana in Don Chaffey's 1966 film "One Million Years B.C.," featured Welch in a revealing fur bikini. That Welch was also a hilarious actor was a marvelous bonus for audiences everywhere. She was always very game, and can be seen in any number of energetic and bawdy comedies. Of course she was in Richard Lester's celibate "Three Musketeers" movies in the 1970s. She was, however, always aware of what audiences were looking at. Case in point: Welch's 2010 autobiography is called "Beyond the Cleavage."
In that book, Welch revealed that she was once approached to play the central love interest in the early James Bond film "Thunderball.
In that book, Welch revealed that she was once approached to play the central love interest in the early James Bond film "Thunderball.
- 2/16/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
![Raquel Welch in One Million Years B.C. (1966)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMGVlODRkNzMtZDZkYS00ZmZjLThjNGItN2MwODdmZTMxYzFjXkEyXkFqcGc@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,0,140,207_.jpg)
![Raquel Welch in One Million Years B.C. (1966)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMGVlODRkNzMtZDZkYS00ZmZjLThjNGItN2MwODdmZTMxYzFjXkEyXkFqcGc@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,0,140,207_.jpg)
Star who shot to global fame in the 1960s in One Million Years BC and whose later roles showed her aptitude for comedy
Raquel Welch, who has died aged 82, had only three lines as Loana in the 1966 film fantasy One Million Years BC but attained sex-symbol status from the role, in which she was dressed in a fur-lined bikini. The image made its imprint in popular culture and the publicity poster sold millions. The feminist critic Camille Paglia described the American actor’s depiction as “a lioness – fierce, passionate and dangerously physical”.
The tale of cavepeople coexisting with dinosaurs was Welch’s breakthrough film – and the beginning of a largely unsuccessful battle she waged to be taken seriously as an actor. When she arrived on set, she told the director, Don Chaffey, she had been thinking about her scene. She recalled his response as: “Thinking? What do you mean you’ve been thinking?...
Raquel Welch, who has died aged 82, had only three lines as Loana in the 1966 film fantasy One Million Years BC but attained sex-symbol status from the role, in which she was dressed in a fur-lined bikini. The image made its imprint in popular culture and the publicity poster sold millions. The feminist critic Camille Paglia described the American actor’s depiction as “a lioness – fierce, passionate and dangerously physical”.
The tale of cavepeople coexisting with dinosaurs was Welch’s breakthrough film – and the beginning of a largely unsuccessful battle she waged to be taken seriously as an actor. When she arrived on set, she told the director, Don Chaffey, she had been thinking about her scene. She recalled his response as: “Thinking? What do you mean you’ve been thinking?...
- 2/16/2023
- by Anthony Hayward
- The Guardian - Film News
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![Image](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BOTEwZjkyYjYtNzhmNi00NTQ5LTg3NTUtMWRmZTc4ZWVlN2EzXkEyXkFqcGc@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,0,140,140_.jpg)
Raquel Welch, the American actress known for her role in One Million Years B.C. that made her a 1960s pin-up icon and later made a memorable guest appearance on Seinfeld, has died at 82.
Welch’s son Damon Welch confirmed his mother’s death (via The New York Times), although no cause was given.
Welch was born Jo Raquel Tejada on September 5th, 1940 in Chicago, and expressed interest in entertainment and performing at an early age. She studied ballet and won numerous beauty pageants in her youth, enrolling in a theater program at San Diego State College after graduating high school.
Following a series of one-off television appearances, Welch made her first leading feature film appearance in 1966 starring in Richard Fleischer’s sci-fi film Fantastic Voyage, which was a commercial success and quickly secured her star status. The following year, she appeared in Don Chaffey’s One Million Years B.C.; her...
Welch’s son Damon Welch confirmed his mother’s death (via The New York Times), although no cause was given.
Welch was born Jo Raquel Tejada on September 5th, 1940 in Chicago, and expressed interest in entertainment and performing at an early age. She studied ballet and won numerous beauty pageants in her youth, enrolling in a theater program at San Diego State College after graduating high school.
Following a series of one-off television appearances, Welch made her first leading feature film appearance in 1966 starring in Richard Fleischer’s sci-fi film Fantastic Voyage, which was a commercial success and quickly secured her star status. The following year, she appeared in Don Chaffey’s One Million Years B.C.; her...
- 2/15/2023
- by Abby Jones
- Consequence - Film News
![Image](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMDhlM2EzMGEtZjM5Yi00NDllLTk4MjgtNjI4ZDU1NGRjYmU1XkEyXkFqcGc@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,0,140,140_.jpg)
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Raquel Welch, the almond-eyed sex symbol who turned a doeskin bikini into one of the most iconic cinematic images of the 1960s, has died. She was 82.
Welch’s management company told The Hollywood Reporter that she died Wednesday morning following a brief illness. Her son, Damon Welch, confirmed that she died Wednesday at her home in Los Angeles.
Her success in Hollywood was due partly to talent, partly to perseverance, but mostly to hitting the genetic jackpot. Although she turned in several respectable performances — as a scientist’s assistant in Fantastic Voyage (1966), as Lilian Lust in Bedazzled (1967), as a transgender revolutionary in Myra Breckinridge (1970) — it was her strikingly photogenic features and voluptuous figure that catapulted her to international stardom.
“The indelible image of a woman as queen of nature,” is how cultural critic Camille Paglia once described Welch’s onscreen appeal. The actress herself put it more succinctly. “I became,...
Welch’s management company told The Hollywood Reporter that she died Wednesday morning following a brief illness. Her son, Damon Welch, confirmed that she died Wednesday at her home in Los Angeles.
Her success in Hollywood was due partly to talent, partly to perseverance, but mostly to hitting the genetic jackpot. Although she turned in several respectable performances — as a scientist’s assistant in Fantastic Voyage (1966), as Lilian Lust in Bedazzled (1967), as a transgender revolutionary in Myra Breckinridge (1970) — it was her strikingly photogenic features and voluptuous figure that catapulted her to international stardom.
“The indelible image of a woman as queen of nature,” is how cultural critic Camille Paglia once described Welch’s onscreen appeal. The actress herself put it more succinctly. “I became,...
- 2/15/2023
- by Benjamin Svetkey
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
![Image](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZjQzOTMxYTItYjY5YS00ZDdiLTgwODUtNzMxNTI5NDZiZTZkXkEyXkFqcGc@._V1_QL75_UY281_CR0,0,500,281_.jpg)
In Sam Raimi's 1981 zero-budget horror film "The Evil Dead," Ash (Bruce Campbell) is attacked by mysterious malevolent demons in a cabin in the woods, having been summoned there by an ancient evil book called the Necronomicon. All alone in the cabin, you start to think that Ash is not so much being beset by monsters, as Campbell is being beset by the movie itself. In the more comedic 1987 part-sequel, part-remake "Evil Dead II," the self-awareness is amped up to a slapstick degree, and the language of horror gives way to the timing of comedy.
At the end of "Evil Dead II," Ash flees into another genre altogether, finding himself in England circa 1300 Ce. By 1993's "Army of Darkness" (which celebrates its 30th anniversary this week), Ash has transformed from an average college student into a really dumb, full-bore a-hole. He is hailed as a "chosen one" despite his crass dialogue.
At the end of "Evil Dead II," Ash flees into another genre altogether, finding himself in England circa 1300 Ce. By 1993's "Army of Darkness" (which celebrates its 30th anniversary this week), Ash has transformed from an average college student into a really dumb, full-bore a-hole. He is hailed as a "chosen one" despite his crass dialogue.
- 2/13/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
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Yes, it’s Hammer’s grimy rags ‘n’ rock prehistoric saga, the notorious third caveman vs. dinosaurs spectacle that has no dinosaurs, leaving the ‘creatures’ of the title as a no-show. Director Don Chaffey does his best with a screenplay that Michael Carreras must have sketched on the back of a cocktail napkin. If you like rugged terrain and dusty dirty cavemen exposed to the elements — or you’re a Hammer completist — you’ve come to the right place.
Creatures the World Forgot
Region B Blu-ray
Powerhouse Indicator
1971 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 95 min. / Street Date July 25, 2022 / available from Powerhouse Films UK / £18.99
Starring: Julie Ege, Tony Bonner, Robin John, Brian O’Shaughnessy, Sue Wilson, Rosalie Crutchley, Marcia Fox, Gerard Bonthuys, Hans Kiesouw, Josje Kiesouw, Beverly Blake, Doon Baide.
Cinematography: Vincent Cox
Production Designer: John Stoll
Special Effects: Sid Pearson (Sydney Pearson)
Film Editor: Chris Barnes
Original Music: Mario Nascimbene
Written and Produced by...
Creatures the World Forgot
Region B Blu-ray
Powerhouse Indicator
1971 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 95 min. / Street Date July 25, 2022 / available from Powerhouse Films UK / £18.99
Starring: Julie Ege, Tony Bonner, Robin John, Brian O’Shaughnessy, Sue Wilson, Rosalie Crutchley, Marcia Fox, Gerard Bonthuys, Hans Kiesouw, Josje Kiesouw, Beverly Blake, Doon Baide.
Cinematography: Vincent Cox
Production Designer: John Stoll
Special Effects: Sid Pearson (Sydney Pearson)
Film Editor: Chris Barnes
Original Music: Mario Nascimbene
Written and Produced by...
- 10/8/2022
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Avengers: Endgame took the world by storm earlier this year. When it surpassed Avatar to become the highest-grossing film of all time, it proved that Marvel’s revolutionary and slow-burning franchise was a game-changer in money-making machines. And several months after its initial release, the film is still breaking records.
Taking place across the pond, Endgame recently became the UK’s fastest-selling digital movie ever. According to the BBC, the picture garnered 335,400 downloads in its first week, smashing the previous record of 265,000 held by the Queen biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody.
That may be weird to hear for those of us in America who have the film sitting on our shelves. But unlike American stores, the DVD, Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray 3D, 4K Uhd, etc. release has yet to happen across the pond. We’ll see if sales will continue to spike once the physical copy hits stores on September 2nd.
Avengers: Endgame Behind...
Taking place across the pond, Endgame recently became the UK’s fastest-selling digital movie ever. According to the BBC, the picture garnered 335,400 downloads in its first week, smashing the previous record of 265,000 held by the Queen biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody.
That may be weird to hear for those of us in America who have the film sitting on our shelves. But unlike American stores, the DVD, Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray 3D, 4K Uhd, etc. release has yet to happen across the pond. We’ll see if sales will continue to spike once the physical copy hits stores on September 2nd.
Avengers: Endgame Behind...
- 8/30/2019
- by Luke Parker
- We Got This Covered
New York's Quad Cinema got this summer off to a bloody good start with part 1 of their "Hammer's House of Horror" movie retrospective series featuring 32 films from the Hammer vault. On July 20th, the Quad Cinema team will continue the frights and fun with part 2 of their special Hammer horror screenings, and we've been provided with exclusive details on the second half of their retrospective series that's aptly titled "The Decadent Years."
From July 20th–August 2nd, Quad Cinema will screen a wide range of Hammer horror films from "The Decadent Years," including Dracula A.D. 1972, Countess Dracula, Twins of Evil, Dracula Has Risen from the Grave, and many more! There will be 25 total titles shown (all of them from 1967–1976), with 20 of the films screened in glorious 35mm.
Below, we have the full list of titles screening as part of Hammer's House of Horror Part II, and to learn more about screening dates and times,...
From July 20th–August 2nd, Quad Cinema will screen a wide range of Hammer horror films from "The Decadent Years," including Dracula A.D. 1972, Countess Dracula, Twins of Evil, Dracula Has Risen from the Grave, and many more! There will be 25 total titles shown (all of them from 1967–1976), with 20 of the films screened in glorious 35mm.
Below, we have the full list of titles screening as part of Hammer's House of Horror Part II, and to learn more about screening dates and times,...
- 6/28/2018
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Last year, New York's Quad Cinema paid tribute to Mario Bava with a 21-film, multi-day marathon, and this summer they're heating up the big screen once again with a two-part Hammer horror movies celebration, and we've been provided with the exclusive details on part 1 of their massive celebration of Hammer movies from 1956–1967.
Read the official press release below for all 32 titles (21 of which will be displayed in 35mm) in part 1 of the Quad's Hammer movie marathon, and keep an eye on their website for more information!
Press Release: May 30 - June 19 It's a chilling season at the Quad! Brace yourself for mummies, vampires, werewolves, and more with our extensive two-part retrospective celebrating Britain's genre studio powerhouse, Hammer Films
Throughout film history, many countries have had their own point-of-pride movie studios; Britain can claim several, whether as backlots or sites of creative capital. In Hammer Films, a genre-oriented counterpart to Ealing Films,...
Read the official press release below for all 32 titles (21 of which will be displayed in 35mm) in part 1 of the Quad's Hammer movie marathon, and keep an eye on their website for more information!
Press Release: May 30 - June 19 It's a chilling season at the Quad! Brace yourself for mummies, vampires, werewolves, and more with our extensive two-part retrospective celebrating Britain's genre studio powerhouse, Hammer Films
Throughout film history, many countries have had their own point-of-pride movie studios; Britain can claim several, whether as backlots or sites of creative capital. In Hammer Films, a genre-oriented counterpart to Ealing Films,...
- 5/11/2018
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Indicator follows up The Wonderful Worlds of Ray Harryhausen, Volume One: 1955-1960 with, wait for it, Volume 2: 1961-1964, featuring three of Harryhausen’s most ambitious productions. Good news for fans, the UK company delivers another robust box set with beautiful transfers and an abundance of extras including newly produced interviews, a small treasure trove of promotional ephemera and a limited edition 80-page book with essays from Kim Newman and Tim Lucas. The set is region free, playable on Blu-ray devices worldwide.
The Wonderful Worlds of Ray Harryhausen, Volume 2: 1961-1964
Blu-ray – Region Free
Indicator/Powerhouse
Street Date November 13, 2017
Starring Herbert Lom, Joan Greenwood, Niall MacGinnis, Nigel Green, Lionel Jeffries, Edward Judd
Cinematography by Wilkie Cooper
Produced by Charles Schneer, Ray Harryhausen
Directed by Cy Endfield, Don Chaffey, Nathan Juran
Raging thunderstorms and a tempestuous score from Bernard Herrmann kick off 1961’s Mysterious Island as a water-logged crew of Union...
The Wonderful Worlds of Ray Harryhausen, Volume 2: 1961-1964
Blu-ray – Region Free
Indicator/Powerhouse
Street Date November 13, 2017
Starring Herbert Lom, Joan Greenwood, Niall MacGinnis, Nigel Green, Lionel Jeffries, Edward Judd
Cinematography by Wilkie Cooper
Produced by Charles Schneer, Ray Harryhausen
Directed by Cy Endfield, Don Chaffey, Nathan Juran
Raging thunderstorms and a tempestuous score from Bernard Herrmann kick off 1961’s Mysterious Island as a water-logged crew of Union...
- 11/25/2017
- by Charlie Largent
- Trailers from Hell
Aliya Whiteley Jun 2, 2017
If Clash Of The TItans or Jason And The Argonauts are your thing, then a few book recommendations right here...
This month, with help from BookBeat - who we thank very much for their support - we're trialling a book club series of features, where we look at books, how they translate to movies, how they work in audiobook form, and just generally chat about a certain title. You can get a free trial of BookBeat - a sort-of Netflix for audio books - right here. Den Of Geek readers get a full month free trial, as opposed to the usual two weeks. But you need to click on that link to get it!
This week? We're looking at Greek myths...
The 1963 film Jason And The Argonauts, directed by Don Chaffey, with a soundtrack by Bernard Herrmann and featuring the stop-motion animation of Ray Harryhausen, was my...
If Clash Of The TItans or Jason And The Argonauts are your thing, then a few book recommendations right here...
This month, with help from BookBeat - who we thank very much for their support - we're trialling a book club series of features, where we look at books, how they translate to movies, how they work in audiobook form, and just generally chat about a certain title. You can get a free trial of BookBeat - a sort-of Netflix for audio books - right here. Den Of Geek readers get a full month free trial, as opposed to the usual two weeks. But you need to click on that link to get it!
This week? We're looking at Greek myths...
The 1963 film Jason And The Argonauts, directed by Don Chaffey, with a soundtrack by Bernard Herrmann and featuring the stop-motion animation of Ray Harryhausen, was my...
- 6/1/2017
- Den of Geek
Don Chaffey’s One Million Years B.C. (1966) is probably best remembered for its iconic poster image of scantily clad cavewoman Raquel Welch, but revisiting it via Kino Lorber’s excellent new Blu-ray release reveals it to be a far more — and in some ways less — interesting film than that. Less in the sense that it doesn’t really deliver the sexy goods promised by the famous marketing, but more for film buffs who will delight in the movie’s multitude of connections to other, often wildly disparate, classics of the era. It’s a surprisingly experimental movie in some ways, telling its […]...
- 2/17/2017
- by Jim Hemphill
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
One Million Years B.C.
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1966 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 91, 100 min. / Street Date February 14, 2017 / Available from Kino Lorber 29.95
Starring: Raquel Welch, John Richardson, Percy Herbert, Robert Brown, Martine Beswick
Cinematography: Wilkie Cooper
Special visual effects: Ray Harryhausen
Art Direction: Robert Jones
Film Editor: Tom Simpson
Original Music: Mario Nascimbene
Written by: Michael Carreras from a 1940 screenplay by George Baker
Produced by: Michael Carreras, Hal Roach, Aida Young
Directed by Don Chaffey
Here’s a title we haven’t seen in a while, and that we’ve never seen at this level of quality. Hammer Films’ most successful release ever, One Million Years B.C. launched a new film star. I count myself among the zillions of kids that pinned her poster on my bedroom wall. At age fifteen, the release of a new Harryhausen film was so important to me that I begged my slightly older neighbor to take me to the drive-in,...
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1966 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 91, 100 min. / Street Date February 14, 2017 / Available from Kino Lorber 29.95
Starring: Raquel Welch, John Richardson, Percy Herbert, Robert Brown, Martine Beswick
Cinematography: Wilkie Cooper
Special visual effects: Ray Harryhausen
Art Direction: Robert Jones
Film Editor: Tom Simpson
Original Music: Mario Nascimbene
Written by: Michael Carreras from a 1940 screenplay by George Baker
Produced by: Michael Carreras, Hal Roach, Aida Young
Directed by Don Chaffey
Here’s a title we haven’t seen in a while, and that we’ve never seen at this level of quality. Hammer Films’ most successful release ever, One Million Years B.C. launched a new film star. I count myself among the zillions of kids that pinned her poster on my bedroom wall. At age fifteen, the release of a new Harryhausen film was so important to me that I begged my slightly older neighbor to take me to the drive-in,...
- 2/4/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Dana Andrews movies: Film noir actor excelled in both major and minor crime dramas. Dana Andrews movies: First-rate film noir actor excelled in both classics & minor fare One of the best-looking and most underrated actors of the studio era, Dana Andrews was a first-rate film noir/crime thriller star. Oftentimes dismissed as no more than a “dependable” or “reliable” leading man, in truth Andrews brought to life complex characters that never quite fit into the mold of Hollywood's standardized heroes – or rather, antiheroes. Unlike the cynical, tough-talking, and (albeit at times self-delusionally) self-confident characters played by the likes of Alan Ladd, Edward G. Robinson, James Cagney, Humphrey Bogart, and, however lazily, Robert Mitchum, Andrews created portrayals of tortured men at odds with their social standing, their sense of ethics, and even their romantic yearnings. Not infrequently, there was only a very fine line separating his (anti)heroes from most movie villains.
- 1/22/2017
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Sean Wilson Sep 16, 2016
With Kubo & The Two Strings now playing, we salute some of our favourite stop motion animated movies...
With Laika's visually sumptuous and breathtaking stop motion masterpiece Kubo And The Two Strings dazzling audiences throughout the country, what better time to celebrate this singular and remarkable art form?
The effect is created when an on-screen character or object is carefully manipulated one frame at a time, leading to an illusion of movement during playback - and such fiendishly intricate work, which takes years of dedication, deserves to be honoured. Here are the greatest examples of stop motion movie mastery.
The Humpty Dumpty Circus (1898)
What defines the elusive appeal of stop motion? Surely a great deal of it is down to the blend of the recognisable and the uncanny: an simulation of recognisably human movement that still has a touch of the fantastical about it. These contradictions were put...
With Kubo & The Two Strings now playing, we salute some of our favourite stop motion animated movies...
With Laika's visually sumptuous and breathtaking stop motion masterpiece Kubo And The Two Strings dazzling audiences throughout the country, what better time to celebrate this singular and remarkable art form?
The effect is created when an on-screen character or object is carefully manipulated one frame at a time, leading to an illusion of movement during playback - and such fiendishly intricate work, which takes years of dedication, deserves to be honoured. Here are the greatest examples of stop motion movie mastery.
The Humpty Dumpty Circus (1898)
What defines the elusive appeal of stop motion? Surely a great deal of it is down to the blend of the recognisable and the uncanny: an simulation of recognisably human movement that still has a touch of the fantastical about it. These contradictions were put...
- 9/8/2016
- Den of Geek
In 1977, Walt Disney Studios released Pete's Dragon, a live-action/animated musical about a boy and his dragon. The film, which was nominated for two Academy Awards, stars Mickey Rooney, Helen Reddy, Red Buttons, Shelley Winters, and Charlie Callas as the voice of the animated dragon. 40 years later, Disney is introducing a whole new generation to Seton I. Miller and S.S. Field's classic story. The remake, co-written and directed by filmmaker David Lowery (of Ain't Them Bodies Saints previously), retains the sweetness of Don Chaffey and Don Bluth's original film while reimagining the story for a modern audience. In the Pacific Northwest in the ‘80s, forest ranger Grace Meacham (Bryce Dallas Howard) finds a young boy named Pete (Oakes Fegley) alone in the wilderness. Like The Jungle Book's Mowgli, Pete is a man-cub raised by animals. Instead of a pack of wolves, the boy is raised by a giant,...
- 8/12/2016
- by Adam Frazier
- firstshowing.net
When 2016 is said and done, Pete’s Dragon will be a pleasant surprise in an otherwise bust-worthy year for blockbusters. With no affinity felt towards Don Chaffey’s 1977 live-action cartoon, Disney had a clean slate with this critic, and boy did they capitalize. Gone are the musical numbers and more unrealistic aspects, in favor of a touching familial dramedy about a boy, his dragon and their tremendous bond.
This has been a year where critics and viewers seem to really be lapping up Disney’s Kool-Aid, but when it tastes this good (think Strawberry Kiwi laced with kid-friendly cocaine), there’s a damn fine reason why. Quiet your conspiracy talk – Disney is riding one of the craziest studio hot-streaks in cinema history (Shhh, Tomorrowland never happened), and that’s not because of bribery or bias.
Director David Lowery and co-writer Toby Halbrooks stay true to Disney’s original dragon tale,...
This has been a year where critics and viewers seem to really be lapping up Disney’s Kool-Aid, but when it tastes this good (think Strawberry Kiwi laced with kid-friendly cocaine), there’s a damn fine reason why. Quiet your conspiracy talk – Disney is riding one of the craziest studio hot-streaks in cinema history (Shhh, Tomorrowland never happened), and that’s not because of bribery or bias.
Director David Lowery and co-writer Toby Halbrooks stay true to Disney’s original dragon tale,...
- 8/10/2016
- by Matt Donato
- We Got This Covered
A few years ago the editors of Shadowlocked asked me to compile a list of what was initially to be, the ten greatest movie matte paintings of all time. A mere ten selections was too slim by a long shot, so my list stretched considerably to twenty, then thirty and finally a nice round fifty entries. Even with that number I found it wasn’t easy to narrow down a suitably wide ranging showcase of motion picture matte art that best represented the artform. So with that in mind, and due to the surprising popularity of that 2012 Shadowlocked list (which is well worth a visit, here Ed), I’ve assembled a further fifty wonderful examples of this vast, vital and more extensively utilised than you’d imagine – though now sadly ‘dead and buried’ – movie magic.
It would of course be so easy to simply concentrate on the well known, iconic,...
It would of course be so easy to simply concentrate on the well known, iconic,...
- 12/28/2015
- Shadowlocked
The St. Louis Globe-Democrat is a monthly newspaper run by Steve DeBellis, a well know St. Louis historian, and it’s the largest one-man newspaper in the world. The concept of The Globe is that there is an old historic headline, then all the articles in that issue are written as though it’s the year that the headline is from. It’s an unusual concept but the paper is now in its 27th successful year! Steve and I collaborated in 2011 on an all-Vincent Price issue of The Globe and I have been writing a regular monthly movie-related column since. Our working alliance is simple: Steve tells me a year and I pick a movie from that year and write about it. Last month Steve threw me the year 1963. Since I was hosting a Ray Harryhausen tribute event at the St. Louis International Film Festival and was eager to...
- 12/19/2013
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
December was Tarantino Month here at Sos, and since January is dedicated to westerns, I thought it would be best to whip up some articles spotlighting films that influenced Tarantino’s Django Unchained. Since I began my list back in December, I’ve noticed similar lists popping up online – all of which are somewhat suspect, since they recommend some terrible films. For my money, all of the movies listed below are essential viewing for fans of Django Unchained, and come highly recommended.
Note: This is the third of a three part article.
****
I Giorni dell’ira (Blood and Grit) (Day of Anger) (Gunlaw) (Days of Wrath)
Directed by Tonino Valerii
Written by Ernesto Gastaldi, Tonino Valerii, Renzo Genta
Italy, 1967
Day of Anger is a spaghetti western directed by Tonino Valerii, who began his career as Sergio Leone’s assistant and would later direct My Name Is Nobody (1973). Lee Van Cleef stars as Frank Talby,...
Note: This is the third of a three part article.
****
I Giorni dell’ira (Blood and Grit) (Day of Anger) (Gunlaw) (Days of Wrath)
Directed by Tonino Valerii
Written by Ernesto Gastaldi, Tonino Valerii, Renzo Genta
Italy, 1967
Day of Anger is a spaghetti western directed by Tonino Valerii, who began his career as Sergio Leone’s assistant and would later direct My Name Is Nobody (1973). Lee Van Cleef stars as Frank Talby,...
- 1/3/2013
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Rejoice! Looking to wash away the taste of the Clash of the Titans remake! We are, too. Hopefully the latest news from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment will get you as giddy as it has us!
From the Press Release
Embark on an adventure with Sony Pictures Home Entertainment when the epic odyssey Jason and the Argonauts is released on Blu-ray Disc on July 6, 2010 for the Slp of $24.95. Special effects legend Ray Harryhausen (Clash of the Titans, The Golden Voyage of Sinbad), who turns 90 this year, solidified his mark as a stop-motion master when this movie hit theaters in 1963. Harryhausen’s use of the medium exhilarated audiences as they followed Jason on his journey, encountering behemoth bronze statues, multi-headed serpents and the iconic animated armed skeletons. Through these effects, Harryhausen gave this mythical tale new legs and a provided an enduring spectacle for audiences. Viewers can now take this journey in...
From the Press Release
Embark on an adventure with Sony Pictures Home Entertainment when the epic odyssey Jason and the Argonauts is released on Blu-ray Disc on July 6, 2010 for the Slp of $24.95. Special effects legend Ray Harryhausen (Clash of the Titans, The Golden Voyage of Sinbad), who turns 90 this year, solidified his mark as a stop-motion master when this movie hit theaters in 1963. Harryhausen’s use of the medium exhilarated audiences as they followed Jason on his journey, encountering behemoth bronze statues, multi-headed serpents and the iconic animated armed skeletons. Through these effects, Harryhausen gave this mythical tale new legs and a provided an enduring spectacle for audiences. Viewers can now take this journey in...
- 4/26/2010
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Warner Brothers is set to “release the kraken” this Friday, April 2… so, Wamg is set to release the Movie Geeks, wielding their swords of cinematic heroism to establish the most epic Top Ten list of Mythological Masterpieces… ever! This week’s Top Ten Tuesday is devoted to the great Greek mythological stories of heroes, gods and monsters.
10. Hercules (1997)
You know why this movie is on this list? It’s not because it was Disney’s last, great, hand-drawn, animated film of the ’90s. It wasn’t. The film’s not great, but you have to hand it to whatever genius decided the perfect voice for Hades, the Lord of the Underworld, would be James Woods. Best. Voice casting. Ever. Rip Torn voicing Zeus? Another stroke of genius. This was also probably the first time many kids born in the early ’90s became privy to the voice of Charlton Heston, who does the narration.
10. Hercules (1997)
You know why this movie is on this list? It’s not because it was Disney’s last, great, hand-drawn, animated film of the ’90s. It wasn’t. The film’s not great, but you have to hand it to whatever genius decided the perfect voice for Hades, the Lord of the Underworld, would be James Woods. Best. Voice casting. Ever. Rip Torn voicing Zeus? Another stroke of genius. This was also probably the first time many kids born in the early ’90s became privy to the voice of Charlton Heston, who does the narration.
- 3/30/2010
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Another month dawns fellow monster maniacs, and Famous Monsters wants to invite you to the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood for two devilish double features, sure to whet the appetite of any fan!
First up on Thursday, February 25 is a double feature of Gremlins, followed by its sequel, Gremlins 2: The New Batch.
From the Egyptian’s official website:
Thursday, February 25 – 7:30 Pm
Gremlins, 1984, Warner Bros., 106 min. Dir. Joe Dante. When Billy (Zach Galligan) breaks the cardinal rules for the keeping of his rare new pet – no water, no food after midnight and no bright light – chaos is unleashed in his idyllic small town. What once was cute and fuzzy transforms and multiplies into a horde of dangerous, mayhem-loving creatures. With Hoyt Axton, Phoebe Cates, Dick Miller, Corey Feldman and Glynn Turman.
Gremlins 2: The New Batch, 1990, Warner Bros., 106 min. Dir Joe Dante. Six years after the original, everybody’s favorite...
First up on Thursday, February 25 is a double feature of Gremlins, followed by its sequel, Gremlins 2: The New Batch.
From the Egyptian’s official website:
Thursday, February 25 – 7:30 Pm
Gremlins, 1984, Warner Bros., 106 min. Dir. Joe Dante. When Billy (Zach Galligan) breaks the cardinal rules for the keeping of his rare new pet – no water, no food after midnight and no bright light – chaos is unleashed in his idyllic small town. What once was cute and fuzzy transforms and multiplies into a horde of dangerous, mayhem-loving creatures. With Hoyt Axton, Phoebe Cates, Dick Miller, Corey Feldman and Glynn Turman.
Gremlins 2: The New Batch, 1990, Warner Bros., 106 min. Dir Joe Dante. Six years after the original, everybody’s favorite...
- 2/3/2010
- by Jesse
- FamousMonsters of Filmland
Year: 2009
Directors: Patrick McGoohan / Pat Jackson / Don Chaffey / David Tomblin
Writers: Patrick McGoohan / David Tomblin / Anthony Skene / Terence Feely
IMDb: link
Trailer: link
Amazon: link
Review by: agentorange
Series Rating: 9 out of 10
DVD Rating: 7 out of 10
In episode six of the 1968 version of The Prisoner, our hero, Number 6, wakes up to find "the Village" completely deserted. No cheery "good morning" greets him from the shrill local radio girl. No running water awaits him for his shower and shave and no other prisoners are out walking the streets. "This is it," we think. This is his chance to make a get away.
For the next 30 minutes (a lifetime in TV terms) we watch a dead-silent Six plan and execute an elaborate, daring and sometimes dangerous escape. Not one word is uttered, yet we're completely riveted. We know what's coming. We know Six will get the rug pulled out from under him...
Directors: Patrick McGoohan / Pat Jackson / Don Chaffey / David Tomblin
Writers: Patrick McGoohan / David Tomblin / Anthony Skene / Terence Feely
IMDb: link
Trailer: link
Amazon: link
Review by: agentorange
Series Rating: 9 out of 10
DVD Rating: 7 out of 10
In episode six of the 1968 version of The Prisoner, our hero, Number 6, wakes up to find "the Village" completely deserted. No cheery "good morning" greets him from the shrill local radio girl. No running water awaits him for his shower and shave and no other prisoners are out walking the streets. "This is it," we think. This is his chance to make a get away.
For the next 30 minutes (a lifetime in TV terms) we watch a dead-silent Six plan and execute an elaborate, daring and sometimes dangerous escape. Not one word is uttered, yet we're completely riveted. We know what's coming. We know Six will get the rug pulled out from under him...
- 11/17/2009
- QuietEarth.us
Chicago – Patrick McGoohan was ready to quit. After playing secret agent John Drake in over eighty episodes of the British TV show “Danger Man” (known in the Us as “Secret Agent”), McGoohan was clearly in need of a change. Luckily, his script editor George Markstein had a great idea up his sleeve. What if Drake suddenly resigned, and his employers wouldn’t let him go? What if they kidnapped Drake and sent him to a secret location where he couldn’t escape? Markstein was clearly inspired by the actual incidents during WWII where people were incarcerated and under constant surveillance in resort-like prisons. McGoohan loved the idea, and together they created one of the most astoundingly original and richly entertaining programs in television history in “The Prisoner,” recently released on Blu-Ray to coincide with the AMC remake starring Jim Caviezel and Ian McKellen.
Blu-Ray Rating: 5.0/5.0
“The Prisoner” debuted in...
Blu-Ray Rating: 5.0/5.0
“The Prisoner” debuted in...
- 11/13/2009
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Let’s pretend for a moment that somewhere inside the central office of the Disney Corporation, there is a vault. Out of this vault comes classic, beloved releases that have stood the test of time and will continue to register as childhood treasures. They come digitally remastered, packed with special features and commentaries. Now let’s imagine that next to this vault is a smaller more cumbersome cellar of sorts. It’s dark and damp and the floorboards creak when you step across them; now, browse the isles and remove director Don Chaffey’s pseudo-animated 1977 musical, Pete’s Dragon. I’d never heard of the film prior to having to review it, and now I know why. This is a slow moving, by the numbers, easily forgettable musical comedy, with the titular dragon having none of the staying power of prior and future Disney mascots.
The story of orphaned Pete...
The story of orphaned Pete...
- 8/26/2009
- by Mark Zhuravsky
- JustPressPlay.net
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