Thoughts on Ray Harryhausen's 100th Birthday

It was 100 years ago today that Ray Harryhausen was born in Los Angeles, California. Not only is Mr. Harryhausen known as the inventor of the form of stop-motion animation known as "Dynamation," but many consider the greatest stop-motion animator of all time. In many respects, Mr. Harryhausen could be considered an "auteur" in the same way that many directors are. It was Ray Harryhausen who initially conceived the movies on which he worked and, even when he did not come up with the initial idea, he often had considerable input in the films' screenplays given how integral his Dynamation and other effects were to the films. He would have a lasting impact on a long list of filmmakers, including such names as Tim Burton, Joe Dante, Peter Jackson, John Landis, and Sam Raimi. George Lucas has said that without Ray Harryhausen, there would be no Star Wars. Of course, Ray Harryhausen would also have an impact on movie fans around the world. I can be counted among them.

Before I even turned 18 I saw many of Ray Harryhausen's films, and I would see yet more once I reached adulthood. In fact, the first movie I can ever remember watching all the way through was Jason and the Argonauts (1963). I am not absolutely sure when I saw it, but I know I was very young and I know that it was on one of CBS's movie anthology shows. I also believe it was in the autumn, but I cannot be certain of that fact. Jason and the Argonauts aired on Thanksgiving night, November 24 1966, on The CBS Thursday Night Movies. It was repeated later in the season on July 28 1967 on The CBS Saturday Night Movies. While I cannot remember the exact date of when I first saw Jason and the Argonauts, the climactic battle with skeleton warriors would stick with me ever since. When I saw it again when I was a little older, it was as if I was younger again.

Of course, there is little wonder that I should remember Jason and the Argonauts from my early childhood. Ray Harryhausen regarded it as his best film, and it received critical acclaim. The review from the December 31 1962 issue of Variety stated, "The $3 million film has a workable scenario and has been directed resourcefully and spiritedly by Don Chaffey, under whose leadership a colourful cast performs with zeal" and praised Ray Harryhausen's creations. What might surprise many is that, despite the many good reviews Jason and the Argonauts received, it did not do well at the box office. It only made $2.1 million, far short of its $3 million budget. A planned sequel never emerged for that reason.

I am not sure what was the next Ray Harryhausen movie that I saw. During my childhood, before the days when sports over took weekend afternoons, it was not unusual for television stations to show movies on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Given the popularity of Ray Harryhausen's films, they were often shown on weekend afternoons. This is how I first saw many of his movies. Among them was The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958). I must have been around 9 years old at the time and, like Jason and the Argonauts before it, the movie had an impact on me. The cylcops, the Roc, and the cobra woman all made an impression on me. The 7th Voyage of Sinbad would receive good reviews. Unlike Jason and the Argonauts, it also performed well at the box office.

It was also on a Sunday afternoon that I first saw The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953). Not only was it one of the first Ray Harryhausen movies I ever saw, but it was also one of the first giant monster movies I ever saw, along with King Kong (1933) and the "Godzilla" movies. As a kid I was very impressed with The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, particularly the sequence with the lighthouse. At the time I was not aware of who Ray Harryhausen was and that he had made other movies that I loved. I was also not aware that it was based on a short story by Ray Bradbury, who was also a lifelong friend of Ray Harryhausen.

By the time I saw The Valley of Gwangi (1969) I was well aware of who Ray Harryhausen was. In fact, I was looking forward to it when it aired on one of our local stations on a Sunday afternoon. Like many boys of Generation X I had a love of dinosaurs, monster movies, and Westerns, and The Valley of Gwangi combined all three. Producer Charles Scheer, who worked with Ray Harryhausen throughout his career, called it "...probably the least of the movies Ray and I made together." I disagree with Mr. Scheer's assessment, as it remains one of my favourite Ray Harryhausen films of all time.

It would be in the late Seventies that I would see The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1973) and its sequel, Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger (1977). I thoroughly enjoyed The Golden Voyage of Sinbad. It was a throwback to Ray Harryhausen's earlier films, such as The 7th Voyage of Sinbad and Jason and the Argonauts. It also received generally favourable reviews. Unfortunately, I was disappointed by Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger. While Ray Harryhausen's Dynamation was as good as ever, I thought its plot was weaker than many of his films. It remains one of the few Ray Harryhausen films that actually disappointed me.

Sadly, as much as I love Ray Harryhausen's movies. There is only one that I have seen in the theatre. I saw Clash of the Titans (1981) on its opening weekend. I enjoyed the film a good deal and it was great to finally see Ray Harryhausen's work on the big screen. For whatever reason the film received mixed reviews upon its release. Robert Ebert gave Clash of the Titans three and a half stars out of four and praised Ray Harryhausen's stop-motion animation techniques. In contrast, Variety called the film, "...an unbearable bore of a film that will probably put to sleep the few adults stuck taking the kids to it." Fortunately, I think most people who have seen it ever since tend to agree with Roger Ebert's assessment. In fact, I know a few people who count it among Ray Harryhausen's best films.

Regardless, Ray Harryhausen has had a lasting impact on movie fans around the world and has influenced a number of movies. As I mentioned earlier, George Lucas said that it were not for Ray Harryhausen there would not be a Star Wars. Sam Raimi has spoken of the influence of Ray Harryhausen's movies (particularly The 7th Voyage of Sinbad) on his movie Army of Darkness. Peter Jackson has said, "The Lord of the Rings is my Ray Harryhausen movie." Even the "Godzilla" movies owe something to Ray Harryhausen, the first film, Gojira (1954), having been inspired by The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms. Ray Harryhausen's work would have an impact on many, from classic film buffs like myself, to producers and directors throughout the years.