Ray Harryhausen : An Animated Life

by Ray Harryhausen and Tony Dalton; foreward by Ray Bradbury

• ISBN13: 9780823084029
• ISBN10: 0823084027
• Format: Trade Book
• Copyright: 2004-04-01
• Publisher: Billboard Books

Summary

Ray Harryhausen is arguably the greatest stop-motion animator in the history of motion pictures, blazing new trails in special effects from the 1950s to the 1980s creating realistic dinosaurs, fantastic aliens, and imaginative mythological creatures. In the animator's own words, accompanied by hundreds of previously unpublished photographs, sketches, and storyboards from his personal archive, this book details Harryhausen's entire film career, from20 Million Miles to EarthandEarth vs. The Flying SaucerstoClash of the TitansandJason and the Argonauts. In words and images, this book explains the basics of special effects and stop-motion animation, along the way telling entertaining tales of working with the film stars of the day, such as Laurence Olivier, Maggie Smith, and Lionel Jeffries. Film buffs will relish such revelations as how Raquel Welch was picked up by a flying dinosaur inOne Million Years B.C., why the octopus inMysterious Islandwas really only a sixtopus, and what Medusa's blood was made from inClash of the Titans.

Author Biography

Ray Harryhausen continues to provide talks and lectures on animation. An American now residing in London, he is the author of The Tortoise and the Hare. Tony Dalton is a novelist, playwright, screenwriter, and poet who has written for Broadcast and Variety magazines. He was involved with the publicity for Star Wars, Towering Inferno, and The Omen. He lives in London. Ray Bradbury is the legendary author of fantasy and science fiction works, including The Martian Chronicles. He is a winner of the Nebula, Prometheus, O. Henry Memorial, Balrog, Bram Stoker, Benjamin Franklin, Aviation-Space Writers, and World Fantasy awards. He lives in Los Angeles.