Director: Gilles Penso
Cast: Ray Harryhausen, James Cameron, Steven Spielberg, Guillermo Del Toro, Tim Burton.
Rating: PG
Running Time: 97 min
Special Features: Audio Commentary with Gilles Penso, Alexandre Poncet, Tony Dalton and Tim Nicholson, Featurette “A Treasure Trove”, Q&A at the Cinémathèque française, A Chat With Edgar Wright, Peter Lord, Rick Baker, & Simon Pegg, Interview Outtakes With Colin Arthur, Dennis Muren, Greg Broadmore, Joe Dante, John Lasseter, Ken Ralston, Martine Beswick, Caroline Munro, Nick Park, Phil Tippett, Randy Cook, Steve Johnson & Vanessa Harryhausen, Deleted Scenes, Trailers, On The Set of The 7th Voyage of Sinbad
Even in retirement Ray Harryhausen remains a tremendous influence on film. SPECIAL EFFECTS TITAN, an affectionate career-retrospective, takes us through each of the films he worked on offering Ray’s insight on the thought process behind his creations, as well as the various techniques used to make them come alive. Some of which are truly astounding.
The biggest strength of the film is undoubtedly the unprecedented access the film-makers get not only to Harryhausen and people he worked with over the years, but also to a huge number of special effects artists and film directors that have been inspired by his work including: Steven Spielberg, James Cameron, Guillermo Del Toro, Nick Park and Tim Burton. This helps lend the film an enormous amount of credibility and displays Ray Harryhausen’s importance to the industry.
The retrospective structure of the film results in a modicum of repetition, and a slight stall towards the end. Fortunately it picks up again at his retirement, and these issues don’t spoil the films enjoyment, or your adulation for his incredible work.
If you have even a fleeting interest in animation or filmmaking, RAY HARRYHAUSEN: SPECIAL EFFECTS TITAN contains plenty to keep you satisfied and entertained.
Extras: As well as the main feature extras include interviews that didn’t end up in the final film with, amongst others, Rick Baker, Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright, a Q and A, and a feature commentary.
RAY HARRYHAUSEN: SPECIAL EFFECTS TITAN is available on DVD & Blu-Ray now
