Ray Harryhausen and other adventure classics

I was listening to an interview with... Ray HarryhausenI was watching this interview with a film producer and a true master of special effects—specifically when it comes to that old-school stop-motion animation. To be honest, the interview itself wasn't anything groundbreaking, but it was more than enough to trigger this massive wave of nostalgia in me.

The seventh installment of the Sinbad series. And that covers the rest of the Sinbad series, too. Clash of the Titans, Jason and the Argonauts, A million years before Christ. Mmmm... Raquel. 😛 )

Does anyone else ever get hit by that sudden wave of nostalgia for those old movies we used to watch?

This is honestly the perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon. It’s one of those essential ingredients that shaped all of our childhoods.
To be honest, I’m really not sure if they're even airing on our local networks anymore.

Richard Hernandez13 said:The perfect way to kill a Saturday afternoon. A staple of any American childhood.
Though, I'm not sure if they even broadcast them on our cable networks anymore.

They don't... honestly, they're pretty hard to track down these days...

The last thing I watched from Ray Harryhausen was Clash of the Titans 👍

The real question is how his legacy survives in this era of CGI.

I’m really digging that last shot you posted with Sinbad and those skeletons...

It feels like it’s missing a chainsaw, a split shotgun, and... Bruce...

hail to the king, baby... 😎

Betty Walker said:The real question is how his legacy is going to hold up in this modern era dominated by CGI.

Personally, I don't think he has much to worry about.
It was never just the special effects that made his movies so captivating; it was that genuine sense of adventure and pure fantasy he breathed into them.

Even Lucas's Star Wars relied heavily on quite a lot of obvious stop-motion animation, yet they were still massive successes when they were re-released in 1997—which, if you think about it, was actually four years after Jurassic Park had already revolutionized the industry by introducing the kind of CGI we recognize today.

Betty Walker said:I have to say, I am absolutely captivated by that last image you posted of Sinbad fighting those skeletons... it really has me hooked.

That's just how it is. Jason and the Argonauts 😉That one sword fight scene only lasts about four minutes, but you wouldn't believe the sheer amount of work they put in—they actually spent four whole months filming and perfecting it.

I can't help but wonder if Ray Harryhausen actually has a whole legion of disciples among today's heavy hitters in the directing Major League—you look at guys like James Cameron, Peter Jackson, George Lucas, or even Tim Burton (who, if I remember correctly, was actually hoping to use Mars Attacks! style vibes for some projects). Mars Attacks! They really specialize in that stop-motion style, much like how Sam Raimi or Robert Rodriguez approach their craft. Spy Kids 2 First off...

...I wouldn't go so far as to say that One Million Years B.C. actually inspired a whole generation to dive headfirst into studying anthropology, archaeology, or history
😁😁😁

Look, I’ll be blunt: I couldn't care less about CGI effects. To me, stop-motion animation is fantastic—not because it’s convincing or realistic, but simply because there is a charming, old-school soul to it. Honestly, if you try to make a digitally remastered version of Jason and the Argonauts using CGI skeletons, you’ll just end up ruining the best scenes in the entire movie.

I once watched Miraculous with 20,000 fathoms while listening to a German dub. I didn't understand a single word, but the film was still great. It was actually based on a story by Ray Bradbury and served as an inspiration for the Japanese filmmakers who created Godzilla.

The second film I saw—I think it was Jason and the Argonauts—was something I stumbled upon purely by accident on NBC one Sunday morning. I can't recall if the skeletons were in it, but I vividly remember that red Cyclops—it looked like a caricature from Richard Hernandez13's pictures—and that jellyfish, which was freaky as hell! That scene takes place in a dimly lit temple: you only see the shadow of the jellyfish cast against a massive flame, with snakes writhing over its scales. That scene genuinely terrified me.

I wish they would air those movies on TV again. I don't know if I would personally direct them today, but I would DEFINITELY want to watch them. I have a soft spot for adventure fantasy films, whether it's Sommers' The Mummy or the original King Kong from the 1930s. To me, those movies are pure gold.

And finally, something dedicated to Ray Harryhausen.

When you think about that jellyfish, it really brings to mind Clash of the Titans because Perzej was actually in that one.

He was played by Harry Hamlin, who you might recognize from Los Angeles law. 😁

I just remembered watching Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold and King Solomon's Mines 🙂 while chatting on another thread—man, I had such a blast with those movies. It made me want to start a dedicated thread for adventure films. What are your all-time favorites? It feels like true adventure flicks are pretty much extinct these days 😢 Maybe we'll get a new Indiana Jones soon, but real adventure cinema? Doesn't seem to exist anymore.

One of my personal favorites has to be The Island at the Top of the World .

...in the category of "almost an adventure—if only it actually was..."
...The Rundown, also known as Welcome to the Jungle 🤣 🤣 🤣

...what a total waste of a movie 😵 😵 😵 (and here I am, thinking I actually sat through the whole thing...😁 )

The original Time Machine absolutely wrecked me 🙂

The Rundown is fun enough, but it doesn't quite reach the level of those classic adventure flicks.

Oh, absolutely—the 13th Warrior is a brilliant adventure, and Deep Rising and The Mummy are great too.

Let's see...
1. Tarzan's greatest adventure...
All the Tarzan movies... just like... Tarzan and the leopard people... ... Tarzan's three challenges...
3.The man who wanted to be king...
The fourth installment of the Indiana Jones series...
5.Birth of Titans...
6.Jason and Argonauts...
7.Flash Gordon...
8.The Mummy...
9. The gods have fallen on their heads...
10.13 warrior
11.Lord of the Rings series 13. of Lord of the Rings series... series...
13.The Jaguar...

Man, how could I have forgotten Tarzan? 😵

I thought Congo was pretty decent—just like the Cave Bear tribe and One Million Years B.C.

Hmm, the gods just seem to have hit a bit of a slump here, so it doesn't feel particularly adventurous. At least, that's not how I'm feeling about it! 😁

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088011/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089370/

😬

Hmm. Let me see which movies haven't been mentioned yet... Robin Hood, The Prince and the Pauper, or maybe even distant relatives...

Not even Sinbad the sailor was mentioned, damn it. 😵
http://www.imdb.com/find?s=all&q=sinbad

It’s finally happening—now that you’ve linked the topic 🤮

Poirot... crimsonmoose3 said:So what? Now that he’s merged the thread... 🤮

It seems like the moderators have completely lost control today... 🙂

This one’s more about adventure movies in general—not just the ones using stop motion animation.🙂