The plates in this portfolio are examples that Ray Harryhausen used to pitch his films. It's odd that he didn't think of himself as an artist, as they are as fabulous as any other fantasy illustrator. Perhaps he just felt it was a means to an end in order to achieve his goals with his true-calling -- animation.
These images were never meant to be seen by the public as they were considered promotional and not commercial. The sepia-tone prints measure 20" x 15.75" and each is signed and dated by Harryhausen. Harlan Ellison provides an introduction.
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| Sinbad fights a skeleton in The 7th Voyage of Sinbad. |
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| Talos from Jason and the Argonauts. |
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| Credited as from a Hercules proposal, the Hydra ended up in Jason and the Argonauts. |
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| The Ymir in a dramatic scene from 20 Million Miles to Earth. |
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| Harryhausen pitched an idea for War of the Worlds that was not filmed. |
Harryhausen's interpretation of the Martians is pretty radical. He makes them more robust and with near-faces as well. It might be time for me to watch Jason and the Argonauts again. Thanks for the inspiration.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a unique Martian interpretation. One wonders what that film would have been like. Jason and the Argonauts is at or near the top of my favorite Harryhausen films, probably because of its nostalgia-factor -- I saw it at the theater as a kid and was amazed, as I'm sure most people were at the time.
ReplyDeleteI envy you getting to see it in the theater.
DeleteThe first Harryhausen saw on the big screen was The Golden Voyage of Sinbad.