R.I.P. Ray Harryhausen

[Ikessauro]

Another legend leaves us , check it out: http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=103886

[CityRaptor]

That is sad, but atleast he had a long life.  Rest in Peace, Ray. We will miss you, but your legacy lives on!

[RockyMountainRex]

A talented and influential man, R.I.P.   *orthocone*  <--- the moving icon seems a fitting tribute in this case.

[Crackington]

I had the privilege of meeting Ray at a book signing a few years back and he was a lovely guy in person too.

It must have been pretty tiring for this elderly gent signing his book for a big queue of people, but he had a good word with everyone. I told him that my young daughter had been scared by the cyclops in "7th Voyage of Sinbad" and he said that his films weren't scary, the original "Frankenstein" was!

Well, scary or not, they were still fantastic films and will always be among my favourites. RIP Ray.

[Gwangi]

A legend that will be missed. I guess I have to get my Gwangi avatar back.

[Nobs]

Sad day indeed.  A Childhood hero of mine.
I would recomend Ray Harryhausens book "An Animated Life"
Lots of information and pictures!

[Roselaar]

Very sad news, but it was bound to happen sooner or later. Still, 92 is a respectable age. And he will be survived by some of the greatest and influential fantasy films ever.

Aside from An Animated Life, I can also highly recommend The Art of Harryhausen, a lavishly illustrated companion piece that showcases just how versatile an artist Ray was, and also gives us a clue just how many more movie ideas he had in the back of his head. And of course all his films are recommended too.

[ProSauropod]

Ray Bradbury, as always putting it best:  "We made a pact, promising to grow old but never grow up, and keep the pterodactyl and the Tyrannosaurus rex forever in our hearts."

[sauroid]

sad, but he lived a full and worthwhile life. i am lucky that ive seen all of his movies. goodbye, Mr. Harryhausen.

[Jetoar]

The world have lost one of the best ..........

[tyrantqueen]

This is sad, but he had a good and long life and inspired many people with his sculpture.

An interesting fact about Ray Harryhausen- he wasn't a fan of modern dinosaur constructions, preferring the old Charles Knight style look.

Quoted from a member of another forum who actually met the guy:

"MMMMM." he said with a half smile and a shake of his head. He was looking at an apatosaurus with its tail held jauntily in the air. "They'll never convince me that they held their tails up like that...it looks like it's constipated."

He shook his head and then said..."They were meant to be DRAGGED!!!"

[sauroid]

Mr. Harryhausen was one of the staunch old school dinosaur artists and that was one of his main charm. he created film renditions of dinosaurs that made children of that time (my father included) so excited that they became dino fanatics (waaay back before JP) then the later JP generation (myself included) appreciated his craft in turn even if some people thought his style was dated/antiquated. people who appreciate Harryhausen's dinos/monsters should also check out movies with SFX/SMA by Willis O' Brien (Harryhausen's mentor) and Jim Danforth (Harryhausen's contemporary).

[Roselaar]

I certainly appreciate Harryhausen's work and his love for dinosaurs, but I'm a bit disappointed he didn't evolve his views on them along with scientific discoveries. That fact, plus his ever more sour views on modern films and film making (particularly sci-fi) made him appear a bit stuck in the past.

But hey, I'm still stuck in my own past with things like JP.