Visit the Harryhausen exhibition at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum

I recently went on a non-golf road trip in Kalamazoo and saw an exhibition of artifacts from Ray Harryhausen’s film at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum.

Ray Harryhausen (1920-2013) is an animator and director known for “dynamic,” a stop-motion model animation technique that allows him to merge live actors with animation models.

Among the most famous movies in Harryhausen are: The Conflict of Titans, Jason and the Arguna, the Seventh Voyage of Sindbad, the Beast, from 20,000 fathoms, a million years, a million years BC, reaching 20 million miles of Earth.

All of this is a battle between animated characters and live actors. When I saw these as a kid, they were magical. Indeed, the magic of these movies never left me.

In my opinion, these movies seem to be much better than the CGI that the filmmakers turn to. Indeed, as far as I know, only Tim Burton uses stop motion animation in the movie.

Harryhausen made his own models and made an animation himself, struggling to move each millimeter, taking pictures, and then moving them again.

The museum exhibits dozens of models, as well as storyboards, paintings and information on how he made a movie. Harryhausen is an excellent artist in film, sketching, engraving and paint.

I’m glad I took the time to visit the exhibition in Kalamazoo, which will be from the end of April to the end of April.

Here is a list of Harryhausen movies I’ve seen and liked. While Harryhausen is not considered to be the majority director, they are undoubtedly “Harryhausen’s movies”. A note from the museum says he often serves as a writer, creator and director of the storyboard, but he received no praise due to Hollywood rules.

The powerful Joe Young (1949) – Harryhausen co-animation.

The beast comes from 20,000 fathoms (1953) – Visual effects

It comes from the seabed (1955) – Visual effects

Earth and UFO (1956) – Visual effects

Arrived 20 million miles on Earth (1957) – Visual effects

Sinbad’s seventh voyage (1958) – Producer, visual effects

Mysterious island (1961) – Visual effects

Jason and the Arguna (1963) – Producer, visual effects

The first man on the moon (1964) – Producer, visual effects

One million years BC (1966) – Visual effects

Gwangi Valley (1969) – Producer, visual effects

Sinbad’s Golden Sail (1973) – Producer, visual effects

Sinbad and tiger’s eyes (1977) – Producer, visual effects

Titan Conflict (1981) – His last film before his retirement. Producer, visual effect.

More photos below:

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