Matte Shot – a tribute to Golden Period particular fx: MATTE & EFFECTS FILMS CELEBRATED: Half Six

Good day once more buddies and olde timey matte and trick shot fanatics.  It is that point once more for a visit by the cinematic museum of film wizardry and creativity from the pre-computer period.  I name this my mid-winter blockbuster, as it’s that specific season proper now the place I’m, and what higher time than to mud off a mess of visible results wonders to feast your eyes upon. Severely.

Properly, what have we acquired?  An neglected catastrophe epic from way back;  A CinemaScope light-weight medieval costumer; A pair of eighties flicks about teenagers with particular skills; An extended forgotten soccer hero melodrama; Not one, however two (rely ’em, 2) motion pictures about salty previous whale hunters; A tribute piece to matte artist Alan Maley; Some extra dazzling and extraordinarily uncommon Matthew Yuricich painted mattes which have by no means been seen earlier than; One other instance of fascinating Whitlock trickery; Some Abbott & Costello craziness; An All Time Corridor-of-Fame Matte from 90 years in the past, and extra!!!

As standard, there are a few reveals which may be pretty well-known, however as is my sample, a complete bunch of movies and photographs most won’t ever have seen. I attempt my damndest to look, hunt down and uncover gems of film magic from throughout the spectrum and vary of genres.  There’s actually nothing extra satisfying than discovering forgotten or misplaced examples of this glorious artform.

 Do attempt to view this intensive weblog on a correct display, and never some godammed cellphone or foolish ‘toy’ system.  I will hunt you down and flog you if I uncover anybody having fun with my weblog on something lower than a 15″ display (minimal).   😉

Properly, right here the journey begins…….

Get pleasure from

Peter

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

***This huge and completely exhaustive publish, and all 184 earlier weblog posts generally known as ‘Matte Shot’, had been initially created by Peter Cook dinner for nzpetesmatteshot, with all content material, format and textual content initially revealed at http://nzpetesmatteshot.blogspot.com/ 

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

NZ PETE’S HALL OF FAME MATTE SHOT – Half One

Anyone who would not recognise this mighty shot ought to excuse themselves and exit this weblog with nice haste and by no means look again!  Most likely my all time favorite movie, and finest vfx movie of all time – confirmed but once more by a repeat viewing just a few days in the past, for what should have been the fortieth time?  KING KONG (1933) and the forboding Cranium Island – made all of the extra forboding by Max Steiner’s profession finest music rating which works together with my mantra, “the music maketh the matte”.  This uncommon check body reveals a bit extra on the edges of the body than the ultimate launch prints, which is usually the case with uncooked digital camera footage previous to dupe negs being struck.

The ultimate shot from the discharge print, with Orville Goldner’s fantastic cease movement birds doubled in.  The matte was painted both by Mario Larrinaga or Byron Crabbe.  *As an apart, each gifted artists could also be seen above on my ‘weblog header’, engaged on a big twin airplane glass of New York Metropolis for a similar movie.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

FROM THE CUTTING ROOM FLOOR:

One of many thriller work discovered within the assortment of Matt Yuricich’s household was this curious one.  It turned out to be a Jim Danforth matte of the Mexican locale that was rendered for the very miserable John Huston drama UNDER THE VOLCANO (1984), although the shot by no means made the ultimate lower.  One or two different photographs within the ultimate movie had been painted by Al Whitlock.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

A VINTAGE MYSTERY MATTE NOW SOLVED:

Earlier this 12 months I revealed a complete package deal of principally unidentified 35mm matte shot trims from the household of previous time Paramount matte painter Jan Domela.  As I take pleasure in previous motion pictures I knew I might come throughout a few of these scenes eventually.  The recreation of romantic Venice was an in depth matte extension above the tank on the Paramount lot for THIS IS THE NIGHT (1932)

Domela’s Venice, created with out leaving the studio backlot.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

A PEEK BEHIND THE CURTAIN:  WHITLOCK’S ICEBERGS.

A while in the past one in every of my very long time readers, Mark Wolf despatched me a file of fascinating photographs that his buddy Dave Boston had taken whereas on a kind of summer time internship at Common in Al Whitlock’s division in 1974.  They had been knee deep in THE HINDENBURG (1975) on the time, and Dave was capable of observe the method (fortunate, fortunate Dave I say!!!)

Sadly, out of the entire rolls of Ektachrome color transparenies, the bulk had deteriorated over time (I can not recall whether or not it was water injury or what?  Oh, the humanity!), so solely a handful stay usable.  Right here we see Al busy at work on a pair of glasses in his matte studio for key photographs in THE HINDENBURG.  Apparently, on the time, the one precise daylight out there for Albert was through that small excessive window, although I perceive just a few years later he had them construct a full room degree window with loads of pure gentle.  The picture at left with the icebergs is elaborated upon beneath.  The opposite of the airship is probably a photograph cut-out, mounted on glass and hand retouched, which Whitlock resorted to for lots of the totally different angles and perspective views of the craft as a time saver.

Al blocking within the mass with assistance from a rag and a clump of pigment.  In accordance with Leigh Took, Leigh’s mentor Cliff Culley used to usually converse of Whitlock’s ‘rag-work’ approach from the times after they painted collectively at Rank-Pinewood again within the early fifties within the UK.

The ultimate shot the place not solely has Al matted within the icebergs ‘drifting’ underneath the airship, however he has additionally painted individually on one other glass the mass of the zeppelin itself instantly surrounding the actors, one in every of whom is the superb William Atherton… terrific actor, although I digress…

A uncommon squeezed anamorphic unfinished check body from the gathering of Larry Shuler.

A wider view, with twin work:  iceberg mass, and nearly the entire precise airship rendered on separate glasses.  The passing cloud and mist is yet one more factor, usually comprising of as much as 3 ‘smoke’ parts tri-packed by the matte digital camera for sure photographs to lend a layered depth to the phenomenen.

Matted set extension of the particular cloth coated airship that no person observed.  One in every of 77 mattes created by Whitlock and Dutton for the Oscar profitable movie – and Al personally acknowleged every one in every of his workforce on the awards ceremony.

“…they usually sailed off into the sundown they usually all lived fortunately ever after?”

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

THE MAN FROM COLORADO:  An thrilling addition to my earlier fx protection

I did an article on the 1948 Columbia western, THE MAN FROM COLORADO, again in January this 12 months, and as usually occurs, very important materials involves my consideration after the actual fact, although is totally worthy of inclusion.  Right here is a superb earlier than and after set of frames which radically alter the panorama of the gold mining city.

Columbia’s resident photographic results chief Lawrence Butler supervised, with very long time matte cameraman Donald Glouner taking pictures the matte and composite.  It is fairly possible Juan Larrinaga could have been the matte artist, and the work on this movie is superb.

The ultimate Technicolor scene.  A terrific film in reality, with what I really feel was Glenn Ford’s finest – and nastiest – efficiency.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

A TRIBUTE TO MATTE PAINTER ALAN MALEY:

“Alan Maley had labored with me on In Search of the Castaways, again in England.  I assumed he was very gifted, and in 1965 he came to visit from England to work with me at Disney Studios.  Alan was given a room throughout the corridor from mine, and there he would spend his days honing his abilities till he shortly turned excellent at matte portray.  His room – really extra like a den – quickly turned very cluttered.  He appeared happiest when he had made a sort of nest of reference books, paints, containers and previous magazines.  Over within the nook could be Alan, out of sight, hidden by a big easel, on which he could be matte portray”.

                            Peter Ellenshaw:  ELLENSHAW UNDER GLASS

I at all times wish to broaden upon the careers of painters and technicians from the previous, as usually not sufficient has been forthcoming about so many unsung heroes of the particular photographic results enviornment.  One such gentleman could be British matte painter and nice artist, Alan Maley.  *be aware:  the above picture was a deliberate ‘gag’ snapshot taken whereas Alan was heading the ILM matte division within the early 80’s.  Apparently Alan was at all times bemused by pics of matte artists with what he known as “impossibly small brushes”, and as one educated within the ‘massive brush type’, posing right here with a mammoth DRAGONSLAYER portray and a ridiculous pin-head nice brush only for fun.

Alan started his movie profession when a younger man as a backing painter at Denham Studios, UK, within the early 1950’s.  Like many backing and scenic artist boys did, Alan branched out into matte and glass photographs, as did fellow British exponents resembling Cliff Culley, Albert Whitlock, Peter Melrose and Les Bowie amongst many others. A substantial variety of Alan’s family had been already in, or would quickly be in, the British studio, largely in fields resembling signal writing and scenic work.

Alan moved between varied studios the place the work was, with just a few years in Wally Veevers’ photographic results unit at Shepperton with fellow properly established artists resembling George Samuels and Bob Cuff.  One noteworthy project that Alan proved his abilities was the magnificent Peter O’Toole-Richard Burton historic drama BECKET (1964), the place Alan offered a number of beautiful mattes resembling this stunning and expansive vista of London through the period of King Henry II.  An nearly full portray with only a tiny sliver of stay motion higher left because the horseman gallops away up the hill.  Smoke can be added to some chimney pots.

One other sprawling vista from BECKET which is proven right here on this uncommon authentic full portray.  The ultimate sequence was optically lowered and scanned down from the fortress and throughout the valley.  A horse and rider could be optically added taking place the hillside.  Be aware, the rising smoke was totally painted ‘as is’.

Maley cathedral set extension additionally from the superb movie BECKET (1964)

One of the crucial well-known and iconic sequences of all time was the penultimate nuclear bomb drop on the USSR in Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece DR STRANGELOVE: OR HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB (1964).

The nice Slim Pickens takes the journey of his life.  Alan painted a extremely detailed large 12 foot extensive Soviet panorama with missile battery into which results cameraman Peter Harman simulated a dramatic ‘fall’ and Wally Veevers added a blue screened bomb and actor to sensible impact.

Alan additionally labored for a time for the opposition, Pinewood Studios, the place he joined Cliff Culley’s matte division, underneath the general supervision of Peter Ellenshaw who got here throughout from the States to supervise the big Disney visible results showcase IN SEARCH OF THE CASTAWAYS (1962) – one in every of Disney’s finest matte shot movies in my view, with composite work seemingly yards forward of the comps being finished again in California for some cause.  Stunning mattes a-plenty, and all so properly assembled.  Alan painted miniature backings and helped with the various mattes, as did Culley.

IN SEARCH OF THE CASTAWAYS matte.  I noticed it as a child and it utterly ‘had me’ so far as old style journey went.  By the way, I did a considerable results weblog numerous years again on this under-appreciated FX movie, which will be discovered HERE

The IN SEARCH OF THE CASTAWAYS Pinewood matte dept jokesters all lined up as villains that solely a mom might love, and made this set of mug-shots and prints and many others for supervisor Peter Ellenshaw.  That is Alan at far proper.  Cliff Culley is second from left and matte cameraman Martin Shorthall is subsequent to Maley.

Accompanying the nasty row of ‘mug photographs’ was this amusing CASTAWAYS certificates from the ‘Division of Particular Defects’, and loaded with excuses, a lot to Ellenshaw’s amusement.  *Because of my pal Harrison Ellenshaw for this little gem.

Recalling Alan’s wonderful work on CASTAWAYS, Ellenshaw just a few years later secured Maley stateside for a everlasting position within the Disney matte division when artist Jim Fetherolf left.  This Maley matte is from THE ONE AND ONLY, GENUINE, ORIGINAL, FAMILY BAND (1968).

Numerous mattes had been wanted for Disney’s THE HAPPIEST MILLIONAIRE (1968).

Disney had some large results reveals round that point, with the ever standard THE LOVE BUG (1969) requiring many mattes and different trick photographs.  Alan was chief matte artist round this time and headed up the division.  Peter Ellenshaw nonetheless put a while in however was primarily doing manufacturing design.  Constantine ‘Deno’ Ganakes was additionally on board and had additionally been within the division for a number of years.

Alan’s extensive vista of San Francisco opens THE LOVE BUG.  A small mannequin automobile was pulled alongside in an unpainted slot towards the home.  Not a shot anyone would anticipate to be a trick shot in any respect.

Among the many multitude of mattes and gags in THE LOVE BUG, this dramatic closing shot was one other invisible Maley matte.  The shot begins on a crowded park and pulls again over town earlier than dissolving right into a second huge aerial matte of San Francisco.  Attention-grabbing story right here:  I used to be asking Harrison Ellenshaw about this matte and he talked about that the portray had mysteriously vanished from the Disney lot a few years in the past, and no person knew no matter turned of it……  See beneath!

… and hey-presto, there it’s!  The surviving matte glass, many years after the actual fact, mounted on the wall of one in every of Alan’s members of the family.  Be aware the fx digital camera slate beside it from the 007 movie THE SPY WHO LOVED ME (1977), on which Alan was matte and optical artist (see extra later…)

There have been some superbly atmospheric matte photographs from Alan in one other Disney image, NEVER A DULL MOMENT (1968), with splendidly rendered evening time views of New York Metropolis.

Alan obtained an Academy Award for particular visible results – shared with Danny Lee and Eustace Lycette – for BEDKNOBS AND BROOMSTICKS (1971)

This is one in every of Alan’s authentic matte work nonetheless in pristine situation at Disney.

The BEDKNOBS matte artwork within the particular storage space at Disney, together with scores of different rigorously conserved work on glass.  I might like to have a look by these some day.

One other pleasant Oscar profitable matte from BEDKNOBS AND BROOMSTICKS (1971).  By this time Alan would have an apprentice within the division by the identify of Harrison (P.S) Ellenshaw.  Harrison informed me how he discovered every little thing from Alan, regardless that his personal father was grasp matte artist, the celebrated Peter Ellenshaw.

Put up Oscar celebration time 1971 as Peter toasts Alan on his Academy Award win.

A pair of Disney matte exponents in good cheer.

Among the many quite a few movies that Alan painted on throughout these busy Disney years was the slapstick SNOWBALL EXPRESS (1972).

HERBIE RIDES AGAIN (1974) could be one in every of a number of clones of the unique LOVE BUG, and like the previous, required substantial matte work from Alan, assisted by a younger P.S Ellenshaw – earlier than he modified his identify to ‘Harrison’ to keep away from confusion along with his father.  Harrison informed me some nice tales in my profession piece I did with him:  “Alan really banned my father from coming into the matte division for just a few months.  He was very protecting of me and simply did not need my father to intervene.  We each laughed about it afterward”.

Unique locales courtesy of Maley for THE WORLD’S GREATEST ATHLETE (1973).  Harrison informed me extra about Alan: “He was greater than an artist, he was an outstanding technician, an awesome photographer and a movie maker.  He not solely taught me about portray, he taught me how one can be a visible storyteller. He beloved movies and knew every little thing about movies.  Alan pushed me to review reference photographs and find out about structure and nature – all kinds of issues.  To Alan, if you will paint a road in London within the seventeenth Century, you’d higher know all in regards to the particulars of the structure and why the buildings had been constructed the best way they had been”.

Most likely the largest VFX present Disney ever produced was the extremely entertaining ISLAND AT THE TOP OF THE WORLD (1974).  A movie with a staggering variety of results photographs, from mattes to fashions to numerous travelling matte composites.  That is one in every of Alan’s mattes, whereby an in depth portray has a rear projected stay motion plate of the bottom crew filmed on the Golden Oak Ranch with VistaVision tools; a photograph cut-out of the miniature airship – mounted on a separate sheet of glass and animated a body at a time – and a lightweight bulb burnt in to simulate the brilliance of the dawn.

A partial {photograph} of Alan’s portray.  I did a complete weblog piece on this movie’s visible results years in the past, with a whole lot of background data, prolonged and detailed interview and behind the scenes materials courtesy of Harrison, and that article could also be learn proper HERE.

Earlier than and after ISLAND AT THE TOP OF THE WORLD, with portray mixed with actors on a set by sodium course of matting, which Disney used extensively.

One in every of Alan’s iconic ISLAND photographs, the place his surprisingly free brushwork and paint utility is close to impressionistic, but labored. Harrison informed me that he discovered a lot from watching Alan paint, who simply made easy photographs appear extra magical.

An incredible shot right here, and possibly my favorite Maley portray from the movie.  Apparently, ISLAND AT THE TOP OF THE WORLD was submitted to The Academy that 12 months for finest visible results consideration, although the committee rejected it.  Truly, EARTHQUAKE received that 12 months.

One other of the 93 painted mattes in ISLAND, with a soundstage set extension required right here.  Alan was one other advocate of the ‘massive brush’ approach, as was Peter Ellenshaw.

…”No one does it higher”

Alan left Disney within the mid seventies to pursue a profession in nice artwork – particularly artwork with a Victorian and Edwardian period theme – although he was coaxed again from movie retirement by his cousin, Peter Lamont, who was artwork director underneath manufacturing designer Ken Adam on many James Bond photos.  THE SPY WHO LOVED ME (1977) – one of many easiest in my e book (with O.H.M.S.S being an in depth runner up) – was an enormous particular results challenge with Maley employed on by Eon Productions to furnish a number of spectacular mattes and break up display composites.  This view of The Kremlin in Moscow, I’ve at all times been of the opinion was a painted matte (although I stand to be corrected if anybody can verify in any other case).

Alan is proven right here at work on one in every of his SPY WHO LOVED ME Egypt trick photographs.  For a shot of Bond approaching an evening present of The Sphinx, Maley painted in your complete scene – even the viewers – and matted in Roger Moore strolling throughout the sand behind.

Maley’s ultimate composite as put collectively by results cinematographer Robin Browne.  The painted crowd had been delivered to ‘life’ by the age previous methodology of scraping away bits of paint from the glass and introducing a rotating system in again of the glass to provide the phantasm of ‘motion’.  An historic gag used way back to the 1930’s, particularly by MGM.

Alan and the matte crew.  By the way, judging by the digital camera slate for SPY pictured earlier on this article, greater than 20 mattes had been made by Alan for this present, although I’ve solely ever noticed half that quantity?

The large cash shot in THE SPY WHO LOVED ME was this unimaginable pull again from a stay motion helicopter and crew, a tilt up, and a sluggish zoom in onto arch villain Stromberg on a railing!  All finished as a steady results shot, although fairly how, I do not know?  I perceive Alan used entrance projection for some matte mixtures, so perhaps it was utilized right here?  Good lens flare added too!  Nice stuff.

Larger rez body #1

Larger rez body #2

Larger rez body #3

Larger rez body #4

Larger rez body #5

Larger rez body #6.  Following SPY WHO LOVED ME, Alan briefly was introduced on board the following Bond movie, MOONRAKER by his cousin, artwork director Peter Lamont, whereby Lamont took Alan, Derek Meddings and Robin Browne to NASA for a particular guided tour of the House Shuttle, although I do not know whether or not he offered any results photographs within the ultimate movie, if that’s the case, with out display credit score.

A 12 months or two later ILM sought out Alan to take over the matte division from his former apprentice, Harrison Ellenshaw, who although a founding ILM staffer left to tackle Disney’s gargantuan THE BLACK HOLE (1979).  Alan supervised the quite a few mattes for RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981), as proven above, which received the Academy Award for the VFX work.

Alan’s composite from RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK.

The truck filled with Nazi’s goes off the cliff in a totally fabricated matte and animation sequence from RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981).  That is Alan as soon as once more joking round along with his impossibly tiny brush on an enormous piece of paintings!

The ultimate challenge that Alan would work on earlier than quitting the film enterprise for good and retreating to his real love of gallery nice artwork was one other ILM present, DRAGONSLAYER (1982).  The 2 recent younger trainees now underneath Maley – Michael Pangrazio and Christopher Evans – would comment how a lot they revered Alan and discovered from him.

“Sadly, Alan Maley would go away on the comparatively younger age of simply 64 in 1995.  I miss him terribly.  He was my mentor and an excellent buddy”.

                               Harrison Ellenshaw

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

THE KING’S THIEF:  Skullduggery and Swordplay

A reasonably mediocre costume epic from MGM, with all ill-cast Roger Moore in Restoration interval motion.

This 1955 CinemaScope epic has just a few good Newcombe matte photographs, together with a pair of lovely Matthew Yuricich work, which have not too long ago been shared with me by Dirk Yuricich, to whom I am most grateful.

Strictly run-of-the-mill, however the mattes are good.

Earlier than and after seventeenth Century London matte artwork by Matthew Yuricich.

Matthew rescued this and numerous different of his previous MGM period mattes from the studio throughout that horrible time when Kirkorian was on a rampage bulldozing the huge again tons and promoting off all of the props and artifacts relationship again many many years, with the previous Newcombe matte constructing being such a casualty, and a thousand mattes had been both junked or ‘lifted’ by opportunists.  Fortunately, an awesome many survived in personal fingers and have since proven up at varied film auctions and many others.

Shut up element.

You need element….Pete provides you element!  I am talkin’ to you Stix!

Basic MGM draftsmanship, underneath the supervision of the eccentric Warren Newcombe.

Sometimes, Newcombe would have his artists work with goache and nice pastel crayons to render their mattes, and though that does not sound ultimate, the outcomes had been very efficient, with MGM’s type of soppy matte blends being among the many finest within the enterprise, with matte strains not often ever seen.

Matthew had fond recollections of the pair of mattes he rendered for THE KING’S THIEF (1955)

Now, that is an attention-grabbing shot.  Actually, it is a stolen shot taken from an earlier Paramount image FRENCHMAN’S CREEK (1944).  The unique Paramount footage has been optically altered to suit the CinemaScope wide-screen format for the MGM movie.  The 2 decrease frames are from the unique 1944 film.  See beneath for more information…

A beautiful on set behind the scenes picture demonstrates the arrange for the unique FRENCHMAN’S CREEK gag.  The entire deal was a foreground miniature, with the big 3-Strip Technicolor digital camera mounted on a nodal head for a broad pan throughout the panorama onto the supposed chateau.  Attention-grabbing backstory right here:  The person within the white shirt is visible results cinematographer Irmin Roberts.  Irmin labored for round 40 years at Paramount although by no means favored to speak about his work.  On barely three or 4 uncommon events Irmin invited his household to a set to see what he did, and this was a kind of extremely uncommon days.  That is Irmin’s household up on the podium, and the younger boy on the stool discovered this extremely thrilling and ‘magical’.  I do know, as a result of just a few years in the past he informed me so and despatched me this picture.

One other attention-grabbing little story:  When the Paramount head workplace in New York heard that the manufacturing had ‘constructed’ an elaborate French Chateau expressly for FRENCHMAN’S CREEK, they hit the friggen’ roof!  Screamed blue homicide at attainable value over runs, till they had been informed the true story!  Although, as standard, I digress……….

A dapper, sword twirling younger pre-007 Roger Moore clambers out of the bell tower and climbs down a rope.  See beneath…….

A fully magnificent painted matte by the multi-talented Matthew Yuricich.  As an avowed devotee of utmost perspective matte photographs, this one’s an all out winner for NZ Pete.

Element

I do know Matthew was particularly completely satisfied along with his work on this troublesome shot.

Stunning element work and sense of sunshine.

Because of Matt’s son, Dirk, for sending me these fantastic photographs.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

MEXICAN HAYRIDE:  Hilarity South of the Border.

I just like the previous time comedy acts resembling W.C Fields, Wheeler & Woolsey, Laurel and Hardy, Jack Benny, Hope & Crosby, Olson & Johnson and most particularly The Marx Brothers.  This Abbott & Costello automobile is typical and good for quite a lot of chuckles.

MEXICAN HAYRIDE (1948), with Particular Pictures by veteran David Stanley Horsley.

From an previous version of American Cinematographer

The movie has a handful of relatively good mattes by Russell Lawson in addition to some cleverly executed optical gags by Millie Winebrenner and Ross Hoffman.  On this shot, greater than half the body has been added in by the matte division.

A twin airplane matte shot, with all structure above the heads of the extras being painted in, in addition to a separate ‘transferring’ airplane of paintings with the sky.

As with the previous shot, this too is a multi-plane affair, with stay motion foreground, painted bullfight enviornment and a separate painted sky with drifting clouds.

The primary comedy set piece includes Lou Costello having it out with an enraged bull.  Sounds fairly straight ahead however a great deal of optical wizardry was wanted.  The bull has been meticulously added to in any other case protected footage of Lou by hand drawn rotoscope mattes.  Horsley was an skilled at this kind of factor – following within the footsteps of his father Stanley Horsley and moreso, his mentor and former boss, the legendary John P. Fulton, to whom such optical puzzles had been like ‘bread & butter’.

Pretty lengthy cuts of the comedy motion should have required days (or weeks) price of cautious rotoscope work by Common’s Millie Winebrenner, with the bull charging from side to side, in entrance and behind Lou.  Millie was a very long time veteran within the results division, having labored with Fulton on the INVISIBLE MAN photos, Clifford Stine on THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN, Hitchcock on THE BIRDS and with Al Whitlock on numerous movies resembling DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER and EARTHQUAKE.

“So, who’s on first?”

Be aware the shadow underneath the bull, additionally roto’d in, however oddly dealing with the mistaken manner(?).  I did a large two half weblog some time again on Comedy Movie VFX, the place many thoughts boggling examples will be seen from different basic Abbott & Costello flicks resembling A&C MEET THE INVISIBLE MAN and plenty of others, the place not simply matte artwork however sophisticated optical gags are demonstrated – and they’re nonetheless very spectacular.  Click on HERE and HERE to learn the two parter.

Neat bit the place Lou crosses his eyes and the bull does the very same, with assistance from Winebrenner’s cel animation gag.  Apparently, Horsley had a celebrated profession at Common, with vital VFX work on issues just like the superb BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1935), and vital work on the entire sci-fi and monster reveals the studio pumped out.  His profession got here off the rails halfway by THIS ISLAND EARTH (1955) when, on account of studio politics, David was ‘let go’, because the Hollywood saying goes.  His former boss and mentor Fulton acquired him a job on the large TEN COMMANDMENTS over at Paramount shortly after, photographing the flowery titles.  Not a lot else was forthcoming till he acquired a gig doing blue display photographs for Fox’s THE LONGEST DAY (1962) and was D.o.P on the fantasy flick JACK THE GIANT KILLER the identical 12 months.  David’s final job was as miniatures guide on THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY (1976).

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

THE DEVIL AT 4 O’CLOCK:  All Hell Breaks Free

Nice poster artwork of the kind by no means seen anymore, sadly.

An enormous funds, all out catastrophe epic with an A-list solid of professional’s, THE DEVIL AT 4 O’CLOCK (1961) might need been a little bit of an excessively histrionic affair, however lots of the results nonetheless get up right now.

What do you get once you combine a religious, two-fisted, boozing Catholic priest, a horde of cute leper youngsters, a trio of stranded dying row bandito’s, a blind promiscuous native gal and a simmering volcano able to pop it is cork??? (no, this is not a joke…)

From the trailer

The movie is full of results photographs of variable high quality, although for essentially the most half, fairly good.  Some in reality are remarkably properly finished.  This shot has a (very, very massive) miniature volcano tender matted onto the situation set.

The enormous results roster for the movie had been the work of veterans Lawrence W. Butler, Donald Glouner and Willis Cook dinner – none of whom had been display credited.  Disgrace on Columbia for not placing up a single credit score for results!  Pricks!

The huge ‘miniature’ of the volcano and surrounding panorama was constructed on Larry Butler’s rural ranch.  The set proved a twin function.  Apparently Larry wished to have a giant synthetic lake dug out for his property, so the excavations had been excellent to construct up the DEVIL volcano.

Miniature added through blue display.

A glance contained in the gaping throat of the steaming, lava crammed beast.

The flick has numerous matte work too, of various high quality, with some being wonderful and others far much less so.  All the pieces right here painted besides a portion atop the (painted) bridge for the truck to proceed.

Matte shot clapper board of Butler-Glouner

The very best matte in DEVIL AT 4 O’CLOCK has at all times made me probably suspect Albert Whitlock’s hand as he did a good bit of labor over these years for Butler-Glouner.  As an apart, Al would later rent Donald Glouner’s son Dennis as matte and optical cameraman for fairly just a few years at Common and later at Phantasm Arts with Invoice and Syd.

Matted space with very properly blended in slice of stay motion truck journey as much as the leper colony.  That sky and receding gentle actually has a Whitlock really feel about it to me.

The chief advantages of constructing a bloody nice massive mannequin volcano, and taking pictures it out doorways in pure gentle.

The pyrotechnics scale very properly, and the lava circulation is spot on too.  How might Butler and Co. not get a damned display credit score right here?  Unbelievable!

Volcano mannequin matted in very properly certainly, and aided additional by introducing optical ‘shake’ on Glouner’s printer.

Now people, this sequence is a gem.  Our pissed off man of the material, Spencer Tracy, persuades pilot to fly a airplane over the volcano and thru the mud, ash and all of that volcanic shit, searching for survivors from the leper colony.  Brilliantly staged and photographed – you possibly can see the airplane there in these frames mid flight, and I assume it was an actual one filmed at fairly a long way for security, with the pyro away from the air flight hazard zone.

Be aware the small plane dodging the flaming rocks and lava.  Excellent sequence worthy of an Oscar nomination no less than… however do not get me began on Oscar injustices, not to mention fucken’ ‘display credit score’ omissions.

Now this is the way you replicate a volcanic occasion… versus instance pictured beneath(!!)

Now people, please remember DEVIL was made some 20 years earlier than the atrocious Irwin Allen catastrophe laugh-fest WHEN TIME RAN OUT (1980) – aka THE DAY THE WORLD ENDED in some international locations like right here in New Zealand (it bombed, badly!).  Terrible vfx work all through, even from the extremely skilled and multi award profitable exponent L.B Abbott, who appears to have phoned this one in!  Finest asset within the Irwin Allen flick was Jackie Bissett’s excellent, determine hugging T-shirt (!!)

One of many cinema greats was Spencer Tracy, although he just about mugged his manner by this one and chewed extra surroundings than Godzilla.  Onerous to imagine he filmed this the identical 12 months because the sensible JUDGEMENT AT NUREMBERG (1961)

One other matte shot with group of lepers, cons and an indignant priest on their trek to security (or not?)

All painted besides tiny slot of stay motion.

Minor matte repair, as with the previous days, simply to hide the highest of the stage and the lighting rigs and many others.

One other ‘high up’ matte, with higher rocks and such painted in as a soundstage repair job.

Mixture photographs, with higher involving painted foreground, stay motion set and massive course of display miniature motion.

Folks coming down by the bush.  Stage set with higher portion painted in, simply above the actors .

Full portray augmented with some miniature vegetation in shut foreground.

Largely matte painted, with areas of precise set to permit for actors to have interaction in dying defying feats.

A tough demarkation ‘between reality and fiction’ as I wish to name it.

Damaged bridge and a lava circulation some 500 toes down the canyon.  What may very well be simpler?

No less than they did not write in a few retired, aged, geriatric circus tight-rope walkers (!!) to get throughout, as Irwin Allen would do along with his close to equivalent state of affairs 20 years later!  No, I am not making this up.

Multi-part composite involving matte artwork, stay motion set and performers in entrance of a blue display, and Butler’s volcano spewing as background plate.

High-quality miniature work right here, and properly mixed with stay motion.

DEVIL has an enormous variety of blue display photographs – even for insignificant jungle trek scenes and such – with some bleed by noticeable at instances, with backgrounds ‘ghosting’ partly by actors.

‘Like a bridge over troubled lava…..’

I’ve written a lot prior to now about Larry Butler.  One of many legends of the trick shot enterprise, and a part of a household lengthy line of cinematographers and trick males going manner again.  Larry was head of results at warners for years and turned out a few of their finest and most memorable vfx work.  Movies such because the jaw dropping THE ADVENTURES OF MARK TWAIN (1944) being a nice instance that also leaves me shocked.  Butler moved over to Columbia and headed up their results unit for a few years, and fashioned a partnership with cameraman Donald Glouner.  Years later they arrange their very own unbiased results facility and labored on a ton of movies till they closed it down within the mid 70’s.  I believe all of Larry’s sons turned cinematographers, and notably did superb aerial camerawork on the nonetheless implausible TORA!, TORA!, TORA (1970).

Poor Bernie Hamilton will get the world’s greatest splinter in his stomach!  That is simply gotta damage.

Tracy on the left and Sinatra on the suitable.  Will these two foes come to some amicable association simply within the nick of time?  Unlikely.

Poor ole’ Spence has a kind of “Oh, shit” moments.  Yeah… the place is your so-called God now?

Extraordinarily good mechanical results and staging right here, for what I believe is among the all time nice eruption results sequences.  Makes most others pale as compared.

‘Sure…the Earth actually DID transfer!’

It is acquired to be the largest and most violent eruption because the daybreak of time.

Monumental blast that actually vapourises your complete island(!), engineered by pyro man Willis Cook dinner, and expertly break up screened into 2nd unit ocean plate.  Good refined ‘after glow’ added optically.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

KNUTE ROCKNE – ALL AMERICAN:  Bio-pic of a Soccer Star

Pat O’Brien and a sure Ronald Reagan star on this 1940 Warner Bros basic.

Older readers may properly bear in mind or admire the movie and it is sporting star.

The primary character was from Norway, or so the titles acknowledged…

Good matte artwork begins the movie off, with the Warner’s again lot remodeled into Voss, Norway.

Matte shot of the Westpoint Army Academy, across the 1920’s.

Byron Haskin headed up the Warners Stage 5 results unit at the moment and was accountable for assembling an skilled employees to create numerous trick photographs and outright illusions on lots of the studio’s movies.  Haskin was already an skilled cameraman by the silent period earlier than becoming a member of First Nationwide, which turned Warner Bros. round 1930.  Byron would a lot later go on to direct many notable options – often with a fantasy or science fiction bent – resembling WAR OF THE WORLDS, ROBINSON CRUSOE ON MARS and one in every of my all time vfx favourites, THE NAKED JUNGLE.

In his memoir, Byron Haskin spoke extremely of his gifted crew at Stage 5, Warners, which included chief matte artist Paul Detlefsen, matte cameraman John Crouse, results cinematographers Hans Koenekamp and Edwin DuPar, and matte painters Mario Larrinaga, Chesley Bonestell, Hans Batholowsky and Jack Shaw.

A montage of frames from a fairly exceptional results sequence the place your complete vary of seasons step by step change by a single vantage level.  (see beneath, and toggle by them to see refined adjustments).

Body #1

Body #2

Body #3

Body #4

Body #5

Body #6

Body #7      I presume this was finished with a sequence of glass overlays, with contact up work utilized?

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

THE BOY WHO COULD FLY:  Matthew and Michele gentle up the sky.

A fairly likeable teen fantasy flick, THE BOY WHO COULD FLY (1986) was loaded with visible results, courtesy of Boss Movies’ Richard Edlund, with a number of terrific matte painted photographs by Matthew Yuricich and his very long time buddy and affiliate, Michele Moen.

Now, till very not too long ago, I had no concept that this common trying road shot was something aside from an everyday road shot….. till I obtained an unlimited assortment of surviving Yuricich matte artwork from Matthew’s household (see beneath…)

Right here is Matthew’s exceptional portray!

Simply have a look at Matt’s sky…. such splendidly informal brushwork, seemingly utilized with abandon, however knowingly dealt with with the expertise and ability of a seasoned professional who is aware of simply what he is doing.

As Whitlock usually acknowledged:  “The true particular impact is the one which no person ever notices”.  More true phrases had been by no means spoken.

Moonlit evening brings out the urge to succeed in for the celebs…

Pleasant matte painted sky as child proceeds to flap his arms…

I am undecided, however I believe this down view is basically painted, as it will be the best and most secure possibility.

Likewise with this angle.  Presumably it is principally matte artwork.

…”are you certain about this?”

Multi-element photographs with matte painted metropolis within the distance and what I presume to be miniature buildings within the mid-ground to permit for a pleasant parallax shift.  Children added through travelling mattes.

A really good vista of your complete metropolis as the youngsters fly throughout.  Good particulars resembling neon lights flickering and smoke from chimneys.  Matthew Yuricich and Michele Moen had a good chunk of labor to do on this movie.

“Ever heard of the Mile Excessive Membership, child?”

A staggeringly stunning moonlit sky and cityscape.  Very poetic and ‘old style’ romantic.

The consequences in BOY WHO COULD FLY should have seemed one million bucks up on the large display within the mid-eighties.  Matte painted suburb with fireworks doubled in, as youngsters carry out in entrance of Richard Edlund’s blue display.

I can not assist however assume how damned terrible this might look if finished now within the ‘every little thing goes’ and ‘let’s push the pc to the bounds’ technology, the place they only do not know when to stop, what with insane VFX artwork route and suchlike.

…“I really like the scent of gunpowder within the morning air…it smells like victory”. (!!)

Honestly, I reckon this chick secretly prefers a extra, all the way down to Earth kinda man.

One of many authentic matte work.

“We actually should cease assembly like this.  Air Visitors Management are beginning to speak!”

In depth matte artwork, supplemented with smoke and interactive gentle parts.

Full portray with cel animated lightning and rain factor overlay.

Stunning sky and different particulars from Matthew or Michele.

The boy is however a wee speck within the distance as he takes to the matte painted sky.

Completely unrelated to this movie, an attention-grabbing peek at simply how a lot an skilled matte exponent has to undergo on this enterprise (the face says all of it).  I imply, this thanks card from Steven Spielberg on the 1941 set has essentially the most atrocious handwriting I’ve ever seen after my very own physician, and Steven could not even spell Matthew’s identify accurately, for Christ’s sake!

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

KARATE KID 2:  It certain ain’t Enter The Dragon, nevertheless it does have matte photographs!

I by no means went for these insipid KARATE KID flicks – particularly being a film-goer virtually raised on Bruce Lee (‘The Man’), Run Run Shaw, Golden Harvest and Jimmy Wang Yu epics.  KARATE KID 2 (1986) was solely delivered to my consideration by my grandson who at all times sits by the top credit on motion pictures, noticed a ‘Matte Work’ credit score for Invoice Taylor and Syd Dutton and, realizing my obscure curiosity in such issues, relayed this very important data to me.  That is exactly what grandkids are for!

The flick takes place in unique Japan, although could not have been shot there?  That is an unmatted location which can function the primary of a handful of matte photographs.

Here’s a very uncommon check body with Syd Dutton’s preliminary, unfinished model of the temple and the sky.

Earlier than and after with Syd’s ultimate model of the temple and gently drifting clouds.

By the point manufacturing was underneath manner, Invoice and Syd had left Common and opened their very own results home, Phantasm Arts, the place their operation expanded significantly with the demand upon their providers.

A subsequent lower reveals the temple at a more in-depth vantage level.

The preliminary body from a really spectacular little bit of results enterprise the place the youngsters come throughout the matte painted temple, as proven beneath…

Three half composite:  Matte painted temple and surrounds, with the pair of excited teenagers operating throughout the painted composite through rigorously deliniated rotoscope mattes courtesy of Catherine Sudolcan at Phantasm Arts.

Matte composite earlier than introduction of the rotoscoped youngsters.

I used to be actually impressed by this temporary scene and needed to run the DVD shot again numerous instances to look at the factor.

Development of the essential temple set which will even serve partly as a stay motion part for a fairly spectacular closing shot by Syd and Invoice.

The partial temple set masked off for the dramatic finale.

Check shot with slate of Syd’s preliminary portray, a lot of which might be considerably modified for the ultimate permitted matte tilt down.

The primary body from the ultimate matte painted tilt down.

The lean continues…

Ultimate stage, onto the stay motion set.

Comparability minus the digital camera slate on this check model, which by the way reveals much more painted info across the temple.  The ultimate display model of the lean is proven beneath…

Ultimate model…..Simply love Syd’s sky.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Two Tales of Two Fully Unrelated Whales…

1.  MOBY DICK:  The previous thirties Vitaphone model.

The timeless Herman Melville maritime story, MOBY DICK (1930) had been made earlier than as a silent (additionally with the identical star), and remade many years later in color and extra grandeur, however this model is fairly good on numerous ranges.

Whereas the fifties model could have been an even bigger and extra thrilling manufacturing, this thirties one has a wholly extra convincing Captain Ahab from John Barrymore, who was ideally suited.  The latter movie’s Gregory Peck was sorely miscast.

Warners-First Nationwide had a formidable particular results division, which I’ve mentioned at size on earlier weblog posts, the unit created many fairly superb illusions by their heyday of the thirties and particularly the 40s.  At left is founding results boss Fred Woodruff Jackman, who, alongside along with his son Fred jnr, graduated from the silent period on Hal Roach and Harold Lloyd two-reelers.  The gentleman at proper is Warner Bros. mainstay, visible results cinematographer Hans Koenekamp – a technician that future VFX boss and have movie director Byron Haskin would name “the best results man of all of them”. Years later Koney would state that he felt his finest work was within the Robert Alda-Peter Lorre horror flick THE BEAST WITH FIVE FINGERS(1946).

MOBY DICK had just a few matte photographs in it, however what impressed me most had been the ocean going scenes with whalers risking life and limb.

These whale looking sequences had been very spectacular for the day.  Use of miniatures, some kind of mechanised or pupeteered whale and most of all, the stunningly properly built-in photographs the place precise solid are seen within the chase boat with the massive whale forward diving beneath the waves.

These scenes are baffling.  The mixture photographs cannot be rear course of work as screens at the moment had been made from sand blasted glass, and illumination would falter badly so massive.  Maybe assembled as Dunning or Williams travelling matte composites, although very clear work it’s with no signal of ghosting or bleed by.  Maybe made with some very rigorously devised tender splits matting the 2 items of motion as one??  No matter, the work is very efficient for 1930, which is why I wished to current it within the weblog.

Properly shot miniature sequence by Hans Koenekamp, generally known as ‘Koney’ within the business.

The large storm sequence was additionally spectacular.  Wonderful course of projection and stay bodily results work with mechanical rocking set.

Now, that is neat.  Large wave sweeps over the deck.  Look rigorously and there’s a crewman standing there decrease proper, who will get obliterated with water!  I am inclined to assume this was sized miniature ship deck, and the crewman seems to be to be an actual man added in as a travelling matte, which is then roto’d to wipe the poor bastard out!  Spectacular.

Extra nice miniature work with each the whale and Ahab puppets articulated.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

2.  DOWN TO THE SEA IN SHIPS:  Grand journey on the excessive seas, additionally with a whale or two.

A kind of forgotten motion pictures that cry out for a good BluRay launch.

A terrific grand previous time journey with a sensational solid and excellent particular results, DOWN TO THE SEA IN SHIPS (1949) credited each Fred Sersen and his very long time proper hand man, Ray Kellogg for the intensive trick work.

Three of the business’s finest visible results males had been Fred Sersen, Ray Kellogg and Ralph Hammeras, all of whom served for almost all of their lengthy careers at twentieth Century Fox.  All had been matte artists by coaching although their experience would broaden by to different areas of trick work, with Hammeras excelling in results camerawork and miniatures for example.

The Fox backlot and tank arrange circa late 1940’s earlier than they constructed a brand new tank on their ranch at Malibu.

A nice solid:  the at all times wonderful Richard Widmark, the legendary Lionel Barrymore and most impressively, the younger Dean Stockwell – one of many greatest skills amongst little one actors in Hollywood. As an apart, Dean, who would seem in scores of movies over the many years, culminating in some wacky David Lynch initiatives, I used to be most intrigued to study that he died proper right here in New Zealand of all locations … although I digress.  As an apart, I reckon Widmark’s all time finest was the chillingly sensible British image THE BEDFORD INCIDENT (1965).  See it right now!!!

The movie is loaded with matte photographs, although I do want I had a greater copy or a BluRay to collect screencaps from.

Fox had a really massive matte division at the moment, with many gifted artists.

Ray Kellogg was Sersen’s senior painter, with Emil Kosa jnr being an vital determine within the division for a few years till his premature dying in 1968.

 

An incredible shot, although it was really lifted from an earlier Fox programmer known as SLAVE SHIP made some ten years earlier than.

Different artists within the Fox unit that point included Barbara Webster, Charles Hulett, Chris von Scheidau, Cliff Silsby, Max DeVega, Menrad von Muldorfer and Fitch Fulton.

Fox utilized the tried and true bi-packing of gently blowing foliage over their mattes resembling right here.

Results cameramen at Fox included Ralph Hammeras, Invoice Abbott, Til Gabatini, Walter Fort and others.

Wonderful whale mechanisms permit for astonishing ranges of articulation, full with blow gap.

Wave scale is great too in the entire tank photographs, suggesting numerous small followers off to the facet lending simply the correct quantity of ‘breeze’.

Good course of work too, with addition of dump tank deluge upon the actors.

Very thrilling sequences and so properly orchestrated.  That is Harry Morgan (of M*A*S*H fame and 200 basic Fox westerns) getting crushed with the quickly tightening line connected to the harpoon.

Simply after they assume issues could not probably get any worse, they arrive by the fog financial institution and collide with a damned iceberg.

Miniature element.

The film was submitted to The Academy for results consideration that 12 months, however oddly it was rejected.

The sting of the seat climax sees the ship wedged within the berg, with Widmark and Barrymore compelled to take pressing motion in actually manhandling the vessell off the ice.  A superb sequence because the hull of the ship is consistently swaying and violently ‘washing’ up in opposition to the individuals in dying defying moments of bravery.  Terrific full scale mechanical results finished within the studio tank, and I might say at some peril to the actors.

Splendid closing photographs, probably mannequin work however I believe maybe painted ship on glass in opposition to exquisitely rendered painted skies.  Beautiful photographs right here.

One of many authentic miniature rowboats now in a personal assortment.  Be aware the mechanism to simulate the oar motion, and certain that of small puppet figures.

A sensational publicity paste up from the Fox advertising dept.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

***This huge and completely exhaustive publish, and all 184 earlier weblog posts generally known as ‘Matte Shot’, had been initially created by Peter Cook dinner for nzpetesmatteshot, with all content material, format and textual content initially revealed at http://nzpetesmatteshot.blogspot.com/ 

Properly, that must do it for now.  I hope matte and results followers loved this journey.

Do give me your suggestions.

Until subsequent time…