Greetings pals. It has been some time since we ventured collectively down these hallowed halls of cinematic wizardry, although I am quietly assured the prolonged wait will show to have been definitely worth the wait. My good girl spouse of almost 40 years strongly feels I waste my time with these weblog posts and is totally satisfied that no one truly reads them, particularly given the scale of the typical put up and nobody right this moment has the eye span required. Is she proper?

As we speak I’ve tackled one thing just a little totally different. In lots of current blogs, such because the mammoth ILM two-parter, the emphasis has normally been on large, mega-budget showcases, the place as a rule, cash was no object, and high shelf services and practitioners of the results artwork kind had been in plentiful provide. This weblog put up we will likely be inspecting the extra financial funds results work for a change. The work lined right here right this moment represents varied elements of what might be termed ‘low price’ trick work. The greater than 320 examples vary from outright quickie ‘B’ films to formidable semi-professional tasks, by means of to made-for-tv movies of the week (and by no means seen once more!) productions, unbiased films by means of to Hollywood studio releases purely supposed as the underside half of some double invoice, that’s to say, again within the superb period once we had things like double or triple payments. We had a number of film homes right here in Auckland that would normally present 7 or extra movies again to again, with kung fu, horror, westerns and sexploitation being large drawcards. These had been the times. A staple of my youth!

I’ve put collectively a considerable retrospective from American, British and a small handful of overseas movie producing locales similar to Finland, USSR, Czechoslovakia and even right here, New Zealand(!) Most of the technical employees’s names related to the sampled movies will likely be acquainted, although in lots of circumstances the movies will not be. Whereas a sure variety of the movies and among the pictures could also be acquainted, I am assured {that a} sizable quantity will likely be solely new to most Matte Shot readers and followers of old skool visible results. I all the time attempt to dig deep. The examples illustrated cowl the vary of matte work, miniatures, cease movement, opticals and some full scale bodily results. Additionally, as a primary, I’ve included a small handful of extremely memorable old skool particular make-up results, the place ingenious prosthetic gags made a serious impression on me approach again within the day. I might do a complete weblog simply on particular make up fx, however will simply keep on with the few selection examples I’ve chosen right here for now.

I’ve all the time been keen on low funds flicks, be they tacky exploitation exhibits or properly which means although by circumstance, financial sci-fi films. I am usually extra impressed with what a movie maker can pull along with very restricted means over some trillion greenback train in self indulgence. So many nice ‘little’ 1930’s horror movies, 40’s comedies, 50’s sci-fi footage, minor thrillers and westerns, to not point out the good decade of the 1970’s the place the sheer variety of amazingly good, low key, modestly produced movement footage (non-effects movies) had been made – the likes of which we might by no means see once more as no studio exec would inexperienced mild ’em, although as common, I digress….
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What follows is, hopefully, an interesting and informative journey into a facet of conventional, handcrafted visible results usually missed. It isn’t my intention to ‘scoff at’ nor denigrate any of the technical work proven right here, as one should bear in mind the practitioners and artists might solely ever obtain what the customarily absurdly tight budgets and ludicrously unworkable scheduling would permit. There may be some nice materials right here to be revealed, appreciated and loved.
Benefit from the journey…
Pete
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A delightfully historic clipping I discovered in a really previous movement image trade journal, dated 1918, exhibiting pioneering results legend Ralph Hammeras (proper) and affiliate Ray Mammes capturing a miniature for an unidentified movie. I stay for historic paperwork simply similar to this! |
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***This put up, and all 176 earlier weblog put up articles, often called ‘Matte Shot’, had been initially created by Peter Prepare dinner for nzpetesmatteshot, with all content material, structure and textual content initially printed at http://nzpetesmatteshot.blogspot.com/
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An atmospheric matte shot from RKO’s programmer A GAME OF DEATH, directed by an up and coming status movie maker, Robert Smart in 1946. Matte artist might have been Albert Maxwell Simpson or Fitch Fulton. |
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This is a rarity certainly… the opening panoramic results shot as seen in BBC’s (stay) tv model of George Orwell’s NINETEEN EIGHTY FOUR (1954), starring Peter Cushing and Donald Pleasence. Longtime BBC vfx director, Bernard Wilkie provided this spectacular shot. Wilkie would go on to supervise all of BBC’s fx work for many years, with issues like DR WHO amongst many exhibits. Orwell’s novel stays one among my all time favorite books, and positively value revisiting each few years or so (now extra so than ever, sadly) , ever since my highschool English instructor had us learn it within the mid 70’s. Masterpiece! A subsequent British characteristic starring Michael Redgrave (and once more, Pleasence) movie got here out two years after this television presentation, which too is properly value viewing if you will discover it, and many years later Michael Radford made his definitive model with John Damage and Richard Burton – his ultimate and best function ever – purposely launched, unsurprisingly in 1984. |
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Les Bowie was an important cog within the UK trick shot trade from the mid 1940’s up till his early loss of life within the late 1970’s. That is Les’s splendidly evocative full body CinemaScope matte portray from the low funds Hammer flick THE ABOMINABLE SNOWMAN (1957). |
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4 uncredited mattes from the robust and violent gangster noir 99 RIVER STREET (1953) from United Artists. Good, understated film! |
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I could not resist throwing in these real vintage images from the very daybreak of movement image trickery. Love this ‘previous stuff’. |
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Jack Rabin and associates had been eternally related to ‘B’ films and second charge footage, and a variety of their exhibits are documented in todays weblog. Rabin started way back to 1927 with Selznick and later labored within the Fox and Warner Bros results departments the place he dabbled in matte portray, fashions and eventually specialised in opticals. Rabin shaped his personal optical home within the mid 1940’s. ATOMIC SUBMARINE (1959) was pretty entertaining in it is personal approach, particularly in case you, like me, like sub films. The sub mannequin, by the way in which, measured 3 ft in size. |
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Irving Block’s matte from ATOMIC SUBMARINE. Block began off as one among Fred Sersen’s matte artists at twentieth Century Fox within the 40’s and later served beneath his good friend Warren Newcombe within the MGM matte division and painted on epics similar to JULIUS CAESAR and others. |
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Roger Corman all the time bragged that he by no means misplaced a dime on any of the hundred-odd films he made. That is attributable to the truth that Roger by no means spent a lot extra than a dime on his productions! AVALANCHE (1978) was one thing of a laugh-fest, made on the tail finish of the ‘Catastrophe Cycle’. Extremely variable vfx abound, supervised by William Cruse, who a 12 months or two later would oversee the $20 million dud METEOR and recycle a number of of the AVALANCHE fx sequences, which whereas satisfactory right here, seemed terrible within the latter flick as soon as reformatted, cropped and stretched out to 2.35:1 Scope proportions with grain the scale of golf balls! |
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This AVALANCHE sequence was one which popped up once more within the dire METEOR, and likewise in a few made for television movies as I recall. Utterly gratuitous nudity (fortunately) breaks the histrionics and saves AVALANCHE from being a complete wash out although! |
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THE GREAT ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN KIDD (1953) was a type of Columbia serials of previous. I keep in mind a few previous serials proven with Saturday matinees, one thing lengthy misplaced right this moment. No thought about matte artist, however at the least 2 of those pictures had been lifted from different movies, with the decrease left bay initially being a spectacular Technicolor matte shot lifted from some other place. It re-appeared a decade later cropped to suit the Scope display screen in a Fox pirate film, and in color! You may discover it later on this weblog put up! Man, do I do the laborious yards all within the service of previous time visuals!! Ya’ cannot complain! |
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SSSpectacle in spades with this matte from THE ADVENTURES OF HAJJI-BABA (1954), distributed by Fox however probably not the actual TCF deal, because it was a Walter Wanger manufacturing. Cautious the way you say that final title! |
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The brothers Skotak – Robert and Dennis – have for a few years been a most important keep within the discipline of Oscar profitable visible results on many an enormous funds studio epic, as a rule, sticking to their tried and true primary no-nonsense, but pragmatic strategies. Years in the past the boys made this reasonably attention-grabbing little post-apocalyptic thriller THE AFTERMATH (1979). High pic exhibits the brothers establishing an in-camera glass shot of wrecked Los Angeles, to wonderful ultimate impact. See under… |
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The ruins of the as soon as bustling metropolis had been achieved by a lot painted alteration and in depth retouching over a top quality photograph blow up of Los Angeles, with some rigorously positioned foliage positioned within the foreground to cover the mix. |
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A detailed up of the Skotak matte painted additions. |
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Lots of THE AFTERMATH views of destruction comprised very good use of foreground miniatures, shot in pure mild – all the time a ‘plus’. |
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Whereas THE AFTERMATH was a little bit of a jumble, and sometimes missing, the Skotak visible results made up for the (quite a few) directorial and performing quick comings. |
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The minor however okay made-for-tv western AVENGING ANGEL (1995) did have a few good Phantasm Arts matte pictures similar to this one. One in all my Matte Shot very long time readers owns this one. |
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The dreadful Cannon Movies, Israeli produced and shot post-nuke quarry pit epic, AMERICA 3000 (1986). There have been a complete sub-genre of horrible films of this ilk round that point, largely out of Italy, and all of ’em unbearable. Blame MAD MAX 2-THE ROAD WARRIOR for beginning this development. |
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Now, this one was fascinating. THE ANGRY RED PLANET (1959) wasn’t half dangerous, even when the patented CineMagic course of made one crave for ‘full color’ after some time. |
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Sam Raimi’s ARMY OF DARKNESS (1993) was chock-filled with results work and nods to icons like Harryhausen. The pictures above had been extremely efficient Introvision miniature-front projection composites (see under…) |
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Earlier than and after Introvision work. |
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One other ARMY OF DARKNESS miniature earlier than and after. |
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Low lease, although inexplicably well-liked hi-jinks with the cut-price, cut price basement Bowery Boys, this time spherical in BOWERY TO BAGDAD (1955). The matte is a type of ‘evergreen’ work that appears to point out up endlessly in varied ‘B’ footage. |
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The identical matte as initially rendered in color for one more thriller movie. Fairly probably a Common or Columbia present some years earlier? This identical matte exhibits up in one other sci-fi flick later on this weblog, this time stretched all to hell to suit the CinemaScope body! |
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Yeah, I type of dig big bugs (or no matter) on the rampage, with the fifties knocking out some gems, normally on a micro-budget similar to Bert I. Gordon’s BEGINNING OF THE END (1957). Bert specialised in ‘bigger than life’ sci-fi with many independently made movies beneath his belt, and infrequently not dangerous all financial issues thought-about. Bert’s initials, B.I.G mentioned all of it! Give me this over some CGI bullshit any day of the week! |
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BUGLES IN THE AFTERNOON (1952) was a Warner Bros flick with Ray Milland. I might hazard a guess that maybe Jack Cosgrove did the matte artwork as that sky may be very telling. |
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A tightly made, but very efficient fifties monster present, achieved for little cash was the superb THE BLACK SCORPION (1957). Veteran all spherical results man Ralph Hammeras painted the glass pictures (a few of which catch the reflection of the cease movement puppet) whereas Willis O’Brien and Pete Peterson sorted the very spectacular and assorted cease movement sequences. |
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Extra nice stuff from THE BLACK SCORPION, the place extremely inventive digicam angles and lighting – to not point out digicam strikes – lend a lot to what might have been in any other case ‘drab’ animated sequences. Nicely value a glance and really beneath rated! |
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BLOOD OF THE VAMPIRE (1958) was a low funds British horror movie with a variety of uncredited matte pictures. |
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A quite efficient painted matte from BLOOD OF THE VAMPIRE. |
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One in all Irving Block’s mattes from THE BLACK SLEEP (1956). |
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Additionally from THE BLACK SLEEP with Jack Rabin and Louis DeWitt collaborating. |
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A bona-fide cult basic from proper right here in New Zealand was Peter Jackson’s first movie, BAD TASTE (1987). Shot on 16mm on weekends over 4 years with Peter’s mates and pocket cash from his ‘day job’, Peter hit pay grime with this one-of-a-kind splatter epic. Jackson not solely co-starred, however wrote, directed, photographed, edited and manufactured the extremely good particular results and prosthetics – with the help of his Mum’s kitchen oven for baking foam latex, and his Dad’s device shed for constructing miniatures! |
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Hey, I did let you know I might embrace a number of selection low funds make up results did not I? Zombie getting head blown off with 44 Magnum (nasty), and subsequent brains-on-a-spoon eating scene (that includes Jackson himself in a number of roles) had been present stoppers! They did not name the flick ‘Good Style’ for a purpose. Who’d have imagined Pete would find yourself with a barn crammed with Oscars a number of years later?? Basic! |
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One of many early characteristic movies that made Ray Harryhausen a family title was THE BEAST FROM 20’000 FATHOMS (1953), which like most of Ray’s tasks was actually an project beneath adversity to get issues wanting nearly as good as they did. Nice cease movement and composites. |
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Columbia’s THE BLACK ARROW (1948) appeared filler for the proverbial double invoice. Uncredited results would have been supervised by Larry Butler and photographed by very long time studio fx man Donald Glouner. Juan Larrinaga might have painted as he was a very long time artist in Butler’s results division. |
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The diabolically terrible Italian sci-fi intercourse movie, THE BEAST IN SPACE (1980) with Euro-leaze kitten Sirpa Lane, was as dangerous as dangerous can get. Supposedly directed by one ‘Al Bradley‘…. I strongly scent a pseudonym – a quite common follow in Italian cinema of the 80’s, and used with good purpose right here!. |
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An results imaginative and prescient from BEYOND THE TIME BARRIER (1960) from director Edgar Ulmer. |
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Swashbuckling on the Afghan frontier in Hammer’s THE BRIGAND OF KANDAHAR (1965). |
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BRIGAND OF KANDAHAR matte artwork by Les Bowie, Ray Caple and Ian Scoones. |
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One other slice of Kiwi particular results ingenuity with Peter Jackson’s BRAIN DEAD (1992), recognized within the US as DEAD ALIVE for causes which escape me. Above illustrates detailed miniatures of Wellington, circa 1955, created by newly established little agency often called WETA Workshop. The flick, naturally, is usually recognized for the sheer quantity of gore, bodily dismemberment and residing lifeless mayhem – the likes of which had by no means been seen earlier than, nor since! Kudos to Richard Taylor and Bob McCarron for in-fucken-credible make up results and prosthetic work. The right ‘date film’ says NZ Pete. |
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A properly made and taut little Columbia second characteristic, THE BLACK ROOM (1935) with Boris Karloff expertly cut up screened into twin roles. Matte artwork offers a superb gothic gloom. Strong thriller film. |
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Bruno Mattei turned out an excessive amount of sleaze, with Italian horror and cannibal flesh-chomping his common stomping floor. CALIGULA AND MESSALINA (1981) noticed Bruno bounce on the Bob Guccione bandwagon with this, actually simply one among scores of tacky Italian CALIGULA ripoffs, none of which reached the dizzying heights of the Tinto Brass authentic. Above is one among a few mattes within the movie, although I might guess my left testicle that it was lifted from one other Spaghetti extravaganza, and certain the work of somebody like Joseph Natanson, Emilio Ruiz or related. |
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Low grade costumer from 1954, apparently in ‘colour’, so why is my body in black & white I ponder? I really feel so ripped off! |
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This CAPTAIN KIDD (1945) is not to be confused with the one proven above. There have been loads of equally titled pirate movies. |
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Lloyd Kaufman’s two-bit outfit Troma put out a variety of excessive splatter movies within the 80’s, with THE CLASS OF NUKE ‘EM HIGH (1986) being one such instance. Theo Pingarelli was credited for matte pictures. Troma normally churned out third charge exploitation fodder, but did nevertheless hit bullseye with the basic THE TOXIC AVENGER. |
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The H.P Lovecraft impressed television film CAST A DEADLY SPELL (1991) was entertaining sufficient, and captured a beautiful interval flavour. Tons of vfx from a variety of contributors such because the Skotak brothers amongst others. Artist Rick Rische painted the mattes and glass pictures. |
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A revealing earlier than and after of Les Bowie’s Center Jap matte painted locale for the opening shot of the British movie CIRCLE OF DECEPTION (1960). |
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The late Jena Holman was matte painter for this sequence for the television film of the week CRASH ISLAND made within the early 1980’s. David Stipes was results cameraman. |

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Hammer did not solely prove horror flicks as many may assume. They made comedies, pirate movies, mysteries, journey movies, science fiction, dinosaur epics, struggle films… you title it. This shot is from the very low funds (but strong and thrilling) WWII drama THE CAMP ON BLOOD ISLAND (1958). Les Bowie was the uncredited matte painter with Roy Subject on fx digicam duties.. |
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Oh brother… they do not make ’em like this any extra! CAT WOMEN ON THE MOON (1954) ranks proper up (down?) there with FIRE MAIDENS FROM OUTER SPACE and ROBOT MONSTER in sheer madness. Jack Rabin was fx boss, with affiliate Irving Block portray the mattes. I feel they shot a few of this on left over units from Gary Cooper’s epic ADVENTURES OF MARCO POLO. |
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Columbia’s THE CROOKED WEB (1955) featured a number of lower than optimum matte pictures that did not appear consistent with the same old high quality to come back from Larry Butler’s photographic results division. |
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Two superbly rendered matte painted pictures from the splendidly atmospheric RKO basic CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE (1944) co-directed by Robert Smart. Vernon Walker was results chief, with previous time veteran artist Albert Maxwell Simpson portray the mattes. I am particularly keen on the superbly rendered snow lined park and bridge at left, a lot of it being painted to enhance a tiny set. |
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One other from the second-tier catastrophe cycle, CITY ON FIRE (1979). William Cruse was results supervisor, and sure, that is Leslie Nielsen there, earlier than he discovered his cinematic ‘humorous bone’. |
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4 wonderful mattes from Warner’s COLORADO TERRITORY (1949). Chief matte artist was Paul Detlefsen, with fellow painters Mario Larrinaga, Vern Taylor, Lou Litchtenfield and Chesley Bonestell on employees. |

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These had been truly fairly humorous, and immensley well-liked right here in New Zealand, with CARRY ON ABROAD (1972) being one among about 20 odd cheaply made entries within the lengthy operating sequence. The producer was one thing of a miser and the solid had been bitter in that they had been all the time working for peanuts, with even seasoned and skilled character actors like Sid James being paid an insulting pittance. The movies, by and enormous, nonetheless are amusing and provides rise to various chuckles, although the ‘woke’ PC brigade of right this moment would shudder in horror on the properly seasoned and innocent array of saucy gags! A Cliff Culley matte shot right here of a half constructed (and, as issues prove, half-arsed) ‘luxurious’ vacation resort. |
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Just a little recognized British shocker starring Boris Karloff – CORRIDORS OF BLOOD (1958) utilised mattes to determine the nineteenth Century interval. Fairly entertaining. |
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I grew up with all of these nice Irwin Allen television sequence of the 1960’s, and so they all the time impressed me and crammed me with awe and marvel. This is likely one of the mattes from CITY BENEATH THE SEA – a 1971 television film. Irwin’s longtime results man, Invoice Abbott was naturally chosen to oversea the varied results pictures, as he had achieved on all of Irwin’s sequence and subsequent options. No thought who painted this. Emil Kosa jr had handed away some years earlier, and it would not strike me as being the comb work of Matt Yuricich. The matte is attention-grabbing because it consists of dozens of tiny colored bulbs all wired collectively in the back of the paintings, with many holes drilled out of the assist to facilitate again lit blinking lights. Anybody who grew up with any Irwin Allen present would know the dude simply liked banks of flashing lights in every single place!! |
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CAPTAIN SINDBAD (1963) was directed by Byron Haskin – himself a veteran vfx man who’s profession dated again to the silent period. Haskin, as director, helmed many large results footage in his day similar to WAR OF THE WORLDS, THE NAKED JUNGLE and TREASURE ISLAND. The fx on this present had been supervised by Tom Howard on the British studios of MGM. Notice the higher left earlier than and after, in addition to the far proper excessive upward tilt, little question achieved with a dangling miniature. |
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Truly a fairly good little gangster movie, regardless of it having the Monogram label. DILLINGER (1945) had a few fast mattes, one with The Biograph the place the signage lights sparkle and blink, and the opposite with the Tucson banner. |
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The late Paul Bartel was fairly a personality, each as an actor and as director. Paul admirably helmed DEATH RACE 2000 (1975) for cheapskate producer Roger Corman, with the consequence being a splendidly darkish social satire that was an absolute hoot. The opening shot was this Matthew Yuricich matte. The unique portray proven at left. I do marvel about this shot as an interview with Jack Rabin states that he did the matte? Maybe he simply shot and comped the Yuricich portray. |
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Yuricich’s matte as seen as soon as cropped down for theatrical and DVD viewing. Animated automobile is seen passing by means of the ‘skyway’. Nice little film that Bartel nearly disowned when Corman filmed additional gore inserts and spliced ’em in with out notifying Paul. Amusing assist solid with the all the time good Mary Woronov and a chap named Sylvester Stallone no much less! |
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The inevitable sequel was the abysmal DEATHSPORT (1977), strictly an inexpensive cash-in by Roger Corman and his New World enterprise on the unique, vastly superior DEATH RACE 2000. Dreadful in each respect, with the one promoting level being co-star and former Playboy Playmate Claudia Jennings ‘getting her equipment off’ as they are saying. |
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The matte pictures had been painted by Jack Rabin, who as talked about, had begun his lengthy profession again within the matte departments of Selznick, Fox and Warners. |
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DEATHSPORT – see it at your peril… |
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DESERT SONG (1943) from Warner Bros. |
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Even low funds television films can dazzle with fx work. Ken Marschall painted this lovely matte for DANGER ISLAND (aka THE PRESENCE) again in 1992. Oddly, once I interviewed Ken a number of years in the past for a mammoth profession weblog he instructed me he had no recollection by any means of really portray this piece, although apparently, as soon as he stumbled throughout the paintings in his storage bins it is now one among his favorite matte work! |
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Okay, again to weird, off-the-wall movement footage… DEMENTIA (1955) – also called DAUGHTER OF HORROR on re-issue – should have had audiences strolling out and demanding their a refund when first proven! No dialogue by any means; stark expressionistic camerawork, with numerous shut ups of eyes and laughing mouths! This matte shot (which was a large pan throughout to some motion in a resort window) and a few wacked-out opticals by previous timer Albert Maxwell Simpson. |
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Costumed motion piece set within the seventeenth Century, THE DIAMOND QUEEN (1953) featured this good matte, with veteran results cinematographer Clarence Slifer credited for photographic results. Matte artists might have been Jack Cosgrove or Jack Shaw? |
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So-so fantasy journey with variable animation. DINOSAURUS (1960) was one among Venture Limitless’s assignments, with founders Gene Warren, Wah Chang and Tim Baar on results. |
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MGM did not normally dabble with ‘B’ footage, so THE DEVIL DOLL (1936) is a little bit of an uncommon entry. A enjoyable image for positive, with attention-grabbing ‘tiny’ of us, although these weren’t a patch on nearly equivalent ‘tiny of us’ sequences engineered by John Fulton for Universals BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN only a 12 months earlier. |
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The third movie within the ‘Lifeless’ sequence by George Romero, DAY OF THE DEAD (1985) was for my part the weakest of the lot. Not a patch on NIGHT nor DAWN, DAY does although have some premium Tom Savini bloodletting (ultimately) to make it value a once-over. This shot is a Jim Danforth painted matte, with an precise Miami location prolonged and altered invisibly. Apparently, late in manufacturing the director determined he wanted an further shot of the identical road however with out the hordes of zombies. Jim used the identical matte portray twice by portray in an apparently empty road with vehicles parked and so on, excessive of the portion the place the zombie extras had been seen within the authentic composite. |
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THE DUNGEONMASTER (1985) I by no means noticed, and from what I’ve researched was good judgement on my half. Apparently it took seven (sure 7) administrators to make this factor! This shot seems to be a form of Dynarama kind arrange, with a rear projected stay motion plate cut up screened with a foreground mannequin, a-la Harryhausen type. |
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Extremely esteemed visible results visionary, Willis O’Brien was largely recognized for cease movement creations similar to Kong, however few know that O’Bie was a extremely achieved artist and in reality labored as matte painter for rent on a variety of films. THE DANCING PIRATE (1936) was one such job, with these very early Technicolor matte pictures. |
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I keep in mind discovering this all so cool once I noticed it on first launch, DAMNATION ALLEY (1977) definitely would not maintain up properly right this moment. William Cruse and Margo Anderson supervised an enormous variety of optical results composites, from bizarre laser images for the matted in skies, big scorpion blue display screen comps and a few Matthew Yuricich work. |
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Pinewood’s resident matte man Cliff Culley did mattes for a whole lot of movies, similar to this entry within the lengthy CARRY ON sequence, DON’T LOSE YOUR HEAD which was set in the course of the French Revolution. |
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The results loaded (some may say overloaded?) sci-fi image THE DAY TIME ENDED (1980) began off very well and had some good concepts, however ended up getting swallowed by merely an excessive amount of visible grandstanding for it is personal good. This was one among a number of mattes painted by trade veteran Jim Danforth. |
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The spectacular Metropolis of Gentle matte painted shot by Jim Danforth from the identical movie. |
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One other nice shot from THE DAY TIME ENDED, which was also called VORTEX throughout filming. This sprawling matte painted shot was rendered by artist Dave Carson and properly introduced collectively as a rear projection composite. Years later Dave would be part of ILM I consider and did some portray on movies similar to HOOK. |
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Identical movie, with a stunning optical sequence the place homestead vanishes beneath a swirl of inter-galactic one thing or different (fairly what the hell was occurring, I dunno?) Peter Kuran labored on these pictures and has all the time been on the high of the sport when it got here to cel animated fx work. |
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Sam Raimi’s EVIL DEAD II (1987) had a variety of efficient visuals. Bob Kayganich was matte painter with Jim Aupperle as results cinematographer. |
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I lined the making of EQUINOX (1969) in an earlier weblog, with some nice behind the scenes pics. A number of mattes by Jim Danforth in addition to some strikingly properly executed perspective tips by Dennis Muren and cease movement by David Allen. |
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Within the pantheon of loopy mattes, this uncredited British matte from Marty Feldmans’ satire EVERY HOME SHOULD HAVE ONE (1970) should rank proper up there? |
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All through a lot of his distinguished profession, Ray Harryhausen was restricted by tight budgets and close to unworkable schedules, but nonetheless anticipated to carry out miracles, however miracles had been produced. EARTH VS THE FLYING SAUCERS (1956) was a miracle in what Ray managed to deliver to the display screen with Dynarama and far animated destruction. I consider Larry Butler, who was accountable for the results unit at Columbia, offered the varied optical results similar to drive fields and ray weapons and so on. |
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Present stopping mayhem with Harryhausen destroying Washington Monument body by body with wire rigged animated particles and such, all comped with the Dynarama RP course of. |
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Even a multi-million greenback large studio motion thriller like Tony Scott’s terrific ENEMY OF THE STATE (1998) can profit from easy low tech but imaginative tips. UK results man Leigh Took of Mattes & Miniatures created satellite tv for pc views of the Washington DC space just by rigorously sprinkling talcum powder onto glass. |
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One other instance of Leigh’s talcum powder clouds prepped for ENEMY OF THE STATE. Leigh realized this trick from his mentor Cliff Culley who had been within the J.Arthur Rank matte division from the mid 1940’s. |
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As talked about earlier, Bert I. Gordon specialised in films about ‘large issues’, and on this case FOOD OF THE GODS (1976) based mostly on an H.G Wells story, with big rats terrorising the solid. Bert designed, and to a big extent, executed lots of his visible results himself. This shot is terrific! |
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Extra vermin pest management issues in FOOD OF THE GODS – a movie I assumed considerably higher than critics hammered the film as being. Jim Danforth instructed me about engaged on some travelling matte pictures for the movie. |
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A wonderful composite shot from FOOD OF THE GODS – a movie I first noticed again within the day on a double invoice with one other of Bert’s ‘large movies’, EMPIRE OF THE ANTS – a very foolish movie {that a} can of Raid pesticide spray might have sorted. |
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THE FLYING SERPENT (1946) was barely an hour in size however appeared to go on eternally. No thought on who did these mattes. |
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I noticed FRANKENSTEIN 1970 (1958) once I was a child and it gave me nightmares for every week. This sole matte shot was clearly filched from another movie, with the intense anamorphic stretch giving the sport away. |
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Probably the most uncommon Brit black comedy set someday sooner or later, THE FINAL PROGRAM (1973) – which was also called THE LAST DAYS OF MAN ON EARTH for American audiences. Gerald Larn was matte painter on this movie, which he instructed me was the final project for the as soon as proud and busy Shepperton particular results division, with the studio shutting down all departments thereafter, shedding all employees and going ‘4 wall’. |
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One other of Gerald’s mattes from THE FINAL PROGRAM. |
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There aren’t too many issues as pleasing as discovering some obscure little movie I might by no means heard of that proved most gratifying and as an added bonus featured some dynamite particular results scenes. This movie is FRISCO JENNY (1933) – what you may time period a ‘B’ image – but a great one – from Warners that labored into it is neatly pushed dramatic narrative a whopper of an earthquake – that being the good San Francisco quake of 1906. Glorious results work from the studio’s properly regarded ‘Stage 5’, with high notch miniatures, full dimension destruction and really spectacular mixture pictures the place these are mixed with prime quality course of projection. For such a ‘small’ movie I used to be very impressed. Results supervised by Fred Jackman. |
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One other sensational thirties miniature shot from the movie FRISCO JENNY. The entire fx seem to have been shot in daylight, which is all the time a constructive for a convincing consequence. |
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Common made a mint from all these cheaply produced speaking mule comedies, similar to this one, FRANCIS GOES TO WESTPOINT (1952). Matte artwork by Russell Lawson. |
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The fifties noticed a truckload of area journey films churned out, most of extremely variable high quality. FLIGHT TO MARS (1951) from the poverty row Monogram Footage was mildly entertaining. The cockpit NASA kind know-how right here is hilarious. Irving Block and Jack Cosgrove painted the mattes for Jack Rabin’s fx home. |
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I nonetheless recall this being on television within the sixties, which at the same time as hokey because it was, FLASH GORDON (1936) nonetheless enthralled a child like me. |
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Impolite, crude, lewd… however a complete hoot! FLESH GORDON (1974) was a cavalcade of trick pictures of all kinds, and all carried out with an affection for previous time matinee serials of yester-year. I did a serious, detailed retrospective on this movie in an older weblog, and that could be learn right here. |
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Jim Danforth at work on one of many Throne Room mattes for FLESH GORDON, with a temp RP composite proven at proper. |
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The identical shot as scanned full body from Jim’s authentic 35mm trim. |
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Extra from FLESH GORDON with matte artwork, foreground miniatures and cease movement. A lot of main names within the results group had been concerned with FG. |
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Earlier than and after matte by Jim Danforth. |
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Most likely my favorite shot in FLESH GORDON is that this Danforth matte. I’ve solely now simply seen that the left aspect of the shot clearly exhibits the edge of the particular portray on glass in it is mount. |
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The misguided, sanitised sequel FLESH GORDON MEETS THE COSMIC CHEERLEADERS (1990) made approach too far into the toxic period of ‘political correctness’ to be of any consequence. Numerous mattes and different results although. Matte artist was Bob Kayganich. |
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One other of many movies about physique snatchers Burke & Hare, FLESH AND THE FIENDS (1959) was fairly good truly. No fx credit score however presumably Les Bowie, who did loads of mattes for unbiased producers when not gainfully employed by Hammer. |
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Albert Maxwell Simpson’s matte pictures FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON (1958), directed by former Warners’ vfx chief, Byron Haskin. |
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A Les Bowie matte shot as seen in GRIP OF THE STRANGLER (1958) that was in reality initially painted by Bowie for David Lean’s GREAT EXPECTATIONS greater than a decade earlier however not included in Lean’s ultimate edit. |
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Price-effective and never by any means even a medium funds fantasy present, THE GATE (1987) definitely seemed good. Randall William Prepare dinner supervised the in depth trick work which was solely ‘old skool’, with a lot use of stay in-camera compelled perspective DARBY O’GILL impressed gag set ups (high left and proper); dimensional animation; matte portray and rotoscope animation. |
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THE GATE: Mark Whitlock provided this spectacular dawn vista as one among two overlapping full work which had been optically ‘wiped’ from one to the opposite. Mark’s father, Albert stopped by and helped out with the sky based on results cameraman Jim Aupperle. |
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Whereas the primary movie was a enjoyable journey, the comply with up GATE 2-TRESPASSERS (1992) was totally forgettable. Rocco Gioffre rendered a few matte pictures to assist it alongside. |
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Additionally from GATE 2. |
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Expansive matte artwork from the Japanese GAMERA-THE GIANT MONSTER (1965) |
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GAMERA once more, with all hell breaking free in Tokyo. |
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Roger Corman’s New World organisation knocked out a considerably mystifying although extremely competent perils-in-space thriller with GALAXY OF TERROR (1981). Prime quality visuals courtesy of Robert and Dennis Skotak, with enter from a sure James Cameron as artwork director. Some nice beam-splitter composite pictures preserve the standard excessive. |
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Martin Landau starred in an oddball factor referred to as THE GHOST OF SIERRA DE COBRE (1965). Van der Veer Photograph Results had credit score for vfx, although the pictures with the unusual canter levered home atop the hill appears to be like so good I do not know if it is a matte shot or an precise deal with! The actor is cautious not to cross in entrance of the realm of the body with the construction. Any readers know if that is an precise property? If not, it is an excellent matte shot (??) |
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The beautiful Maria Montez made dozens of ‘B’ footage for Common earlier than her premature loss of life. Principally Ali-Baba style flicks and the like. This one, GYPSY WILDCAT (1944) was definitely forgettable, with not one of the wealthy flavour that the same old Arabian Nights costume melodramas had. Simply the one results shot, this Russ Lawson matte with fairly odd perspective. |
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Britain’s Ealing Studios produced so many memorable and far beloved ‘little’ movies over time. This present is THE GHOST OF ST. MICHAELS (1941), with this shot nearly definitely the work of matte artist Geoffrey Dickinson. |
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Tom Howard was accountable for the visible results for GORGO (1961), and far of the work seemed fairly good. Ton of motion, numerous mannequin work and a few tremendous opticals. |
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Poor previous Jack Palance should have been actually slumming it to be enticed to lend his title to the dire sword & sandal cheapie HAWK-THE SLAYER (1980). Cliff Culley supervised the results work, with assistant Leigh Took tackling the lions share of the matte portray chores similar to this instance. |
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Leigh Took at work, and the ultimate shot. |
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One other British present, this being the cult tv sequence THE HITCH HIKERS GUIDE TO THE GALAXY. I consider veteran matte and scenic artist Peter Melrose rendered these pictures. |
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British movie HOTEL RESERVE (1944) starring the all the time great James Mason. |
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The extraordinarily well-liked American television sequence MAN FROM UNCLE would spark the notion in some exec’s head that to splice collectively a few episodes, bang a brand new title on it and launch it to theatres would idiot the unsuspecting punter. Apparently it did, so that they repeated the experiment a number of occasions. This shot is from one such ‘characteristic’, THE HELICOPTER SPIES (1968). It is most probably a matte by previous time trade veteran Jan Domela who based on his daughter, painted mattes for the television sequence. |
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A Rocco Gioffre matte shot from the teenagers in peril horror movie HOUSE (1986). |
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The New Wave futuristic try at cinematic cult standing, HARDWARE (1990) would see a younger Steve Begg render the mattes. Steve instructed me he was strongly influenced by BLADERUNNER along with his evening shot of town. A while later Steve would go on to oversee all the vfx on the Daniel Craig 007 movies. |
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A uncommon matte in pristine situation from the television sequence HAVE GUN, WILL TRAVEL which ran from the late 1950’s by means of to the early 1960’s. Jack Rabin and Louis DeWitt had been credited with photographic results. |
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The above portray as seen composited (left) and a revised model proven at proper from one other episode. |
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Glorious miniature work from the Spanish-UK co-production HORROR EXPRESS (1972). The movie was a form of Homicide on the Orient Specific with monster and splatter, and a first-class journey it was too. |
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The Italians churned out one million sword & sandal muscleman yarns and each was the identical because the final. HERCULES UNCHAINED (1959) was typical of the style. |
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HERCULES UNCHAINED glass pictures of temples atop hills and so on. Director Mario Bava was an achieved visible results artist and provided trick pictures to a variety of his – and his son Lamberto’s – movies in addition to some pictures for Dario Argento. Mario is proven at proper with glass pictures from one other of his productions. |
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Uncredited matte pictures from THE HOUSE ON SKULL MOUNTAIN (1974), which I noticed years in the past. Was it a blaxploitation pic…? Voodoo or one thing? … I am unable to recall? |
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I grew up watching exhibits like The Monkees on tv (together with gems like Get Good, Hogan’s Heroes, I Dream of Jeanie, and even, dare I say it, The Banana Splits!). HEAD (1968) was the American Fab 4’s characteristic movie, and it is a blast! Madness prevails with Marx styled gags, weird cameos, breaking the forth wall, freaky dream sequences, counter-culture satire and a few nice songs, with the creme of the crop being the remarkably choreographed and edited present stopping ‘Daddy’s Tune’ routine with Davy Jones and Toni Basil that totally calls for repeat playback … simply sensible! Anyway, a heavy load of optical results pictures provided by Butler-Glouner flesh out the wacky unscripted craziness. Groovy, child! |
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I appreciated the Edgar Allen Poe movies that Roger Corman made within the sixties, and was all the time stunned that self confessed cheapskate Roger managed to current such wealthy manufacturing values up on the display screen that by no means in any respect seemed as low-cost as they most probably had been. THE HAUNTED PALACE (1963) is an instance of 1 such movie, and had some marvellous matte pictures similar to these, which I am strongly of the opinion had been the uncredited brushmanship of Al Whitlock, with all of the hallmarks of his approach. Larry Butler and Donald Glouner had the results contract and they’d usually subcontract Whitlock to color the mattes. Apparently Albert had a great relationship with Butler. |
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Eagle-Lion was a small unbiased outfit who made a variety of attention-grabbing movies by means of the 1940’s and past. HE WALKED BY NIGHT (1948) was a reasonably engrossing cop film, with matte pictures by Jack Rabin, who was credited with ‘Particular Artwork Results’ on many Eagle-Lion footage. |
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Ray O. Binger was an results cinematographer going approach, approach again, and provided the results on HEAVEN ONLY KNOWS (1948) for United Artists. |
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THE GIANT BEHEMOTH (1959) was a tragic, unhappy expertise, in additional methods than one. Directed by Eugene Lourie – who actually ought to have recognized higher – this monster flick was a turgid affair and completely reeked of cheapness. Once more, Rabin, Block and DeWitt had the results contract, with somebody having the intense ‘advertising thought’ to enlist the good Willis O’Brien on board to lend an air of status to the dire proceedings. The tales behind this movie are way more engrossing than something on display screen. Poor O’Bie – a legend within the discipline – truly did barely any animation on this factor, with O’Bie’s longtime offsider, Pete Peterson doing a lot of the work from home in his storage. Rabin was a little bit of an opportunist, and devised a myriad of how by which to increase the restricted quantity of cease movement footage by giving his optical printer a full exercise by ‘flopping’ footage, ‘zooming in’, re-printing and repeating pictures time and again to make all of it seem like way more animation had been carried out than was ever filmed. This movie wasn’t the one expertise O’Bie had with shyster movie makers, capitalising upon his good title and popularity. |
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An usually fairly intense little sci-fi programmer, IT, THE TERROR FROM BEYOND SPACE (1958) should have been within the thoughts of Dan O’Bannon when he wrote the primary therapy for what would develop into Ridley Scott’s sensible ALIEN (1979) |
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Uncredited miniature and scenic artwork from the above movie. Movie is loads higher than it’d sound! |
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Extremely esteemed manufacturing designer William Cameron Menzies directed this seminal fifties ‘B’ image, INVADERS FROM MARS (1953). Irving Block painted the mattes, whereas Jack Rabin did optical work and Theo Lydecker did miniatures. |
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An obscure 1940 automobile for the customarily under-rated Peter Lorre. |
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A putting imaginative and prescient of the not too distant future, courtesy of matte artist David Stipes, as seen within the minor sci-fi journey ICE PIRATES (1984). See under for fx breakdown… |
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David was an all spherical results man, with experience in lots of aspects of the artwork kind. Here’s a step-by-step demo of the great futuristic metropolis that David created for ICE PIRATES. Right here we see the unique stay motion plate masked off; the portray; the development of the miniature monorail and its observe. The monorail was shot body by body and remoted as a component to be matted into the decrease a part of David’s portray. The shot was mixed as a rear projection composite. David instructed me that he a lot admired Albert Whitlock’s work, particularly his well-known El-Practice shot for THE STING, which proved to be the motivation to make this shot. |
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Fabulous sky paintings from I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE (1943) – a low funds RKO chiller however a particular basic of the style. Matte artist presumably Al Simpson or Fitch Fulton. |
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Probably not an octopus as many assume because it solely had six tentacles to make for much less animation chores, Ray Harryhausen’s IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE SEA (1955) did a lot with so little cash. Fascinating shot with a sprawling matte painted San Francisco, most probably pinched from a wholly totally different movie, which occurred loads in Ray’s movies round that point, with creature and mannequin clock tower added later. |
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I did not know whether or not to incorporate this on this explicit article because the movie is a high notch and essential British true story; I WAS MONTY’S DOUBLE (1958) was a perfectly made although low key struggle drama. Shepperton Studios’ Bob Cuff painted this, and different delicate mattes for this wonderful movie. |
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Do not be postpone by the ludicrous title! I MARRIED A MONSTER FROM OUTER SPACE (1958) is in reality a terrific little flick, very a lot alongside the traces of the masterful INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS in nerve wracking unease. The star, Tom Tryon reportedly instructed Paramount “No approach am I showing on this fucking factor!” when handed the script, with the movie’s title laying aside various individuals. Tryon needed to do the movie as being beneath contract means they let you know what you will do! He ended up getting proper into it because the very fast shoot progressed and he and co-star Gloria Talbot (who was wonderful BTW) a lot admired the completed product. By the way in which, that matte shot above was stolen from an older Common comedy, PARDON MY SARONG, with Abbott & Costello. John P. Fulton supervised fx on each movies so clearly recalled the shot as a funds saver for Paramount. |
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Fairly a variety of delicate and genuinely jarring vfx had been utilized by Fulton – a few of which should have completely freaked out 50’s film-goers. This one’s a corker… our sq. jawed hero is not who his new bride thought he was (ain’t that the reality, guys?) – and on this brilliantly executed sequence a thunder storm reveals simply what the dude is manufactured from with nearly subliminal glimpses of his precise self throughout lightning flashes. Bravo! |
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Identical movie; one among Paul Lerpae’s wonderful optical transitions the place an ominous alien smoke absorbs the poor human inhabitants. John Fulton was a dab hand at ‘choreographing’ wonderful smoke/mist optical transitions in lots of movies when at Common, along with his jaw dropping SON OF DRACULA jail cell trick shot among the many NZ Pete Corridor of Fame in VFX Excellence. |
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Now right here is an attention-grabbing matte from a reasonably obscure comedy starring Ryan O’Neal, IRRECONCILABLE DIFFERENCES (1984). A part of the movie entails the making of a Civil Warfare epic, with some fx work wanted to create the battlefields. Ken Marschall painted this and some different very laborious to detect mattes, with affiliate Bruce Block on digicam and authentic adverse compositing. |
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Extremely low-cost Chilly Warfare quickie, INVASION USA (1953) made to money in on the Crimson Scare of the time. |
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Revealing behind the scenes pic, and equally revealing in fairly a unique approach, publicity images of fashions with fashions(!) Weird! |
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William Fort was lengthy famend for his (typically fairly good) low price chillers, normally bought with absurd theatre in-house gimmicks to scare the viewers. This movie, I SAW WHAT YOU DID (1965) was a serious studio launch for a change (Common), although I am positive a rapidly made and financial affair, with Albert Whitlock rendering mattes, together with an unlimited sweeping panoramic shot. |
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I am unable to consider each John Ford and Howard Hawks handed over this ‘epic’ western! What might have been! JESSE JAMES MEETS FRANKENSTEIN’S DAUGHTER (1966), with the legendary William ‘One-Shot’ Beaudine behind the digicam, so nicknamed as his popularity for not often doing greater than a single tackle any given shot, and squeezing each body of 35mm uncooked inventory as ‘usable’ footage. |
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Matte artwork presumably achieved by Jack Cosgrove from the superb Nicholas Ray western basic, JOHNNY GUITAR (1954). Extremely really useful for followers of non-formula cowpoke flicks. |
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Some not often seen frames from just a little recognized Czech fantasy-adventure JOURNEY TO THE BEGINNING OF TIME (1955) by Karel Zeman, who amazingly not solely wrote and directed this (and different style titles), but additionally was manufacturing designer and chief visible results artiste. |
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The authentic twentieth Century Fox model of Jules Verne’s marvellous JOURNEY TO THE CENTRE OF THE EARTH, made within the late fifties, which starred James Mason, stays one among my favorite movies. Nicely, this totally appalling 1988 remake is likely one of the worst movies of the eighties! So thoughts numbingly terrible it beggars perception. A number of results contributors concerned, with this shot being a Robert Stromberg matte. |
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From the identical movie some extra matte artwork, with Ken Marschall offering this primary charge full portray. |
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One other marvellous Ken Marschall full portray from the identical abysmal movie. I by no means understood what the purpose of scripting this sequence and setting into the script was all about? Waste of tremendous matte artwork. |
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KINGDOM OF THE SPIDERS (1977) was a enjoyable ‘creature’ romp, very a lot of it is period. William Shatner battles a by no means ending assault by creepy-crawlies with tongue firmly in cheek. Though laborious to differentiate right here, the ultimate scene has this huge pullback from a fuel station lined with spider webs out to an enormous ‘shock’ reveal the place the entire city is fairly properly buggered. Someday artwork director Cy Djurgis painted this massive matte. |
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I’ve lengthy admired and appreciated the Hammer movie manufacturing unit. Their movies had been typically of a excessive customary, each in performing and manufacturing values, which, given the small budgets and very restricted assets actually was admirable. KISS OF THE VAMPIRE (1963) was good, strong gothic horror of its day, with Les Bowie accountable for the results. Ray Caple was matte artist, assisted by Ian Scoones. |
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I used to personal a Tremendous 8mm print of KONGA (1961), and at the same time as a child discovered it fairly laughable… regardless that it was shot in ‘Specta-Mation’ (!!) |
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There have been some fairly good particular results to be discovered within the Japanese monster mash KING KONG VS GODZILLA (1962), the place, unsurprisingly, numerous issues get ‘squashed’. |
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That is one movie I might prefer to see remastered on BluRay. KRONOS (1957) was extremely imaginative and very well achieved on a low funds of simply $160’000. Jack Rabin, Irving Block and Louis DeWitt dealt with the in depth photographic results work, with the help of previous time twentieth Century Fox matte painter Menrad von Muldorfer who was one among Fred Serson’s originals again within the thirties. |
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Property values attain all time low due to that cruel metallic bastard KRONOS. |
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One of many many, many serials that got here out of the thirties, THE LOST CITY (1935) utilised the companies of vfx pioneer Norman Daybreak for the glass pictures. Most historians credit score Norman with inventing and additional growing the matte shot course of round 1910. |
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Republic Footage had been by no means a cash-heavy outfit, and made essentially the most of what they’d, usually extraordinarily properly. THE LADY AND THE MONSTER (1944). In-house particular results supervisors, Howard and Theodore Lydecker had lengthy offered excessive degree experience to the small studio with their extremely expert miniature results, with lots of their pictures turning into ‘library inventory pictures’ for different studios to utilise. |
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LADY AND THE MONSTER miniature. |
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Identical movie with miniature skillfully matted onto stay motion space. |
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The sequence proven right here is most fascinating. The movie was one among director Ken Russell’s extra outlandish (if that is in any respect doable?) footage, LISZTOMANIA (1975) – a movie that needed to be seen to be believed, consider me! The climax entails Roger Daltry (as 18th century pop idol, Franz Liszt) piloting a form of jet powered Cathedral organ(!), full of groupies and fitted out with lasers, which swoops over WWII devastated Berlin, firing it is lasers on the Frankenstein monster (no, I am not making this up) and blowing the lumbering, stitched collectively bastard to kingdom come! In response to fx man Ian Scoones, he bought a name from Les Bowie asking for assist to do that sequence as an insert, although, as common, for subsequent to no cash. Bowie and Scoones constructed a tower 16 ft excessive on the Bray backlot for fx cameraman Harry Oakes to movie a swoop down over Berlin. Scoones says: “Les bought these cardboard bins and tore them so that there have been irregular edges to every aspect, positioned them like buildings aspect by aspect and sprayed them black. He then bought me to shovel all this ash from a bonfire as much as the bins, and that was all of the rubble. Then we put titanium tetrachloride – which is a poisonous smoking chemical, throughout the bins, plus some black smoke from burning diesel rags contained in the bins. Les then mentioned “Proper, let’s zoom in on that Harry!” So Harry Oakes zoomed in on it. He mentioned he’d bought it and we completed by 11.30, so Les mentioned, “Proper…down the pub!” That was it, and on display screen it seemed unbelievable. It seemed similar to Berlin within the blitz.” *Notice: I’ve loved lots of Ken Russell’s movies, with THE DEVILS, starring Oliver Reed (by no means higher) and Vanessa Redgrave made 4 years earlier, being an outright masterpiece – a movie that the executives at Warner Bros positively fucking hated, with a ardour bordering on hysteria! A one among a sort expertise, particularly in case you handle to catch a uncommon uncut print. |
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A barely noticeable foreground glass shot from the superb British WWII psychological drama, THE LONG AND THE SHORT AND THE TALL (1961). All takes place in Burma although filmed solely on inside sound phases which proved handiest in ratcheting up the strain with a claustrophobic animosity and distrust between the person Brit troopers beneath a lot strain. Good movie. |
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The fully bananas thriller/thriller LAST RITES (1988) did have, in it is favour, a few good matte painted pictures by Mark Whitlock – son of legendary painter, Albert. |
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A favourite slice of insane 70’s a number of style crossover was the deliriously loopy LEGEND OF THE 7 GOLDEN VAMPIRES (1974) – a blood soaked tri-production between Britain’s Hammer, Hong Kong’s Run Run Shaw and American big, Warner Bros. I’ve all the time had a tender spot for this movie… I imply, hell… it is bought the all the time great Peter Cushing; Chinese language vampires; a sultry Swedish sex-kitten; kung fu battles; throat slittings; sluggish movement zombies and this Les Bowie matte shot of Dracula’s new bachelor pad and distant mountain vary in China(!) This flick has all of it! |
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The favored movement image LOGAN’S RUN (oh man, did I’ve a crush on Jenny Agutter!) spurned a television sequence spin off which, I assume, wasn’t too dangerous again within the day as I recall. As soon as once more, Matthew Yuricich was tasked with offering some matte pictures. Heather Menzies (above proper) subbed for the beautiful Jenny for the television sequence and left fairly an impression too. |
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LANCELOT AND GUINEVERE (1963), which was retitled SWORD OF LANCELOT for US theatres, was a energetic interval motion journey that seemed good on a decent funds. Les Bowie painted a variety of mattes (all achieved as foreground glass pictures) with trainee assistant Ian Scoones lending a hand. |
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Identical movie; Les Bowie’s grand Medieval fortress painted to mix with a facade constructed on location establishing the decrease units of home windows and drawbridge. |
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Bowie and crew cleverly launched extremely efficient and life like broad pan strikes throughout landscapes onto painted castles for a number of pictures within the movie. Apparently, that very same tree seems within the different ‘matte pan’ pictures too for various scenes, so clearly that tree was a part of the trick the place the glass painted castles had been mounted/secured. |
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One other LANCELOT AND GUINEVERE shot painted and executed by Les Bowie. The pic at left demonstrates the painted fortress on glass on location whereby the matte artwork is not but aligned appropriately to mix in with the Yugoslavia location. At proper is the ultimate CinemaScope shot as made straight onto authentic adverse. |
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MANHUNT IN SPACE (1954) was one among many low-cost and spartan area adventures made within the fifties. Mattes had been by Jack R.Glass who labored on a ton of ‘B’ films and far tv exhibits from 1949 by means of to round 1959. Jack was born in 1915 and died in 2001. |
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This one was an incredible instance of a lot being achieved for comparatively little; MOONTRAP (1989) starred former Trekkie Walter Koenig and Bruce Campbell. Some tremendous matte work on this little present, with Bob Kayganich portray mattes. |
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Bob Kayganich matte artwork. |
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One other matte from MOONTRAP |
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I’ve seen a whole lot of Hong Kong films over time (although discover now that Korean cinema is in a category of it is personal so far as intense thrillers go). THE MIGHTY PEKING MAN (1977) was just about a carbon copy of 100 Japanese monster flicks, however did have its moments right here and there, although you have actually seen all of it earlier than. |
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I need to thank a daily reader (hey Steven…I am speaking to you!) for giving me the heads up on this remarkably good ‘little’ Columbia thriller. MY NAME IS JULIA ROSS (1945) was a title I might by no means heard of, but turned out to be a superb, very properly made psychological drama with strongly efficient Hitchcock-esq themes. This glorious matte units up the forboding environment so properly. |
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THE MAN FROM PLANET X (1951) with results by Jack Rabin and associates, although I did learn someplace that the movie’s director, Edgar Ulmer apparently painted that high proper fortress shot himself. |
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Les Bowie was credited right here as ‘The Bowie Organisation’ for the fx with this matte in Morecombe and Smart’ comedy THE MAGNIFICENT TWO (1967). A really humorous duo sadly missed whose comedian timing was impeccable. |
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As I mentioned in my intro, I’ve chosen a number of selection make up results to thrill and disgust. Here’s a jarring shock reveal for Fay Wray from Michael Curtiz’ MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM (1933) in very early two-tone Technicolor no much less. |
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Extremely disturbing I am positive for audiences of The Melancholy period, due to Warner’s make up artists Perc Westmore and Ray Romero. |
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It appears each studio needed to have a gal being kidnapped by an ape man, with Paramount being no totally different. THE MONSTER AND THE GIRL (1941) has matte work by Jan Domela. |
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Arguably one of many ‘remade’ and ‘re-imagined’ tales ever was THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME (1932) which nonetheless to this present day crops up in varied incarnations, Byron Crabbe made the glass pictures, and no, your eyes aren’t deceiving you; that decrease proper ‘log throughout the chasm’ glass painted vista was additionally utilized in KING KONG, as each movies had been shot again to again on the identical phases at RKO with a lot of the identical crew and solid! |
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One other multi-element results shot from THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME the place matte artwork, cease movement birds in flight and so on have been mixed with stay motion with the Dunning travelling matte course of. |
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Like Common, Columbia Footage churned out scores of those Aladdin kind second options. No less than one among these mattes (center backside) has proven up in a bunch of different movies. |
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MONSTER FROM THE GREEN HELL (1958) matte shot by Irving Block. |
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Extra of that big wasp from MONSTER FROM GREEN HELL, with results by Gene Warren, Jack Rabin, Jess Davison, Irving Block and Paul Blaisdell. |
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The Spanish made Jules Verne fantasy journey, THE MYSTERY OF MONSTER ISLAND (1981) was strictly for kiddies. Emilio Ruiz del Rio supervised the results, with foreground work, glass pictures and perspective miniatures. |
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I by no means actually cared for the man-in-a-rubber-suit ‘stomping monster’ films from Japan, however among the science fiction movies of previous had been fairly good THE MYSTERIANS (1959) had numerous ingenious visuals by the good Eiji Tsuburaya and his most ready group. |
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A younger Mark Sullivan painted and composited this invisible matte shot early in his profession for a television film titled MURDER ME, MURDER YOU (1982) |
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Within the spy mad sixties, Columbia knocked out a quartet of Dean Martin-Matt Helm spy spoofs, all containing mattes and trick pictures of varied varieties, and made rapidly on restricted budgets. That is MURDERER’S ROW (1966) and this matte portray was achieved at Movie Results of Hollywood. |
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These oldies are fairly a buzz. THE MYSTERIOUS DR FU MANCHU (1929) was a really early talkie with matte artwork by Jan Domela and results images by Irmin Roberts. I do not assume Gordon Jennings was at Paramount but. Possibly Roy Pomeroy ran the fx dept?? |
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I feel MANIAC (1962) was a Hammer movie. Matte pictures by Les Bowie and Ray Caple. |
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The 16mm dino epic A NYMPHOID BARBARIAN IN DINOSAUR HELL (1990) had mutants, cease movement creatures and glass pictures – all provided by the director and creator Brett Piper. Sadly, the title guarantees excess of it delivers, and was disappointingly sanitised. Notice the glass shot the place the body assist is seen. |
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Ninja’s had been all the craze by means of the 80’s, with this superbly painted and composited matte by Jim Danforth from NINJA III-THE DOMINATION (1984) |
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Right here is one other of these little ‘B’ movies I might by no means heard of, however stumbled throughout by chance – NIGHT KEY (1937) with Boris Karloff in a non-horror function. A neatly wrapped crime story with a easy sci-fi undertone. Totally loved it! John P. Fulton did the results, with cool cel animation and a Russ Lawson matte of NY city. |
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I guess no reader of this weblog has ever heard of Cirio H. Santiago? He directed round 100 low funds Filipino exploitation and motion flicks similar to this one, NAKED VENGEANCE (1985). Sleaze, tits and retribution come thick and quick in Cirio’s in depth high-brow again catalogue: T.N.T JACKSON (“…she’ll put you in traction”); EBONY, IVORY AND JADE (…”they will match each man ever made, with fist, foot & blade”); NAKED FIST (…”she makes a seduction with destruction”); THE MUTHERS and who might neglect VAMPIRE HOOKERS? Nicely, the body above is a glass shot, primarily to attempt to disguise the truth that the movie was shot in The Philippines however is supposed to be Washington State … however who’d ever know the distinction? |
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Again to Hammer Movies once more… two frames from NIGHTMARE (1964), with Ray Caple portray the highest matte of the psychological hospital, and the distant view under, aided with some foreground miniature dressing by Ian Scoones. |
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Hal Roach Studios usually made Laurel & Hardy comedies and small movies, which made ONE MILLION BC (1940) fairly an formidable affair. Numerous Oscar nominated visible results that also look good 70 odd years later, so good in reality that lots of the sequences had been regularly lifted and spliced into dozens of different movies and television exhibits over time. Roy Seawright was the Hal Roach photographic results chief. |
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ONE MILLION BC Jack Shaw matte shot. |
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For the massive volcanic disaster within the remake ONE MILLION YEARS BC (1966), Ray Harryhausen enlisted occasional collaborator Les Bowie, who together with miniatures professional George Blackwell and assistant Ian Scoones created a formidable sequence, supposedly for simply 1100 UK Kilos. The lava was porridge with crimson dye and the earthquake consisted of easy tabletop fashions, with extras added by travelling matte after the actual fact, |
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PICKUP ALLEY aka INTERPOL (1958) with a most intriguing solid, together with the all the time nice Trevor Howard and the enormously proficient Anita Ekberg(!) |
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Matte painted fortress by Ray Caple for PRISONERS OF THE LOST UNIVERSE (1983). The ad-art guarantees far more than this B grade flick might ever hope to ship. |
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Middling movie of one of many best maritime mysteries, PHANTOM SHIP aka MARY CELESTE (1936). A ‘Assured Image’ by all accounts.. |
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Ray Milland each starred in and directed this post-nuke survival story PANIC IN YEAR ZERO (1962). Very environment friendly, gripping and at occasions downright nasty. Nice mushroom cloud matte shot enveloping Los Angeles! |
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A lot of vfx of us labored on PLANET OF THE DINOSAURS (1977), with Jim Aupperle proven high with cease movement puppet, and Jim Danforth under at work on a matte shot. |
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One other ingenious little bit of matte portray by Jim Danforth that brilliantly creates a cave the place there by no means was one. It is matte trickery like this ‘repair’ that all the time fascinates me greater than the large, spectacular kind of matte. |
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A pair of mattes from THE PIRATES OF TORTUGA (1961). The underside shot is intriguing because it’s from at the least 2 different older movies, one among which is the 1940’s serial THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN KIDD, which was in black and white, and not CinemaScope, so it was clearly a color matte shot from some even earlier movie. The unique 1.33:1 body has been very efficiently cropped in to meet the Scope 2.35:1 facet for this 1961 movie, whereas such an ‘optical re-jig’ would usually undergo badly. |
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I’ve already talked about William Fort – the person directed so many various genres although he was eternally related to horror. PROJECT X (1968) nevertheless falls into the indescribable class. One thing about cryogenics, spies and far completely freaked out psychedelic sensory overload that should have delighted the druggie fraternity no finish again within the day! Tons of visible results by Paramount’s veteran opticals professional Paul Lerpae, with further ‘particular sequences’ by Hanna-Barbera of all individuals! |
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THE PEOPLE THAT TIME FORGOT (1977), with results by John Richardson and Ian Wingrove. No credit score for matte pictures, however possibly Cliff Culley or Leigh Took? |
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The very eerie and properly acted chiller THE REINCARNATION OF PETER PROUD (1975) utilised Jim Danforth’s abilities to create a landmark lakeside lodge at two totally different time intervals. |
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It is a toss up as as to if Columbia or Common had the monopoly on pirate costumers, although these frames are from Uni’s THE PIRATES OF MONTEREY (1947), with a number of good Technicolor mattes by Russell Lawson. |
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Matte artwork and miniature work by Jack Glass from PROJECT MOONBASE (1953). |
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Oh brother…what had been they pondering? The Zsa Zsa Gabor interstellar laugh-fest QUEEN OF OUTER SPACE (1958) was a giggle certainly. Surprisingly, the results had been achieved by the good Jack Cosgrove – one of many foremost matte artists, liable for such mighty achievements as GONE WITH THE WIND and plenty of different status footage. |
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The opening shot from QUEEN OF OUTER SPACE was in reality from a completely totally different film(s), with the squashed out faux Scope format a lifeless giveaway that it was from a ‘flat’ movie initially. The portray appears to be like like both a Common or Columbia matte and appeared in, amongst others, BOWERY TO BAGDAD in b&w. |
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I am perplexed right here… QUEEN KONG (1977) was a intentionally ‘dangerous film’, performed strictly for affordable laughs, with tacky fx being achieved on function I am positive. High proper body is odd, with what I am sure is a big picnic desk proper there in shot as Queen Kong busts down the wall! . |
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This one’s an attention-grabbing ‘misplaced’ shot – from the favored television sequence RANDALL & HOPKIRK made within the early 70’s, which if I recall was a couple of ghost. The matte painted portion is perplexing because it nearly, however not fairly, appears to be like like a part of the huge glass portray rendered within the 40’s at Fox for the musical STATE FAIR, however presumably modified so as to add extra on the proper? |
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A neat behind the scenes glimpse on the miniature arrange on the Hal Roach Studios for the movie ROAD SHOW (1941) |
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I quite loved ROCKETSHIP XM (1950), and appreciated the photographic results of Jack Rabin and matte artist Irving Block. A long time later some enterprising results of us bought collectively and shot a number of further results scenes for the movie for a video version. |
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Ken Marschall painted this full matte for Dan O’Bannon’s amusing RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD (1985). Nice theme music on this flick! |
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I do not know if this movie ever bought completed or proven, RAIDERS OF THE STONE RING was a late 60’s or early 70’s undertaking for a variety of then budding vfx males similar to Dennis Muren and others. Nice instance right here of inventive foreground perspective images. |
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The very formidable and at occasions fairly an thrilling journey, ROBOT JOX (1989), from the, at occasions doubtful Charles Band manufacturing home. Glorious and plentiful vfx all through, with cease movement, opticals, miniatures and better of all terrific ‘stay’ puppeteered robotic mayhem executed in digicam at precise desert settings. David Allen was results supervisor and lead a big crew. I nonetheless have the VHS copy of this. |
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Fabulous behind the scenes take a look at the marionette programs and rigging. That is David Allen at proper doing cease movement in a extra managed setting. Nicely value a go to with the fabric wanting one million bucks on display screen. |
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Republic Footage might have been a tiny studio, however they made loads of high quality product with very restricted assets. ROCK ISLAND TRAIL (1950) was one such movie, with the same old high quality Lydecker miniatures and a few tremendous matte artwork. Early period matte artist Lewis Physioc had a protracted affiliation with Republic, so he might have had a hand within the matte artwork? |
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A forgotten matte earlier than and after was a Matthew Yuricich shot from the made for tv film SANDBURG’S LINCOLN (1974). Matthew defined in my 2012 in depth oral historical past how he needed to combat the director on this shot as they wished the actors to carry out properly past the restrict of the masked off matte line, with Yuricich having to clarify, with exasperation, that the individuals will disappear after which reappear like some silent film joke gag!!! |
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Republic’s SINGING GUNS (1950) with a most fanciful imaginative and prescient of the previous west. |
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I’ve by no means seen this one, SLAVE GIRLS FROM BEYOND INFINITY (1987) seems to be one among William Shakespeare’s lesser recognized works. My good friend Mark Wolf, who penned a marvellous ebook lately, Smoke and Mirrors, on conventional particular results, was vfx supervisor on this present. I am positive he has some tales to inform… |
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An authentic matte portray from the sci-fi flick STRANGE INVADERS (1983). IMDB listing a big vfx crew, together with the Skotak brothers, with Jay Roth as ‘visible results artist’. |
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Shut up element. |
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Till Peter Jackson got here alongside, New Zealand had by no means ever ventured into any form of visible results, with cinema right here being very ‘dry’, minimalist and largely uneventful. Geoff Murphy’s THE QUIET EARTH (1985) was the primary characteristic to require any vfx work, with this memorable climatic shot being the primary ever matte shot. Famed NZ gallery artist Brent Wong painted the massive matte, with Murphy trying our first authentic adverse composite with the held take-rewind the movie methodology. With John Scott’s magnificent orchestral rating, the scene stays indelible, although arguably perplexing. |
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I feel SPACEWAYS (1953) was a Hammer manufacturing if my reminiscence serves me. Watchable sufficient, although not excellent. Matte pictures by Les Bowie. |
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Allied Artists tended to specialize in low finish product, with SABU AND THE MAGIC RING (1957) being easy matinee fodder to fill a double invoice. Curiously, the poster states ‘Shade’, whereas the YouTube print was in b&w. They usually made b&w 16mm prints from colour originals for television broadcast within the previous days. The matte right here is one other of these ‘stolen’ pictures seen in dozens of comparable movies of this ilk, and might be of Columbia origin. Movie is noteworthy for costarring William Marshall – an excellent black actor with a most commanding presence who finally discovered cult standing as BLACULA in a pair of very cool 70’s flicks. |
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A lot of mattes make SLAVE SHIP (1937) not a nasty movie by any stretch. The higher center shot of a busy port appeared in a number of Fox movies similar to the superb DOWN TO THE SEA IN SHIPS, some 12 years later. |
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The late Larry Cohen was typically a whole schlock-meister, to place it flippantly, however typically knocked one out that was fairly gratifying. THE STUFF (1985) was a enjoyable little film, with some attention-grabbing results similar to this ingenious and fairly complicated shot, as described right here by Jim Danforth, from the primary quantity of his important and meticulously detailed memoir Dinosaurs, Dragons & Drama. |
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Mark Sullivan additionally contributed a few of his experience the THE STUFF, with this splendid matte portray. All painted aside from small areas for the troopers and a doubled in blob of quick encroaching lethal pudding! |
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The very humorous western THE SKIN GAME (1971) with James Garner and Louis Gossett jnr was an actual deal with. I’ve studied this establishing shot at size, each in movement and as successive body grabs (a great way to identify matte line jiggle). It is a good shot and appears like one thing Al Whitlock may need achieved, however I am unable to verify who did it. Whitlock did loads of uncredited pictures for Warner Bros within the 70’s. |
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Fred Sersen painted this matte along with fx cameraman Charles G. Clarke, for the silent movie SIN SISTER (1929). |
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A really uncommon although fairly watchable sci-fi, THE SPACE CHILDREN (1958) has a number of good moments however general fails to hit the mark. Modest results by the good John P. Fulton. |
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SPACE CHILDREN matte shot by Irmin Roberts. |
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THE SPACE CHILDREN matte, with most likely miniature added in, by Paramount’s Ivyl Burks quite than Jan Domela painted artwork. |
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Listed here are a set of astonishing matte pictures rendered for the 20 minute quick movie SCENE STEALER (2004) by the extremely inventive results duo of Richard Kilroy and Rick Rische – who labored aspect by aspect on a number of options. |
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Wally Veevers and his group of matte artists at Shepperton Studios in England had been liable for SATELLITE IN THE SKY (1956). Artists in Wally’s crew included George Samuels, Albert Julion, David Hume and Bob Cuff. |
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As talked about in my intro, I love old skool make up results – , the kind achieved with latex home equipment and intelligent gadgets, stay on set! None of that CG shit right here!! A few of my idols within the enviornment had been, naturally, the good Dick Smith (a God), John Chambers, Tom Savini and Rick Baker. Nicely Rick devised these make up results for the unassuming but high notch little American Worldwide horror movie SQUIRM (1976). I properly recall seeing this on the grand previous Civic theatre right here in Auckland on a double invoice again within the day, presumably with SUSPIRIA, and this show-stopping set piece simply blew my thoughts! Film is about meat devouring killer worms on a rampage in Georgia after excessive voltage energy traces fall in a storm and pump a zillion volts into the damp earth. The sequence nonetheless has my jaw on the ground right this moment. This poor bumpkin journeys head over heels right into a basket of those fucken’ worms, whereby the little slithering bastards burrow and chew their approach up into his face in graphic element. |
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Astonishing in all respects because the sequence was filmed in shiny daylight, leaving little likelihood to hide prosthetic blends and mechanisms to actually drive these worms up beneath his ‘pores and skin’ in shut up... |
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Bumpkin tries in useless to tear this stuff out of his face, whereas others preserve burrowing in. I recall studying someplace that Rick devised a monofilament system inside the (wonderful) facial home equipment to tug the silicone worms up by means of pre-prepared ‘flat’ channels. |
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I properly recall a bunch ‘gasp’ within the cinema as this SQUIRM scene hit the silver display screen. The one factor I’ve seen related round that point had been some Joe Blasco prosthetic fx for a pair of David Cronenberg horror exhibits, SHIVERS and RABID. |
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I have never seen too many Finnish-Soviet co-productions, however this one proved of curiosity, SAMPO – THE DAY THE EARTH FROZE (1959). The English title, and ludicrous advert marketing campaign was deceptive (most likely on function) because it’s actually a quite quaint Finnish people story, albeit fairly an elaborate affair. Numerous photographic results work and a few superbly painted mattes, which seemed nice. |
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Some properly achieved pictures from Columbia’s thriller SIGN OF THE RAM (1948). Prone to be the work of Juan Larrinaga, brother of Mario. |
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An amazingly achieved matte by Albert Whitlock from a very obscure and forgotten television movie, STRANDED (1966) which I consider was additionally titled VALLEY OF MYSTERY. The viewer can be laborious pressed to even spot a trick right here it is so properly achieved, on authentic adverse, as was Al’s fixed modus operandi. |
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In what’s a transparent and affectionate fan ‘nod and a wink’ to the good Ray Harryhausen, Italian results man Armando Valcauda created this cease movement sequence for STAR CRASH (1979), also called THE ADVENTURES OF STELLA STAR. |
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The beautiful Caroline Munro was the chief gross sales pitch for STAR CRASH, unsurprisingly. Directed by Italian exploitation auteur Luigi Cozzi, who like many different Italian administrators by means of the 70’s and 80’s glided by pseudonyms to attempt to idiot overseas audiences into believing they had been watching an American film. Cozzi was one ‘Lewis Coates’ right here. High proper exhibits some high quality mannequin work beneath development by results man Armando Valcauda. |
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Extra cosmic shenanigans from STAR CRASH. |
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Right here is one other of these absolute gems – a movie I used to be unaware of till UK vfx man Steve Begg most enthusiastically instructed me about it. SPLIT SECOND (1953) is a dynamite little cheap thriller from RKO. Significantly unbalanced crim on the lam takes hostages in desolate ghost city unaware that it is proper within the zone of the American atomic exams! A lot rigidity ensues because the clock ticks by to A-bomb detonation. Terrific movie! Harold Wellman was accountable for the particular results, with very long time RKO fx cameraman Russell Cully concerned. |
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The city is blown to hell in a single god-almighty A-bomb blast, in what was an outstanding little bit of results engineering for it is day, and very spectacular nonetheless now! On this unimaginable, however temporary grasp shot, all the road is actually ‘swept up’ – with vehicles flipping over and roofs coming off! A tremendous mechanical results set piece that even had Steve Begg baffled – and he is bought many years of results expertise with the latter day 007 movies and a great deal of work with the maestro Derek Meddings. It would not seem like a (massive) miniature, and appears to be full scale. Simply how they managed to tear every thing aside all of sudden (possibly pre-stressed facades pulled quickly by some pneumatic gadgets??). The one related kind scene I’ve seen, full scale, was in an previous Buster Keaton quick the place the wind blows the city to bits and Buster alongside the road like a feather!! Bloody sensible!!! |
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A fairly good sci-fi flick, THE STRANGE WORLD OF PLANET X (1958), which was additionally recognized in some locations as THE COSMIC MONSTER. Very moody and fairly gory in locations, with loads of particular results by Les Bowie, together with fashions, painted mattes and a few fairly jarring – for it is time – make up results. Value a glance. |
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The very uncommon form of a Die Onerous sooner or later (or some such nonsense…I misplaced the plot) SHADOW CHASER (1992) began off with this spectacular matte painted extension by Steve Begg. Steve labored for a time at Westbury Optical & Design, with previous timer Cliff Culley and his son Neil, the place Steve realized matte portray and compositing. |
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The all the time terrific Sterling Hayden (so damned good in his movies with Stanley Kubrick) was proper on the cash on this compact although fully satisfying western TERROR IN A TEXAS TOWN (1958). No particular results credit score. |
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Samuel Fuller wrote and directed so many nice movies. A real life robust man, which shone by means of in most of his movies similar to the superb Korean Warfare drama THE STEEL HELMET (1951). No credit score for photographic results. |
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The late, nice Steve McQueen discovered stardom by means of this cheaply made, although fully agreeable ‘monster’ film THE BLOB (1958). Bart Sloane did the quite a few results pictures which ranged from perspective images to miniatures and a few very cool cel animated results |
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THE BLOB matte shot. A later 70’s sequel SON OF THE BLOB was nugatory on each degree, whereas an 80’s remake was satisfactory, although aimed purely on the teen splatter crowd. |
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So-so small scale sci-fi THE TIME TRAVELLERS (1964) did what it might on a usually tiny American Worldwide funds. |
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Some behind the scenes pictures of results man David Hewitt at work on some fashions for THE TIME TRAVELLERS, with the underside proper pic properly demonstrating the hanging miniature for the cavernous management centre (see higher color body). |
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Simply love that over-the-top foyer card at high left… actual American Worldwide bally-hoo |
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As described in earlier writings, Norman Daybreak was the pre-eminent title in particular photographic results courting again to very early movement footage. Some will not be conscious that Daybreak was as a lot a director and movie maker as he was a trick shot man, with a whole lot of movies to his credit score. TWO LOST WORLDS (1950) although, was nothing greater than a quickie programmer, made in a rush, and full of inventory pictures from different movies. Daybreak himself did not take part within the visible results on this movie and simply directed it. Daybreak said in his recordsdata that the Hal Roach results division did all the results work, with Jack Glass portray some glass pictures. Recycled inventory fx from ONE MILLION BC and CAPTAIN FURY – each previous Hal Roach titles – had been used a good bit. |
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What, oh what had been they pondering when the greenlit THE TERRORNAUTS (1967)?? Positively from the ‘so dangerous it is good’ faculty with essentially the most excessive advert marketing campaign possible! Micro budgeted, and attempting far too laborious to be polished (it ain’t), the movie has sfx by the normally dependable Les Bowie and the weird casting of CARRY ON’s Charles Hawtrey as a bloke attempting to defeat alien invaders! Notice the glass shot the place the explosion cloud passes up behind the distant planetoid! Eeegads! |
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A really, very large tarantula within the yard, from Bert I. Gordon’s THE CYCLOPS (1957) |
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Charles Band’s post-apocalyptic detective movie TRANCERS (1984). Do not know who did this shot however appears to be like like a foreground glass shot. |
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When not portray mattes for his studio, Paramount, artist Jan Domela did quite a few outdoors jobs similar to this matte of a Korean POW camp from the very intense Richard Widmark drama TIME LIMIT (1957); the one movie Karl Malden ever directed. Highly effective drama right here. |
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Two matte painted pictures by Les Bowie and Ray Caple from Hammer’s TERROR OF THE TONGS (1961), with nearly every thing within the body painted. |
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The low funds UK horror flick TOWER OF EVIL (1972) takes place solely on this rock with mentioned lighthouse, all painted by an uncredited artist. Possibly Ray Caple or related painter? |
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The low forehead however well-liked Australian comedy THE TRUE STORY OF ESKIMO NELL (1974) utilised the companies of Jim Danforth and Invoice Taylor for this closing shot. |
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Mattes had been regularly used within the countless Italian and Spanish ‘sword & jockstrap’ sagas, similar to THOR AND THE AMAZON WOMEN (1961) |
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One other strong, properly made and acted Hammer thriller that is properly definitely worth the time, was TASTE OF FEAR (1961). The plate was shot at Black Park, close to Bray Studios – location to so many Hammer movies – with the matte painted by each Les Bowie, who did the left aspect, and younger trainee Ian Scoones, who painted the proper aspect, with each merging within the center with an airbrush. The portray was rendered in the lounge of fx cameraman Equipment West’s London flat. Equipment used to shoot all the mattes for Les by means of the 1960’s earlier than turning his hand to mechanical results and Oscar glory afterward. |
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Leigh Took painted a few conventional mattes for a made for tv movie THE TALE OF SWEENEY TODD (1997), apparently properly into the so-called digital period. |
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Among the most profound impacts upon my childhood had been the television sequence’ from Century 21 Productions – ie Gerry Anderson. I liked ’em all – FIREBALL XL, STINGRAY, CAPTAIN SCARLET, UFO, JOE 90 and most of all above every thing else, the unbelievable THUNDERBIRDS! Nothing else fairly prefer it ever appeared on tv, and even right this moment my grandsons find it irresistible, and we regularly learn the previous THUNDERBIRDS annuals and such. Derek Meddings, after all, was ‘The Man’, and none of these wonders might have been delivered to the display screen with out Derek’s talent, eye and sheer creativeness. |
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Derek (left high & backside) and fellow technicians bringing unimaginable journey to the television screens around the globe for teenagers of ALL ages. *Notice: the pic at proper demonstrates one facet of the fee saving perspective, with an results staffer with fingers on the able to catch the mighty Thunderbird 2 ought to it break freed from the piano wires and fall throughout a shot – which apparently it did on frequent events. Name it a Century 21 security web. |
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Magnificent mannequin development in Derek Meddings’ results workshop for the television sequence U.F.O (1971) |
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THE TROLLENBERG TERROR (1958) – also called THE CRAWLING EYE – was type of enjoyable, particularly after a number of beers. Les Bowie mentioned that he was all the time embarrassed at any time when this movie popped up on television, particularly along with his matte painted mountain with a nailed on wad of cotton wool, which Les would reposition for various pictures to recommend the passing of the day or evening. I loved it. |
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The low funds Common basic, TARANTULA (1955) was one among a number of extremely efficient large bug exhibits of the 50’s, similar to Warner’s wonderful THEM! made across the identical time. Clifford Stine and David Horsley created the particular photographic results, with Ross Hoffman as optical cinematographer. Oh, and sure… that’s Clint Eastwood flying the fighter airplane. “Go forward arachnid….make my day!” |
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One would not usually equate fifties British tv with pirate exhibits, however right here is one: THE BUCCANEERS (1957), with mattes by some lengthy forgotten artist. |
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One other Hammer image, and never with the slightest horror undertone. THE UGLY DUCKLING (1959) was a extremely amusing comedy – the kind they simply do not make these days. Les Bowie painted the matte pictures, with Equipment West on board as matte cameraman. |
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Two extra Bowie mattes from THE UGLY DUCKLING (1959). It is probably that Les’ younger assistant, Ray Caple, had involvement too. |
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A rip-off Jules Verne journey, VALLEY OF THE DRAGONS (1961) was a Columbia cheapie that stole each single results shot from different movies similar to Common’s BAGDAD and a ton of high quality work from Hal Roach’s ONE MILLION BC, together with large lizards, volcanic eruptions, misplaced valley mattes and the superb Roy Seawright 1940 lava movement devouring cave individuals. Do they pay to make use of these items? |
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Time for one more prosthetic make up impact. This one is a cooler than cool shot of David Prowse – sans Darth Vader rise up – having an enormous calibre flintlock blast a gap the scale of drain pipe by means of his stomach! The film was VAMPIRE CIRCUS (1971), with Les Bowie, as soon as once more, offering results. Les was so versatile; skilled as a matte painter by the legendary Walter Percy Day, he branched out into mannequin work, gore fx, sensible results, explosives and all method of labor as required. He handed away simply as he realized he (and others) had been to obtain the Particular Achievement Award’ for the visible results on Richard Donner’s nonetheless important SUPERMAN-THE MOVIE (1979) |
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Bert I. Gordon once more, with these pictures from WAR OF THE COLOSSAL BEAST (1958), with the versatile Bert concerned in all elements of manufacturing, together with the trick pictures. |
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The hardly watchable comedy THE WIZARD OF BAGHDAD (1960). L.B Abbott was fx boss, with very long time affiliate Emil Kosa jnr on matte pictures. |
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In case you are looking for an results crammed witch hunt-time journey chase extravaganza, then WARLOCK (1989) might be simply the movie for you. I am unable to keep in mind a lot aside from it had good visible results by a big group which included Bob Scifo as matte artist, Jeff Matakovich on opticals and Laine Liska on cease movement, amongst others. |
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The eerie and extremely efficient little horror image WHITE ZOMBIE (1932) had a lot environment courtesy of British born matte artist Conrad Tritschler. |
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Enterprising Italian movie makers churned out dozens of those thrifty science fiction actioners by means of the 80’s, few of that are value celebrating. WARRIORS OF THE YEAR 2072 (1984) starred American motion star Fred Williamson and was helmed, surprisingly, by infamous gore-meister Lucio Fulci, in a change of style from his common zombie flicks. This shot was nevertheless very efficient, executed by Polish born matte painter Joseph Natanson, who had been one among Percy Day’s matte group at Shepperton earlier than shifting to Italy within the mid-fifties the place he was by no means wanting work on movies similar to CLEOPATRA. I am pondering this shot might have been a foreground glass portray. |
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Additionally from WARRIORS OF THE YEAR 2072 are these very Bladerunner impressed pictures, most likely miniature arrange, as had been a few different sprawling future metropolis pictures. |
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Full matte painted shot, full with animated lights, from the Benny Hill comedy WHO DONE IT? (1956) made by the beloved Ealing Studios in England. Geoffrey Dickinson had been Ealings’ in-house photographic results professional, normally credited with ‘Particular Processes’, although he handed away the 12 months earlier than so might not have been concerned right here. |
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Among the spectacular matte pictures as seen in Roger Corman’s quickie WAR OF THE SATELLITES (1958). By no means one to overlook the prospect to make a fast buck, Roger cashed in right here on the current launch of the Soviet sputnik satellite tv for pc. Irving Block painted the mattes, with associates Jack Rabin and Louis DeWitt placing all of it collectively. The movie was successful and among the fx pictures would flip up for years in different movies and television exhibits. |
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Tv matte shot from the present THE WILD, WILD WEST episode NIGHT OF THE INFERNO. No results credit score however presumably contracted to the Howard A. Anderson firm. |
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One other lengthy forgotten television matte shot; this being from the favored THE UNTOUCHABLES, which ran from 1959 to 1963. As soon as once more, I feel it was a Howard A. Anderson job, utilizing some freelance matte artist like Luis McManus or related? |
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There isn’t any getting away from Rabin, Block & DeWitt on this weblog! VIKING WOMEN AND THE SEA SERPENT (1957) I’ve by no means seen however do have copies of the quite a few mattes. |
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WIZARDS OF THE LOST KINGDOM II (1988) featured a number of in digicam glass pictures to make issues look just a little extra grand. Pony Horton was glass shot artist. |
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Pony Horton on location with two in progress glass pictures. I corresponded with Pony some years in the past and he kindly regaled me with tales of his days as a starting matte painter and normal assistant at Van der Veer Photograph Results. He even talked about rattling round taking a look at previous glass mattes in a storeroom when he by accident knocked over a pair (CAPRICORN ONE was one matte as I recall, and possibly KONG was the opposite?) which had been smashed to items, with Frank van der Veer and Barry Nolan dashing in with a “What the hell occurred right here?” |
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The totally charming and distinctive WIZARD OF SPEED AND TIME (1988) was positively a one-of-a-kind expertise by the enthusiatic and extremely inventive indie movie maker Mike Jittlov. The characteristic was an extension of an earlier quick topic that Mike had made a number of years earlier. A delight to view, the simplistic little movie is wall to wall visible results and trick pictures – some paying homage to the silent period. A number of style celebs seem similar to the good Forry Ackerman and seasoned results man Jim Danforth, who additionally contributed to the various optical fx pictures. Jittlov was recognized for his distinctive capability to ‘animate’ himself in digicam to extremely amusing impact – (an previous silent film gag that may even be used beautifully within the 1970’s by the BBC for the fairly sensible slapstick basic present THE GOODIES). Mike would later contribute related ‘self animation’ work to the mega-hit GHOST with Patrick Swayze. |
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A type of movie-of-the-week television movies, WHAT WAITS BELOW (1984) had a number of matte pictures by Mark Sullivan, with David Stipes on the fx digicam. |
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A younger Mark Sullivan ending off the matte for the shot above. |
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Donald O’Connor starred as a very unlikely Aladdin right here on this 1961 Italian desert fantasy, THE WONDERS OF ALADDIN . Directed by Mario Bava, who, as beforehand talked about. was additionally a most adept visible results artist on lots of his movies, this one included. Bava created some wonderful vfx pictures for his cult basic DANGER DIABOLIK, which I’ll cowl in a separate weblog. |
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One in all a number of wonderful British sci-fi footage was this Hammer movie X-THE UNKNOWN (1957) the place a lot is delivered to the display screen for little or no cash. Les Bowie supervised he results and painted all of those pictures, with optical cinematographer – and very long time Bowie colleague, Vic Margutti – including in electrical explosions and interactive lighting to a 2 dimensional Bowie painted panorama with energy pylons. |
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Like Japan, South Korea additionally – for a time – delved into monsters stomping round Seoul. This epic, YONGARY, MONSTER FROM THE DEEP (1967) adopted all the identical method, and was a little bit of a giggle. Numerous miniature units cut up screened into stay motion plates, and issues exploding. |
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Extra catastrophic calamity from YONGARY. Ship this large bastard to North Korea I say! By the way, I like fashionable period Korean cinema and discover it so damned good, after largely predictable American crime thrillers and so on. The variety of excellent Korean movies I’ve bought is approach up there. Such darkish masterpieces as I SAW THE DEVIL; THE ROUNDUP-OUTLAWS 2; BATTLESHIP ISLAND; THE GANGSTER, THE COP & THE DEVIL; ESCAPE FROM MOGADISHU and PARASITE are some prime examples. Man, can they make some nice movies! |
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I did say William Fort made some oddball movies every so often… ZOTZ (1962) was a surprisingly uninvolving comedy of magical powers and casting spells. One quite good excessive perspective matte shot from an unknown artist, and an amusing Columbia brand bit the place the Liberty Girl turns her head and winks at director Fort – unquestionably the excessive level of the movie. *Notice– Columbia weren’t afraid to make enjoyable of their brand and did related issues in lots of movies such because the friggen terrible disco flick THANK GOD IT’S FRIDAY made within the late 70’s the place the well-known girl strikes up a disco pose and boogies her buns off!! |
***This put up, and all 176 earlier weblog posts often called ‘Matte Shot’, had been initially created by Peter Prepare dinner for nzpetesmatteshot, with all content material, structure and textual content initially printed at http://nzpetesmatteshot.blogspot.com/
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Peter