Ray Harryhausen – Titan of Cinema – Book Review
The life of animator, creator, writer and producer Ray Harryhausen is one that has been extensively covered in documentary, books and other forms of media. In his centenary year the fascination with a man whom many illustrious figures such as Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson and James Cameron credit as their inspiration to enter the filmic arts does not seem to be waning.
Indeed, newer generations are being introduced to the work of Harryhausen thanks to the legacy protected by the Ray and Diana Harryhausen Foundation, a charity which maintains the work of the “Titan of Cinema”. Having his prolific career preserved is, aside from the mark he made during his career, one of the reasons his legacy is cemented in cinema history. The volume of work the man produced, and the rate at which he hoarded it all has enabled new books and projects to keep up to pace with the fans demand for it. Books such as The Lost Movies by John Walsh, uncovered a treasure trove of items that revealed that what we know of Harryhausen’s work is just the tip of the iceberg. Uncovering Harryhausen as a man through the collection is a task that has fallen to his daughter Vanessa Harryhausen.
As you might expect, author Vanessa Harryhausen shares a close and personal link with the work of Ray Harryhausen, which she shares in her book.
Published by National Galleries Scotland to accompany a year long exhibition of the same name “Ray Harryhausen – Titan of Cinema” the book takes 100 objects from the collection and dives deep into their meaning, uncovering the strong emotional connections that the author shares with parts of the collection. To read the book is like walking through an exhibition with Ray’s friends and family as there are contributions in the book from the likes of John Landis, Randy Cook, Phil Tippett, Merlin Crossingham and more who each pick an object and talk of their affection for it and reminisce about Ray.
For die hard fans the favourites get their outing too, with the Children of the Hydras Teeth, Bubo the Owl, Medusa and a newly restored Kraken, all included, lavishly photographed and with accompanying detail. Seeing The Kraken from Clash of the Titans brought back to life after my own encounter with him recently, lovingly restored by the foundation is a particular joy.
The books isn’t just filled with cinematic creatures and contraptions, Vanessa, takes the time to uncover family photographs of trips to Disneyland where the family were accompanied by Ray Bradbury and Forrest J. Ackerman, themselves titans in their own respects. It’s perhaps in this respect where the books distinguishes itself from other books in the Harryhausen collection, as Vanessa’s personal stories and connections give the reader a welcoming sense that behind the much coveted genius was a devoted husband and loving father as well as a much admired colleague. Through this the author is able to take seemingly innocuous objects such as a plain looking black oven and weave an intimate tale of misadventure such as when Harryhausen used the family oven and food mixer to create puppets which unfortunately made subsequent meals taste of rubber. Another object is a simple bag of marbles, given as a joke to an ageing Ray by John Landis, after he confided in him that he wasn’t “losing his marbles” in old age, Harryhausen treasured these and would show to people to confirm he still had his marbles. Tender stories such as this really make the book shine.
Ray Harryhausen animating Tiger and Trog in 1977
Though there is a wealth of Harryhausen books available that fastidiously uncover the work of the great man, what Vanessa Harryhausen brings to the ever growing Harryhausen library a personable charm which brings us closer to the titan of cinema himself through exclusive recollections and unseen artefacts. This book is a must for anyone interested in the history of Harryhausen and the art of animation and I would suspect if it isn’t already on the shelves of every fan, those celebrating the season will likely be unwrapping it this Christmas.
Ray Harryhausen – Titan of Cinema by Vanessa Harryhausen, is available to order through National Galleries Scotland. You can listen to our interview with the author in episode 100 of the Skwigly Animation Podcast below.