R.I.P. Ray Harryhausen
Posted: May 7th, 2013, 2:50 pm
Ray Harryhausen, the stop-motion animation genius responsible for 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD and JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS has passed away today at the age of 92. One of my greatest days was when my son and I got to meet him back in 1989 and had our pictures taken with him - this after I had earlier spent close to a half-hour in his company discussing his career.
Of all of the people involved in film whom I've met, this man was the nicest, most considerate of all. I chanced upon him in a hotel lobby, he was to appear before a panel at a convention. I just wanted to shake his hand and say "thanks for everything" but he was in no hurry and we fell into an exchange that I'll never forget.
"Perseus and Andromeda will be happy together. Have fine sons... rule wisely... And to perpetuate the story of his courage, I command that from henceforth, he will be set among the stars and constellations. He, Perseus, the lovely Andromeda, the noble Pegasus, and even the vain Cassiopeia. Let the stars be named after then forever. As long as man shall walk the Earth and search the night sky in wonder, they will remember the courage of Perseus forever. Even if we, the gods, are abandoned or forgotten, the stars will never fade. Never. They will burn till the end of the time."
Neither will the artistry of Ray Harryhausen ever fade.
Of all of the people involved in film whom I've met, this man was the nicest, most considerate of all. I chanced upon him in a hotel lobby, he was to appear before a panel at a convention. I just wanted to shake his hand and say "thanks for everything" but he was in no hurry and we fell into an exchange that I'll never forget.
"Perseus and Andromeda will be happy together. Have fine sons... rule wisely... And to perpetuate the story of his courage, I command that from henceforth, he will be set among the stars and constellations. He, Perseus, the lovely Andromeda, the noble Pegasus, and even the vain Cassiopeia. Let the stars be named after then forever. As long as man shall walk the Earth and search the night sky in wonder, they will remember the courage of Perseus forever. Even if we, the gods, are abandoned or forgotten, the stars will never fade. Never. They will burn till the end of the time."
Neither will the artistry of Ray Harryhausen ever fade.