A few years ago, just before my father was taken ill, and I was forced to move from Exeter to North Devon, Richard and I went to a lecture at the Arts Centre in Exeter. It was by Ray Harryhausen, the master of stop-motion animation, and the father of such films as Jason and the Argonauts, Clash of the Titans, and various voyages of Sinbad.It was a fascinating evening, and shaking his hand
afterwards is a memory of which I am very proud. In fact, of all the famous people I have met over the years, it is Harryhausen, Dave Brubeck (whom I interviewed in a Torquay Leisure Centre in 1989), and John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin that I ever dine out on, and of the three the greatest is Harryhausen.Why am I sharing this with you today? Well, Alan Friswell writes:
Hi Jon.
I don't know if you would like to post this up, but it's Ray Harryhausen's birthday today (29th), and he's still working on new projects at the age of 89, so there's hope for us all. I'm sure that everyone on the CFZ site would like to wish Ray many happy returns, and say thanks for all the great movies that he has given us through the years.
Cheers,
Al :)
Right on Al!
RICHARD FREEMAN WRITES: I'm amazed and delighted that the great Ray Harryhausen is still working at 89! What a guy, his stop motion animation is worth hundreds of the flat, lifeless CGI monsters we see in films today.He should really get a cameo role in Dr Who, that would be great.
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