Greetings to all and sundry, it’s now 2024 believe it or not. It sounds so odd when saying it, and even more so when typing in “2024”. Shouldn’t we all be living like ‘The Jetsons’ (a cool futuristic Hanna-Barbera cartoon series of the sixties for those too young to get the reference). Where are the flying cars, transporter beams and such like?
Anyway, here we are again with a veritable bounty of all great things matte, model and old time trick shot wizardry, in what I’m confidant will be enjoyed by many (hey there my Dutch matte shot friend William, I’m talking to you!). I’ve collected some amazing material here, with so much never before seen, and the usual (and unusual) assortment of motion pictures that I’d bet the majority of readers will not have seen nor heard of, but are well worth the time and energy to discover, or re-discover I really should ‘clip the bus ticket’ as they say and get a percentage from studios or something for bringing lost gems of filmdom to fresh new audiences!
Now folks, among the line up today are some really breathtaking pieces that have fallen into my lap from afar. Among them, a selection of never before seen original matte paintings by esteemed maestro of the artform, Matthew Yuricich. More about that in a minute. Also in this vast and most comprehensive article/post are some amazingly ingenious trick shots a-plenty from a wonderful British war film; some magnificent Technicolor Newcombe shots from not just one but a pair of classic Elizabeth Taylor films; a mystery Albert Whitlock painting of unknown title; a ludicrously miscast WarnerColor period epic; a sinister B&W Sidney Greenstreet drama; an absolutely unique Polish-Soviet fantasy adventure; a couple of quality westerns; a massive bio-pic of a certain General Custer and if that weren’t enough, a longtime horror flick anonymous matte shot puzzle now finally solved! Also, to round it all off, I’m drawing readers attention to a fantastic and long running magazine (yes, the real kind, printed on paper and bound between heavy covers!) that fans of genre pictures would do well to seek out. More about that shortly. God damn folks… who could ask for more?? Seriously!!
So, as I sit here dripping from the 98% summer humidity, trying not to fry the laptop keyboard with sweat, I will divert my thoughts away from the horrific ethnic cleansing being perpetrated upon the People of Palestine by the war criminal Netanyahu, and focus entirely on the wonders, illusions, ingenuity and fascination with all things motion picture magic.
Enjoy the ride…
…Read the Full Article @ Matte Shot
A Tribute to Golden Era Special FX
This blog is intended primarily as a tribute to the inventiveness and ingenuity of the craft of the matte painter during Hollywoods’ Golden Era. Some of the shots will amaze in their grandeur and epic quality while others will surprise in their ‘invisibility’ to even the sophisticated viewer. I hope this collection will serve as an appreciation of the artform and both casual visitors and those with a specialist interest may benefit, enjoy and be amazed at skills largely unknown today.