The Art Of Ray Harryhausen by Ray Harryhausen and Tony Dalton

Whether you're old enough to remember seeing Jason And The Argonauts on the big screen or fondly hark back to bank holidays where you could comfortably settle down for a screening of Clash Of The Titans, the films of legendary animator Ray Harryhausen have enchanted many a movie goer. But as much as Harryhausen is loved by his audience, he is also revered and respected throughout the film industry for his pioneering animation techniques in the pre-digital era. Now in The Art Of Ray Harryhausen he reveals the people who influenced him and the secrets behind the ways in which he brought so many mythical creatures to life.

Those who have read Harryhausen's autobiography An Animated Life will already be familiar with his story: blown away after seeing King Kong, Harryhausen began to make his own animations, constantly experimenting with his technique. He soon became one of the most famous and sought after animators in Hollywood. But, whereas his original book was anecdotal, this one is much more technical. From detailed descriptions of the process of going from storyboarding to the big screen to some fascinating accounts of how he actually made his models there's more than enough here to keep the ardent animation enthusiast going for some time. And if you don't know your latex from your elbow, Harryhausen and Dalton keep the writing engaging to make sure that you're not totally lost.

Yet, despite how interesting the writing is, it's really the illustrations that make this such a great book. Shying away from stills of the completed films (after all An Animated Life had plenty of those) this is an absolute treasure trove of original drawings, storyboards, models and some of the magnificent bronzes had cast when he realized some of his work might not stand the ravages of time. Page after page is an absolute delight as the passions for myth, fantasy and imagination are revealed in each sketch or model and every idea - no matter how seemingly impossible - is explored. If anything, this is what is enchanting about The Art Of Ray Harryhausen: Harryhausen's joy and enthusiasm for his work pours of every page and reminds you why the films some of us watched a long time ago had such a profound effect.

At its most basic, this is a stunningly beautiful coffee table book. But explore further and it's a fitting tribute to one of the world greatest contributors to the magical world of cinema.

Read Stephen Applebaum's interview with Ray Harryhausen HERE

You can see some of Ray Harryhausen's models at Myths and Visions - The Art of Ray Harryhausen, National Museum of Photography, Film & Television, Bradford. 19 May to 24 September 2006 Admission free.  Go www.nmpft.org.uk for more information.

PUBLISHER: Aurum Press

ISBN: 1-84513-114-2

PAGES: 232 pages