tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430035742565248013.post8293266230565775690..comments2024-03-28T02:44:51.699+00:00Comments on Pterosaur.net Blog: Sexed-up prehistory and stop motion pterosaurs: the Pteranodon of Ray Harryhausen and Willis O'BrienUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430035742565248013.post-50737911565130143512010-04-03T21:02:40.850+01:002010-04-03T21:02:40.850+01:00That was an enjoyable read. I admire the work of b...That was an enjoyable read. I admire the work of both Harryhausen and O'Brien. However I feel with Kong O'Bie created a stop motion character that hasn't been topped. <br /><br />I've never felt emotionally drawn in by, or cared for a Harryhausen character. But with Kong it is different. <br /><br />Who hasn't felt sympathy for Kong atop the Empire State Building as he touches his bleeding chest with that bewildered look? <br /><br />That O'Bie gets us to care for Kong in spite of the fact that he has just mauled a man, dropped a woman to her death and pummeled the Third Ave. L into submission I think is a testament to his prowess as an animator.BlacknickSculpturehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04217888242485345910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430035742565248013.post-522997135577760112010-04-02T12:50:01.693+01:002010-04-02T12:50:01.693+01:00As an avid fan of both Harryhausen and O'Brien...As an avid fan of both Harryhausen and O'Brien, I greatly enjoyed this post. I, too have always felt that while both artists possessed an immeasurable degree of talent, O'Brien was much better at creating three-dimensional characters with whom the audience can relate and sympathize: just compare the respective characters of "Son of Kong" to the original "Mighty Joe Young" and this becomes obvious. Despite the fact that the latter required significantly more time to complete, little Kong is simply far more compelling (for that matter, consider the monsters of 'The Beast From 20,000 Phantoms' and 'The Giant Behemoth'). <br /><br />That being said, as you've alluded, by the time Harryhausen's films came along, the novelty of stop-motion had long since wore off, which forced him to resort to 'gimmicks' at a far larger extent than that which had been employed by his mentor. The newness of the technique allotted O'Brien the chance to inject his animated offspring with, at the risk of sounding corny, heart. But the nature of science fiction and fantasy has changed dramatically since O'Brien's day: audiences began to think of these cinematic monsters solely as but a cheap source of temporary fright. Harryhausen understood this and thus, he felt pressured to modify his beasts even at the risk of sacrificing the scientific accuracy of their portrayal.<br /><br />Ah, but I've ranted for long enough!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com