George Lucas said that Ray Harryhausen ''kept the art of fantasy movies alive.''
The Star Wars creator credited Harryhausen as an inspiration.
Harry Hausen wasn’t just a revolutionary special effects creator of his own time. Harryhausen also served as inspiration for those who would soon become some of the most iconic directors of the time.
One such inspired young creative was George Lucas, who credited Harryhausen with “sparking the imagination of everyone who saw them” during an interview with The Ledger. Of course, Lucas became known as the creator of the Star Wars franchise. “I remember the excitement I felt seeing his movies as a young boy and watching his creations come to life,” said Lucas. “That experience was magical.”
Magical was right; Harryhausen worked hard to keep his effects whimsical. “I always feel that stop-motion adds a semi-realism, a dream quality,” said Harryhausen. “If you make the fantasy too real, you bring it down to the mundane. And I think that’s so important.” Harryhausen provided the effects for iconic films like The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953) and First Men in the Moon (1964).
“He brought a personality and a sense of drama to his character that I had never seen before,” said Lucas. “More than that, Ray Harryhausen kept the art of fantasy movies alive, and inspired young people who became the moviemakers and visual effects artists of today. He is a vital link between the early days of cinema and modern moviemaking. No one who sees Ray Harryhausen’s work forgets it.”
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