Hello there mates and followers of the elegant, misplaced artwork type of historically rendered matte painted photographs and miscellaneous movement image wizardry. It’s certainly that point once more,

Delays in getting this up and working have been resulting from close to apocalyptic climate circumstances, with the worst cyclone descending upon New Zealand from the tropics ever recorded, with floods and destruction the likes unseen right here since data started.  Complete communities wiped off the map.  My house was partially flooded, although fortunately only a spare bed room and annexes within the basement, although, sadly, that simply occurred to be the place I retailer an enormous assortment of film memorabilia corresponding to traditional one-sheets, foyer playing cards, slides and the remainder of it.  I managed to avoid wasting 3/4 of the stuff, however needed to throw away a substantial quantity of posters and stills.  That mentioned, it is minor in comparison with your entire districts right here worn out, and that does not even come near what they are going via in Turkey and Syria.

——————————————————————————————————————-

So, earlier than embarking on right this moment’s mammoth weblog publish (would you count on something much less?), listed here are a number of vital mentions that conventional matte followers merely can’t overlook.  My Texas based mostly buddy and like-minded matte fanatic, Thomas Higginson, has been doing the onerous yards in assembling a whole sequence of fantastic featurettes for YouTube on the matte results work of Albert Whitlock at Common and Syd Dutton at Phantasm Arts.  https://www.youtube.com/@TraditionalMattePaintings/featured

Totally important viewing, every one, with the hyperlink proper right here.

Working instantly from Common’s matte division’s properly preserved 35mm demo reels, in addition to a mass of donated materials from Syd Dutton and the late Invoice Taylor – amongst others – Thomas has put collectively a number of very good, deep dissections of particular matte impact photographs and sequences, which, on the time of this writing, have included the sci-fi television film GENESIS II; THE TWILIGHT ZONE television sequence; the unimaginable mud storm from BOUND FOR GLORY and the invisible maritime trick photographs from SHIP OF FOOLS.  Nowhere will you discover a extra detailed inside take a look at some nice visuals as you’ve got by no means seen them earlier than.  I perceive others within the works will embody THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING, THE THING, the unrealised 80’s model of THE LOST WORLD undertaking and certainly one of my all time matte faves, the unimaginable COLOSSUS-THE FORBIN PROJECT amongst others.  Important viewing!

———————————————————————————————————————-

In my earlier publish I featured a shot from Charlie Chaplin’s traditional CITY LIGHTS (1931), which I described as being a matte painted shot.  An nameless reader has ‘put me straight’ on that, with it really being an elaborate and flawless foreground hanging miniature, with very uncommon images from an extremely complete Chaplin web site in Italy (The Charlie Chaplin Archive Web site) displaying the impact in progress.  See beneath for breakdown…

I can not even start to let you know how a lot I like to find pictures corresponding to this.  Extraordinarily uncommon, particularly for the interval, for any movie maker to brazenly reveal his secrets and techniques.  At left is the foreground miniature rigged up, with the crystal clear picture at proper – having been photographed on the set with a nonetheless digital camera – exhibiting the intensive trick work married up.  The precise CITY LIGHTS 35mm film body is tighter and extra precisely aligned, whereas this ‘manufacturing nonetheless’ is barely mis-aligned, with depth of area focal points evident, however nonetheless a marvellous file of such a time.

——————————————————————————————————————

So, now’s the second the place we take a break from the day by day grind, sit again in a comfortable chair, crack open a Jack Daniels & Coke, and revel in one other intensive journey down that properly travelled cinematic highway, the place a whole bunch of fantastic photographs have been lovingly assembled and celebrated, and hopefully can be appreciated on a respectable sized ‘actual’ display screen and NOT on a godammed cell phoney kind toy.

Take pleasure in

Pete

***This publish, and all 178 earlier weblog posts generally known as ‘Matte Shot’, had been initially created by Peter Cook dinner for nzpetesmatteshot, with all content material, format and textual content initially revealed at http://nzpetesmatteshot.blogspot.com/

——————————————————————————————————————–

——————————————————————————————————————–

First up, is that this extraordinarily uncommon uncredited Albert Whitlock matte from and equally uncommon cinematic artifact THE PHYNX (1970).  I’ve by no means been capable of finding the movie and have all the time wished to see it – regardless of the universally dire opinions.  Everybody who’s anybody was on this flick, from Kentucky Fried Col.Sanders to Richard Pryor and a complete gaggle of celebs and walk-on cameos.   Body on proper is from Albert’s 35mm present reels and has suffered vital color loss through the years.  A technically advanced shot with multi cut up cloud drift, daylight slowly creeping throughout the citadel partitions and grass, and a most intriguing ‘parallax shift’ involving mushy splits and portray motion in levels, a lot as Whitlock did with a shot in SHIP OF FOOLS 5 years earlier.

Judy Garland and Gene Kelly’s comedy musical FOR ME AND MY GAL (1942), with many superb mattes from the well-known MGM Newcombe division.

Steven Spielberg’s rowdy epic 1941 (1979) wasn’t particularly humorous however did lay on an amazing forged of character actors and continuous particular results photographs.  An enormous results present, crammed with fully ‘old style’ trick work, corresponding to a ton of Lydecker type miniature sequences such because the scene right here, with P51 Mustang buzzing Hollywood Blvd and doing loopy barrel rolls and so forth – all fully in miniature.  Previous time fx veteran A.D Flowers (Adlia Douglas Flowers) was proper in his aspect right here, having been certainly one of Buddy Gillespie’s assistants again at MGM on Oscar successful movies corresponding to the good 30 SECONDS OVER TOKYO and others.  Logan Frazee (proven decrease left) was arms on with the various mannequin ‘flying’ sequences.  I noticed this on the large cinema display screen in scope again in ’79 and it was implausible, motion sensible that’s.

Extra mayhem from 1941, with big Greg Jein miniature units and props.  Movie was nominated for the FX Oscar in ’79, and was a really robust contender, in all probability ought to have received, however the movie was a bomb on the field workplace in order that just about was the nail in it is coffin.  Nice results work all through!  My full detailed weblog article on 1941 could be learn right here.

A really younger Matthew Yuricich is proven right here at work at Fox on his first movie as totally fledged matte painter, CALL ME MADAM (1953).  Matt mentioned that departmental head, Fred Sersen, was very important on his draftsmanship for the decrease shot with the wine vat and spiral staircase.

The somewhat pleasant Deanna Durbin starred – and sang some very catchy ditties – within the very nice MAD ABOUT MUSIC (1938) for Common.  Russell Lawson would have painted the quite a few mattes.

Mark Sullivan’s earlier than and after matte from the Kim Basinger flick, NADINE (1987).

MAISIE WAS A LADY (1941) was certainly one of a working sequence of Maisie comedies from MGM, with the same old glorious Newcombe matte work, rendered with pastels and goache on artists card.  The illuminated theatre facade was an MGM specialty, and certainly one of my very own fave ‘genres’ of matte artwork.

Most likely the least identified and sorely underneath credited exponents of matte work was the extremely gifted Ken Marschall who, together with colleague and cameraman Bruce Block, created a whole bunch of invisible mattes for films, television and commercials all via the 1980’s.  That is certainly one of Ken’s from MY BOYFRIEND’S BACK – aka JOHNNY ZOMBIE (1993)

One other fantastic Ken Marschall matte from the identical movie.

MY BOYFRIEND’S BACK,  low forehead teen fluff, astonishingly, directed by the extraordinarily gifted and all the time watchable character actor, Bob Balaban – so memorable in issues like Catch 22, Shut Encounters, Prince of the Metropolis and Report back to the Commissioner.

Two Newcombe photographs from the hilariously humorous, all time traditional Marx Bros present A NIGHT AT THE OPERA (1937).  The shipboard ‘stateroom sequence’ stays an all time comedy gem. Belief me.

Jan Domela matte extensions for the W.C Fields comedy-musical MISSISSIPPI (1935).

As a child, MUNSTER GO HOME (1966) was certainly one of – if not the – favorite films of mine, and I by no means missed a chance to catch it on a wide range of double options at native film homes, typically with stuff like The Ghost and Mr Rooster, or McHales Navy Be part of The Air Drive.  Matte by Albert Whitlock.

Hey, even the good Alfred Hitchcock will get a slot on this weblog with the very dry, black comedy MR AND MRS SMITH (1941), with this expansive winter matte underneath the supervision of RKO’s Vernon Walker.  Matte artist could have been Chesley Bonestell, Al Simpson or Fitch Fulton?

One other RKO present, MR BLANDINGS BUILDS HIS DREAM HOUSE (1948), with results supervised by Russell Cully.  The underside matte by no means appeared within the movie however was within the trailer(!)

Common’s MY LITTLE CHICKADEE (1940) with Russ Lawson and John DeCuir each portray within the matte division.

Phantasm Arts’ twin aircraft matte stand arrange for the teenager comedy MANNEQUIN TWO – ON THE MOVE (1991).  The primary portray on the rear will function a simulated cloud transfer throughout the display screen, achieved via mushy cut up screens. The foreground glass has partial components that may line up with the primary rear portray within the remaining shot, whereas permitting the transferring clouds to go realistically behind these components (bushes and tower and so forth).  Remaining composite proven beneath.

MANNEQUIN TWO mattes by Syd Dutton at Phantasm Arts.

Comedy westerns had been positively a factor within the late 60’s and thru the 1970’s, with Common’s ONE MORE TRAIN TO ROB (1971) starring George Peppard being one such movie.  Extremely gratifying, rollicking heist yarn, made all of the extra so by Albert Whitlock’s quite a few and beautiful mattes.  I had hoped to incorporate a picture of the unique portray right here, however alas, ’twas to not be  🙁

One other of Whitlock’s fantastic mattes from the identical movie.

I’ve all the time been a sucker for the outdated Bob Hope photos he did at Paramount, and he did quite a bit.  This one, NEVER SAY DIE (1939), was penned by the comedic genius of Preston Sturges (youthful weblog readers will not have a clue of whom I am talking, I am sure!), the movie is a giggle and what’s extra, has quite a lot of nice matte photographs by outdated timer Jan Domela, who began on the studio in 1926 and stored on portray mattes until the mid 1960’s!  That is a s***load of matte work in anyone’s ebook.

The quaintly wacky British comedy MOUSE ON THE MOON (1963) directed by Richard Lester. No results credit score, however probably Pinewood or Shepperton offering the photographs.

Extra Jan Domela matte photographs from Paramount’s MIDNIGHT (1939) – a traditional of the time, co-written by a younger Billy Wilder.

Danny Kaye beloved doing these ‘twin-look alike’ comedies, and ON THE DOUBLE (1961) is typical of the style, and sometimes laugh-out-loud.  The legendary John P. Fulton was Danny’s favorite trick shot man, and labored with him on many movies.  This form of factor was Fulton’s forte, with ingenious cut up screens with matted out physique double’s arms outstretched and daring interplay between the 2 Danny’s.

John Fulton once more supervised the work on the Martin & Lewis spoof, PARDNERS (1956), with Jan Domela portray this vista of 1910 period New York.

The large, star packed, uncontrolled extravaganza IT’S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD (1963) was a bonanza so far as mechanical results (by Danny Lee) and stunt gags go, with the hefty photographic results part saved for the prolonged motion climax. The motion centres round this road, city sq. and excessive rise – all of which had been rendered as extremely advanced visible results photographs.  This extensive view is a superbly painted matte by trade veteran, Howard Fisher.  Be aware the odd hinge working down the center of the big masonite panel.  This was inserted years later by Linwood Dunn in order to make the matte artwork moveable for when Dunn carried out quite a few SFX seminars, the place varied miniatures, mattes and a rigorously assembled 16mm reel of earlier than and afters can be run (for these too younger, there was a time earlier than video tape, digital information, MP4’s and cyber issues; 16mm celluloid with plenty of sprocket holes was the medium of instruction)

Shut up element of Howard’s brushwork.  Fisher was an outdated timer, and really skilled, who started a long time earlier than as certainly one of Warren Newcombe’s secure of artists at MGM within the 1930’s.  Howard painted on many photos over the a long time corresponding to GREEN DOLPHIN STREET and FORBIDDEN PLANET.  Results males Jim Danforth and Matt Yuricich each knew Howard and mentioned he was fairly a personality.

The ultimate composite made on 65mm movie at Dunn’s Movie Results of Hollywood. Round 11 separate components went into this comp, with quite a lot of totally different dwell motion plates flawlessly matted in, in addition to an enormous optical pull again added later.  One of the memorable mattes of the 1960’s.

A revealing earlier than and after reveals intensive matte artwork added into the again lot motion.

Extra advanced visible results work, with massive miniatures, matte artwork, cease movement individuals and ladder, all assembled meticulously on Cecil Love and James B. Gordon’s optical printer.

Extra MAD WORLD insanity, with mannequin work, matte artwork and nice animation cuts by Jim Danforth. By the way, I did a full weblog report on all the results photographs on this movie beforehand, which may hopefully be discovered right here.

Establishing matte shot from Charlie Chaplin’s final silent image, MODERN TIMES (1936) – a veritable masterpiece that by no means dates.  Though with out spoken dialogue, the movie has an amazing soundtrack comprising insanely exaggerated industrial sound results in addition to music.

Arguably certainly one of Chaplin’s most well-known sequences, the unimaginable curler skating scene, the place the little tramp skates repeatedly perilously near the sting.

Though I someplace have a behind the scenes pic of the arrange, however cannot for the lifetime of me discover it, I am certain this excellent sequence concerned a rigorously designed and positioned foreground miniature of the decrease constructions, with the near digital camera noticed horse and plank concealing the rig(?)  Marvellous scene.

Extra Bob Hope shenanigans, this time it is MONSIEUR BEAUCAIRE (1946), with Jan Domela’s mattes for results boss Gordon Jennings.

Phantasm Arts supplied this cliffhanger shot for the overwrought MILLION DOLLAR MYSTERY – aka MONEY MANIA (1987).  The outdated MAD, MAD WORLD method was tried, although failed miserably.

A pair of good Russell Lawson mattes from the comedian fantasy flick MR PEABODY AND THE MERMAID (1948)

Bob’s again, and this time with the beautiful Hedy Lamarr, for Paramount’s MY FAVOURITE SPY (1942), with this unique North African setting furnished by Jan Domela.

One other all time comedy traditional – Common’s hilarious MY MAN GODFREY (1936) with the irrepressible William Powell as Godfrey the butler.  The title sequence alongside charges point out as an elaborate photographic results piece.  An unlimited panoramic matte portray of NYC was photographed with a sluggish pan throughout, with all the forged and crew names step by step illuminating as glistening neons – full with flickering reflections on the (manmade) rippled water!  Bravo to the good John P. Fulton for orchestrating this, despite the fact that it appears considerably extreme for a reasonably budgeted Common screwball comedy.

Should have been a nightmare to choreograph this arrange for every take.

Presumably very long time Fulton staffers David Horsely, Jerome Ash, Charlie Baker, Russell Lawson and Roswell Hoffman would have been all concerned with this.

This provides you the thought of the neon signage sequencing.  Marvellous.

The large pan ends on dwell motion of a despair period camp.

Extra composite photographs from MY MAN GODFREY (1936)

I discovered these Bare Gun films fairly humorous myself, with NAKED GUN 2 1/2 proven right here. Plenty of glorious matte work from the tiny two man operation known as Matte Results – that being artist Ken Marschall and cameraman Bruce Block.  Virtually all of Ken’s mattes had been performed as unique damaging, with Ken and Bruce each enormous admirers of Al Whitlock’s methodology, although this one was an optical as a pan and push in was wanted.

Shut up.  Be aware the painted cops.

One other superb Ken Marschall painted matte from NAKED GUN 2 1/2

The dangerous man’s oil refinery matte from the identical movie.

Element from above.

Completely invisible matte shot for the daytime view of similar.

An unimaginable unique damaging matte painted by Ken for NAKED GUN 2 that by no means made the ultimate minimize, sadly.

Authentic matte for above, painted in acrylic upon particular German manufactured artists card.  Ken all the time painted very small and advised me he may by no means perceive why different matte artists most well-liked monumental glass or masonite panels for his or her photographs.

Ernst Lubitsch was the grasp of refined, understated and seductive comedy,  NINOTCHKA (1939) is a superb instance.  Very witty dialogue, with my favorite line from Nice Garbo’s very a lot pro-Stalin Soviet agent:  “The final mass trials had been an amazing success.  There are going to be fewer, however higher Russians”.  One of many funniest traces of the period.  Warren Newcombe’s guys did the matte shot at MGM.

When he was at his finest, W.C Fields was a comic book genius.  NEVER GIVE A SUCKER AN EVEN BREAK (1941) was an completely indescribable, insane pastiche of sight gags, hilarious traces and stuff seemingly made up on the spot.  Plenty of results by John P. Fulton and matte artist Russ Lawson.

Jack Lemmon and Mickey Rooney starred in Columbia’s OPERATION MAD BALL (1957), together with the all the time delectable Kathryn (seventh Voyage of Sinbad) Grant.   Mattes, presumably supervised by Lawrence Butler and cameraman Donald Glouner.

Similar movie.  No concept about artist, however I do know that for a short while Matthew Yuricich was ‘laid off’ by MGM and was snatched up by Donald Glouner over at Columbia round this era for a short while.

A Syd Dutton matte portray from the Steve Martin movie L.A STORY (1991), which demonstrates the traditional ‘donut’ night time sky that Syd picked up from his mentor, the good Albert Whitlock, who so typically painted this form of cloud association.

The outdated Abbott & Costello movies had been typically loaded with trick photographs – a few of which had been fairly superb (see later on this weblog publish).  PARDON MY SARONG (1942) was a fairly gratifying tropical romp with quite a lot of Russ Lawson mattes to fill out the backlot body.

A somewhat good Lawson matte shot that I wager prolonged the bogus Common ‘lake’ on the studio again lot to South Seas locale.

Nowhere close to nearly as good because it’s quick predecessor, THE PINK PANTHER STRIKES AGAIN (1976) featured a number of mattes and varied opticals.  A particular blended bag, results sensible, with the producers being sad with among the unique matte results performed at Pinewood by Cliff Culley, and appointing Matthew Yuricich to re-do sure photographs.  Precisely which of them, I am undecided?

Similar movie.

From PINK PANTHER STRIKES AGAIN is that this main vfx sequence the place the deranged Herbert Lom (by the way an outstanding character actor who made a whole bunch of movies!) fires off some laser factor and disintegrates the UN Constructing in New York.  Matte artwork with a lot hand inked roto cel animation.

The UN constructing is not any extra.  What seems to a full matte portray, and one I would wager Yuricich painted.

Remade round 4 instances, the evergreen traditional THE PRISONER OF ZENDA (1979) labored finest in it is thirties incarnation with Ronald Colman me thinks.  This model right here had Peter Sellers in certainly one of his final roles, and a really disappointing saga it turned out to be.  Solely actually of worth for the superb visible results work of Albert Whitlock, Invoice Taylor, Syd Dutton and their crew.

Lovely matte work abounds in ZENDA, with this arms down traditional Whitlock (or Dutton?) ‘donut sky’ and rotating windmill being my favorite within the movie.  I properly recall seeing all of those photographs as earlier than and afters on Al’s 35mm present reels after I met Syd (by chance) right here in Auckland in 1986.  Blew my thoughts!

Invoice Taylor and Dennis Glouner assembled many nice blue display screen composites of the 2 Peter’s for a lot of scenes, utilizing tried and true outdated methods had been additionally used within the older variations.  Invoice advised me that the director was one to partake in alcoholic beverage throughout lunch breaks, making afternoons lower than productive!

Earlier than and after from the tip of PRISONER OF ZENDA with Whitlock pictured right here displaying unique portray at an A.M.P.A.S day lengthy seminar within the 1980’s.  Trying on the portray subsequent to Al, it seems that nearly all the crowd of cities individuals have additionally been ‘painted in’.

Abbott & Costello in RIDE ‘EM COWBOY (1952), with this Russ Lawson matte shot for results head David S. Horsley.

One other Abbott & Costello present, THE NAUGHTY NINETIES (1945)

Mel Brooks made a number of traditional comedy spoofs within the mid seventies, however his later materials is considerably misplaced.  ROBIN HOOD-MEN IN TIGHTS (1993) was very poor certainly, with barely a smirk.  A significant multi-painting matte was included because the closing shot, beginning off from a citadel and zooming out (for no obvious cause) up into the sky, via the clouds and into house(!)  Phantasm Arts did the shot with a minimum of 4 separate work merged collectively via dissolves and so forth as one steady ‘pullback’.  The shot was a waste as, within the precise movie they plastered all the damned finish credit excessive of this difficult impact, thus making all that work misplaced amid the infinite record of ‘Honeywagon Wranglers’, ‘Electrician’s Spouse’s Finest Pal’ and so forth.

Leslie Nielson was a hoot within the first of THE NAKED GUN sequence again in 1988.  For the sports activities area climax, a number of mattes had been painted, although not all had been used.  Ken Marschall and Bruce Block did the matte photographs from their base at Gene Warren’s Fantasy II, although most of the time, Ken would paint his mattes on his eating room desk at house after which ship the ultimate artwork to Bruce for compositing.

Ken’s stadium grandstand matte artwork.  Slot gag animation was employed to simulate ‘crowd motion’ at strategic locations within the artwork.

Checks and temp marry up of an in the end unused matte for THE NAKED GUN

Extra stuffed in stadium matte work.

A completely dressed matte from THE NAKED GUN.

The David Niven – Doris Day marital ‘bliss’ saga, PLEASE DON’T EAT THE DAISIES (1960) had a single matte, this tilt down of a rundown outdated villa.  Largely painted, with outdated time artist Lee LeBlanc on the brushes.  FX cameraman Clarence Slifer composited the shot.

LeBlanc’s unique matte, which nonetheless survives to this present day, together with quite a lot of Lee’s different mattes from issues like BEN HUR and others in an artwork gallery devoted to his intensive gallery and wildlife artwork.

Lee LeBlanc at left, with decrease pic of him at Fox round 1950.  Particulars right here of the DAISIES matte.

One other Bob Hope image right here – THE PRINCESS AND THE PIRATE (1944), with Clarence W. Slifer answerable for photograph results.

An inexplicably fashionable movie that I completely did not take care of one bit was THE PRINCESS BRIDE (1987).  A number of results teams had been linked with the movie, with this shot being a Bob Cuff matte.

Bob’s daughter-in-law, Pleasure Cuff, additionally painted on PRINCESS BRIDE, as did Doug Ferris on some photographs.

Additionally from THE PRINCESS BRIDE was the ultimate closing shot which was farmed out to US based mostly suppliers, Matte Results, consisting of Ken Marschall and Bruce Block.  Right here is Ken’s unique nearly full body portray at left, and the separate sky portray.

Don Knotts was a singular, certainly one of a sort comedian expertise, that is for certain.  I grew up on his loopy antics. THE RELUCTANT ASTRONAUT (1967) had a minimum of one – and probably two – results photographs by Al Whitlock.

MIRANDA (1947) was a British comedy a few man and his very personal mermaid.  This shot seems to be suspiciously like a dangling miniature to me, and it is potential that Albert Whitlock could have been round after they did this, as he was within the make use of of Gainsborough Photos and did work with foreground miniatures, amongst different issues, earlier than embarking on matte portray.

The primary of the extraordinarily fashionable ‘Street’ photos for Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, ROAD TO SINGAPORE (1940) had this matte shot by Jan Domela.

Peter Medak’s movie THE RULING CLASS (1972) was a tour-de-force for Oscar nominated Peter O’Toole, in what’s an indescribable smorgasbord of satire, anti-establishment, sacrilege and track & dance(!)  Overlong by a protracted shot, however well worth the time for danger takers like me.

The ultimate scene from THE RULING CLASS inside the Homes of Parliament, although largely consisting of a substantial set extension simply above the lighting.  Probably a foreground glass portray(?), with results not credited, however could also be somebody like Ray Caple maybe?

A delightfully daffy and utterly off-the-wall, pre-code laugh-fest, MILLION DOLLAR LEGS (1932) often had me splitting my sides via its roughly one hour working time.  W.C Fields starred, and the entire thing jogged my memory of these very early Marx Bros photos the place just about something goes, if it’s going to get amusing.  The matte portray is totally fantastic, although I’ve noticed it in a number of different Paramount photos round that decade.  Jan Domela was matte artist.

The twentieth Century Fox made Danny Kaye car ON THE RIVIERA (1951) as soon as once more had Danny in twin roles in addition to a few good mattes corresponding to this one.  Emil Kosa jnr was chief matte artist underneath Fred Sersen.

Two extra mattes from ON THE RIVIERA

Common’s ONE NIGHT IN THE TROPICS (1940) was a musical comedy that launched Bud Abbott & Lou Costello as secondary characters in what was their first movie.

Matte shot from PARDON US (1931), the place Laurel & Hardy find yourself within the joint! Remade as Midnight Categorical…. nahhh, possibly not?  ;(

Paramount’s MY FRIEND IRMA (1949) began off with this invisible matte shot by Jan Domela.

The savagely witty James Coburn political satire, THE PRESIDENT’S ANALYST (1967) had this large extensive pan throughout the body, from an evening time cityscape, up and throughout a hill, to a extremely suspect and villain ridden lair.  Albert Whitlock did the uncredited matte work, together with very long time cameraman, Ross Hoffman orchestrating the composite and transfer on the optical printer.

A more in-depth take a look at the primary a part of the extensive pan…

…and the latter a part of the shot.

Whereas most of Abbott & Costello’s movies had been made by Common, some had been performed elsewhere, with THE NOOSE HANGS HIGH (1948) being an Eagle-Lion present.  George Teague was a course of specialist and was, on the time, Eagle-Lion’s head of digital camera results.  Teague was once Common’s course of projection specialist, and for a short while, really headed up Common’s results division, however that did not final.  Mattes at Eagle-Lion had been painted by Jack Rabin who, later, would set up his personal results home with buddy Irving Block, working largely of low price range and ‘B’ photos.

Intensive matte additions right here by Jack Rabin.

The enormously fashionable THE PALE FACE (1948) starring Bob Hope, was a heap of enjoyable.  Jan Domela furnished the Technicolor mattes along with his very long time cameraman Irmin Roberts.

This scene from the exceedingly unusual Dan Aykroyd movie NOTHING BUT TROUBLE (1990) is usually matte artwork.  Ken Marschall was painter.

NOTHING BUT TROUBLE largely painted.

NOTHING BUT TROUBLE earlier than and afters.

W.C Fields was a uniquely, multi-talented comedian performer from vaudeville and silents, and proved enormously fashionable with audiences as soon as Paramount set him up within the thirties.  This Jan Domela matte is from POPPY (1936).  Amongst his all time classics – although minus matte photographs – had been the extremely humorous IT’S A GIFT and THE BANK DICK.  Sheer madness, and all the higher for it.

Peter O’Toole gave certainly one of his all time finest performances as a form of fading Errol Flynn-esque boozing shag artist in Richard Benjamin’s MY FAVOURITE YEAR (1982) – a pleasant play on the period of dwell tv.  For this 50’s depiction of New York’s dwell television district, Matthew Yuricich painted within the applicable landmarks and neon marquees of the interval.  Based on Yuricich, when director Benjamin noticed this accomplished matte shot he gasped with disbelief that the manufacturing had needlessly situated and shot a lot in NYC, whereas they may have had Matthew simply paint the required photographs.

Yuricich’s former apprentice matte artist, Rocco Gioffre, created three very memorable photographs for the very humorous Chevy Chase highway film NATIONAL LAMPOON’S VACATION (1983).

The second Gioffre shot from the identical movie.

Most likely Rocco’s most well-known rendering of his profession was this attractive reveal of the fictional ‘Walley World’.  Rocco advised me that this portray is proudly within the possession of director J.J Abrams (whom I used to be advised as soon as has been a purveyor of this very NZ Pete weblog web site, as properly he ought to!)

Do not hassle going to California to go to Walley World of us… it is only a matte shot!

Phenomenally convincing matte trickery by the ever spectacular Ken Marschall from the lower than phenomenal teen comedy MOVING VIOLATIONS (1985).

Extra outstanding Ken Marschall matte artwork from the identical movie.

Element from one other of Ken’s mattes from MOVING VIOLATIONS, proving the outdated adage that very good matte results do not make a ‘dud’ movie any higher.

Bing Crosby and Bob Hope made an amazing group, with a number of ‘Street’ photos collectively in addition to different movies, often with Bing being the doorstop for a fast joke cameo.  These photographs are from the hit comedy ROAD TO MOROCCO (1942).  Gordon Jennings was Paramount’s results chief, and by all accounts, was an extremely good man to work for.  Jan Domela, as per traditional, was matte painter.

Additionally featured in ROAD TO MOROCCO had been a number of ingenious opticals and a few splendidly completed ‘speaking camels’, achieved with meticulously rotoscoped cel animated lip-sync cartoon components and eye rolling and so forth.  Virtually definitely executed by Anna Osborne, on the Duo-Airplane system which was developed for the sequence of Oscar successful quick topics ‘Talking Of Animals’, which is roofed later…

The one ‘Street’ film made in Technicolor was ROAD TO BALI (1952), once more having mattes by Jan Domela and opticals by Paul Lerpae.

Bob and Bing’s ROAD TO UTOPIA (1945) was, if not their finest movie, however definitely their largest visible results present.  Completely jam full of mattes, miniatures, opticals and extra ‘Duo-Airplane’ animated speaking animals.  May simply have been an results nominee that yr, with stable work all through.  The Jennings photographic results division had been stored very busy.

“Holy shit Bing…. it is that friggen Cocaine Bear, and he is speaking!”

Prime quality matte artwork by Jan Domela from similar movie, the place every part is painted right here besides the small pocket of oldsters mid body.  The variety of painted mattes in ROAD TO UTOPIA is substantial, with a number of invisible photographs solely evident when seen on BluRay.

Issues are wanting grim…. ROAD TO UTOPIA.

Lt. Frank Drebin was again for the ultimate within the sequence, NAKED GUN 3 (1994), with Phantasm Arts offering a few conventional painted photographs in addition to some oddly rushed wanting digital photographs late within the movie.  Robert Stromberg painted this one with brush and pigments.

Robert’s unique matte artwork on masonite/hardboard.

Dramatic tilt-down shot from NAKED GUN 3.

An fascinating matte from NAKED GUN 3 that most individuals by no means noticed was this excessive down view from atop the ‘fly tower’ and grid space excessive above the stage in a theatre, as characters cling to man wire.

The Hope-Crosby ‘Street’ photos had just about had their day by the point ROAD TO HONG KONG (1962) was made.  Not particularly memorable, although Dorothy Lamour nonetheless regarded nice and the movie had a hilarious bunch of ‘A listing’ cameos, particularly Peter Sellers.  In contrast to the earlier movies, this one was a British manufacturing, made at Shepperton Studios.  Quite a lot of mattes had been used, with Bob Cuff being principal matte artist for Wally Veevers.  This shot is fascinating, with the very same dwell motion plate getting used for this matte of India and a later matte (beneath) for Hong Kong!

Similar plate locale used for this HK matte shot.

Very fascinating shot right here from ROAD TO HONG KONG, with what nearly seems to be certainly one of Percy Day’s mattes, possibly unused, from BLACK NARCISSUS, although upon reflection I believe Bob Cuff in all probability painted this from scratch, as the person beloved portray!

A more in-depth view…

NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION (1989), with uncredited results by the all the time dependable Dream Quest.

A choice of classic Jan Domela photographs from PARIS HONEYMOON (1938).

An atmospheric night time vista that was painted at Phantasm Arts, although not included within the remaining minimize, of the movie SPEECHLESS (1994).  Love that very, very Whitlock impressed cloudscape!

The eighties spurned a complete slew of utterly undesirable and sometimes idiotic ‘child’ themed so-called comedies, with this Diane Keaton flick, BABY BOOM (1987) being barely higher than common.  Noteworthy, for some astonishing matte work by artist Ken Marschall and affiliate Bruce Block, with this jaw dropper of a matte portray being the most effective excuse to see the movie.

The ultimate, completely real looking unique damaging composite, and a detailed up of Ken’s very small paintings.  Ken advised me that this was his favorite among the many a whole bunch of mattes he did, and nonetheless has saved away.  He was particularly happy with how the painted balloons turned out.  There have been different mattes as properly, however these did not survive the ultimate edit.

HIGH SCHOOL HIGH (1996) was dismissed by the critics, but had me chuckling all through.  This matte painted faculty is certainly one of Robert Stromberg’s, at Phantasm Arts.

Element

HIGH SCHOOL HIGH remaining shot.

Matthew Yuricich did a lot uncredited and missed work over the a long time, with this distinctive earlier than and after from a present known as OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS (1990).  Be aware element of artwork at proper.

The Ronald Colman traditional, IF I WERE KING (1938), a superbly photographed 14th Century escapade.  Mattes by Jan Domela and results cinematographer Irmin Roberts.

One other matte from IF I WERE KING, a movie by which Ronald Colman is so good.

A fantastic earlier than and after from Paramount’s IF I WERE KING (1938)

Silent star Marion Davies was a pure delight within the mistaken identification farce BEVERLY OF GRAUSTARK (1926).  Nice enjoyable, with some fascinating classic mattes and early Dunning composite photographs. No mentions of ‘Rosebud’ right here please!  😉

Early matte work from BEVERLY OF GRAUSTARK (1926).

BEVERLY OF GRAUSTARK was daring for the day with closing sequences processed in 2-Tone color, with this shot in all probability being an in digital camera glass shot.

British comedian Norman Knowledge made many low price range flicks via the 1960’s largely, with THE EARLY BIRD (1965) in all probability being his largest movie, shot in color with tons of stunts, pratfalls and visible results photographs.  It is a Cliff Culley matte, and is without doubt one of the first on-screen credit Cliff really acquired after being in results work because the mid 1940’s.

Poor ole’ Norman has many a misadventure in THE EARLY BIRD, with this prolonged bit involving a runaway garden mower destroying a millionaire’s property.  Plenty of intelligent puppet and miniature work as issues go utterly uncontrolled.

Pity the shiny Rolls Royce, flattened by falling tree, all in miniature.  I presume Pinewood guys like Bert Luxford, Jimmy Snow, Frank George and John Stears will need to have been concerned with all of the mannequin work.

Cliff Culley matte artwork coupled with miniature fireplace ladders, animation and smoke overlays.

Remaining scene in THE EARLY BIRD has Norm crash a fireplace truck into milk manufacturing facility, with the entire constructing cracking aside by way of cel animation atop matte artwork.

Syd Dutton painted this very good imaginary palatial HQ for wacko evangelical non secular zealot, Peter Boyle, for Marty Feldman’s spoof IN GOD WE TRUST (1980)

One other Charlie Chaplin traditional from way back, THE GOLD RUSH (1925) had a number of mattes or glass photographs as I believe this one to be, in addition to different advanced trickery.

One of many results sequences in THE GOLD RUSH entails a personality trapped on a step by step slipping away ice cap.  Finished as a miniature set with the actor added both by the Dunning or the Williams travelling matte composite technique.

The partial translucency of the actor tends to counsel the Dunning matting course of could properly have been used, with this artifact typically seen with that method.

One other memorable second from Chaplin’s THE GOLD RUSH has the 2 guys desperately try to stop their cabin from toppling over the abyss.

I do not understand how Chaplin pulled this off, aside from with massive miniature chasm set and cabin, and glorious optical composite images including the individuals into the shot.

Rock Hudson and Gina Lollobrigida starred within the Common movie STRANGE BEDFELLOWS (1965), with Albert Whitlock offering this uncredited matte shot.

A usually spectacular Newcombe shot from the movie TWO FACED WOMAN (1941), although I am undecided if this daytime view was within the remaining movie?

Mattes from TWO FACE WOMAN (1941) with Greta Garbo.

This is one other Norman Knowledge comedy from the UK; THERE WAS A CROOKED MAN (1960) – to not be confused with the superb Kirk Douglas western of the identical title made a decade later.  It is a wacky one, even by Knowledge’s requirements, the place the US are conned into shifting a whole English city and rebuilding it in a extra preferable locale. A number of fx photographs together with painted mattes and miniatures, not credited however probably Cliff Culley or the Wally Veevers individuals throughout city.

One of many many uncredited mattes that Al Whitlock did over his lengthy profession was for SOME KIND OF NUT (1969), with Dick Van Dyke, whom I can tolerate solely in small doses.

The primary Bob Hope Pale Face movie was an enormous hit, so naturally Paramount mounted a sequel, SON OF PALEFACE (1952), and a wide range of trick photographs and mattes had been wanted, corresponding to this Jan Domela matte of the city within the distance.

Foolish gags abound in SON OF PALEFACE, however no person complained.

The sweltering desert provides a ‘cool’ respite, with an ice-capades mirage.  Hope, in a single uninterrupted shot, drives from scorching, sandy environs into an arctic environ, full with ice skaters, after which out the opposite facet again into the desert warmth!!  A cleverly devised and really advanced visible impact sequence, designed by Gordon Jennings, involving transferring cut up screens by ace optical man Paul Lerpae, with exterior location and inside set mixed on the optical printer.

SON OF PALEFACE concludes with this multi-element composite by Paul Lerpae.

Considered one of my all time favorite Syd Dutton matte work, created for the exceedingly mediocre Mel Brooks spoof SPACEBALLS (1987)

Shut up element of Syd’s unfastened and impressionistic brush work. Love Syd’s backlight.

Additionally from SPACEBALLS was this push in shot, I believe painted by Robert Stromberg, of the galactic diner.

Albert Whitlock rendered this pleasant homage to a sure monkey film traditional, for the ending of SPACEBALLS.  “Rattling you all to hell”.

For the John Landis spy spoof SPIES LIKE US (1985), Ray Caple painted this view of Afghanistan.

Derek Meddings miniature results from SPIES LIKE US.  By the way, Derek appeared in a cameo, as did a complete truckload of movie guys like Ray Harryhausen and varied director mates of Landis.

Most likely the funniest factor in STRANGE BREW (1983) was this neat title sequence.

STRANGE BREW matte work by veteran Matthew Yuricich.

Extra Yuricich matte work from STRANGE BREW

The Sandra Dee light-weight romantic comedy THAT FUNNY FEELING (1965) had a few good mattes by Al Whitlock, however it was the work of results home Challenge Limitless that actually stole the present.  See beneath…

It might not appear to be a lot however this outstanding temporary scene is a masterpiece of film magic.  A impolite and obnoxious driver of a purple speedster roars via the site visitors, chopping off different automobiles and inflicting a pile up earlier than rushing off down the freeway.  Fabulous work right here, designed and executed largely by Jim Danforth.  See beneath…

From Jim’s memoir, Dinosaurs, Dragons & Drama, comes this glorious breakdown.  A miniature freeway facet was constructed at Challenge Limitless, with mannequin automobiles animated by way of cease movement, with Jim concentrating upon the primary purple automobile, whereas different staffers labored on secondary site visitors.  What sells that is the completely bullseye matching of the particular LA location and the miniature set, with good line up, perspective, lighting and above all else, mixed with refined matte artwork mixing as latent picture on unique damaging.  Based on Jim, the studio had been so ‘wrapped’ with this sensational shot that they’d it spliced right into a steady loop and screened it time and again.  I fee it as one of many all time nice visible results moments.

One other of Albert’s mattes from THAT FUNNY FEELING.

Mattes from the Rank comedy starring Alec Guinness THE CARD (1952).  Invoice Warrington, though not a matte artist, was answerable for the matte division, with varied artists working underneath him corresponding to Les Bowie, Albert Whitlock and Cliff Culley.

Don Knotts did this fairly amusing remake of the outdated Bob Hope traditional, The Pale Face, with THE SHAKIEST GUN IN THE WEST (1967).  This glorious matte was the work of Al Whitlock, with a fairly appreciable quantity of the body right here being pure paint, with simply the oldsters with the three partial mock up carriages within the background being actual.  All else was painted, together with the foreground rolling inventory, the station inside, the background left carriage and the bags trolley and even the group of individuals at excessive left!  I would like to see Al’s precise portray for this.

A wholly matte painted shot, with the large thousand seat film home, The Grand – seen in higher instances – from the completely pleasant British comedy THE SMALLEST SHOW ON EARTH (1957), which for causes that escape me was retitled BIG TIME OPERATORS for American  launch(!).  Bob Cuff was certainly one of Shepperton’s most interesting matte artists, and never solely did he do the mattes for the movie but in addition obtained an on-screen credit score – though in smaller font, underneath Wally Veevers’ title – however a credit score, is a credit score, as they are saying.

A second full body matte, additionally by Bob Cuff, reveals the Grand burnt to the bottom. One of many nice outdated British comedies, in addition to being a loving and nostalgic tribute to the times of outdated time film homes; Saturday matinees, double options, movie breakages, cartoon & travelogue previous the primary present, wonky projection and that unmistakable aroma of outdated popcorn and Jaffa’s that these locations was once identified for.  Very fond recollections by your blogger of all such issues, from a film loopy childhood and past…. all now however a distant reminiscence, sadly.  Screw multiplexes… The Satan’s work!

Time for some astonishingly good trickery from Abbott & Costello’s TIME OF THEIR LIVES (1946), the place ghostly goings-ons with spirits from 1776 trigger mischief within the 1940’s.  An absolute rollercoaster journey of extraordinarily properly performed optical results by veteran Common photographic results males David Stanley Horsley and Jerome Ash.

Extremely advanced travelling matte mixture work was carried out for quite a lot of fairly eye popping set items, corresponding to this one the place a sublime woman spirit loses right here apparel, piece by piece, throughout a confrontation on a staircase.  Many frames wanted to exhibit the work…

Who get’s the most important shock, the ghost or the actual lady?  Each run screaming for his or her ‘lives’, so to talk.  The ghostly gal runs down after which again up the steps, with objects of garment being thrown off as she goes…

I’ve no concept how Horsley pulled this one off, aside from by way of travelling matte and far roto assist?

Probably achieved as per the outdated Fulton technique by draping the set and stairs in black velvet, with physique double suited in black beneath the elegant apparel, permitting excessive distinction mattes to be pulled on Ross Hoffman’s optical printer?

Now it is simply right down to ‘her’ stockings and lengthy lace gloves working up the steps!

The sequence in full, although after all you will want a REAL laptop monitor to correctly admire such magic as offered right here by NZ Pete.

However wait!!…There’s extra!  Additionally from TIME OF THEIR LIVES is one other spectacular visible impact the place Lou Costello and girl buddy ‘survive’ successful and run because the automobile merely passes via them, or did they go via the automobile??

Once more, I am baffled by this terrific scene.  Undoubtedly has some extent of matte line on the higher proper fringe of each actors, although whether or not that is roto work or from photo-chemical composite images, I do not know?

I am presuming it to be a mixture of travelling matte achieved proper there on the outside set, isolating the actors; a second take with the automobile, with out the actors, and quite a lot of cautious hand drawn and inked rotoscope mattes made on cels.  Millie Winebrenner was Common’s very long time rotoscope artist (and, as Syd Dutton advised me, a great cartoonist/caricature artist) who had labored way back to the John Fulton days and onward properly into the Whitlock period as a everlasting staffer within the matte division.

Common’s veteran optical cinematographer, Roswell Hoffman was additionally one whose profession stretched again to the early Fulton days, being an worker from 1931 via to 1974, with in all probability a thousand fx composites underneath his belt.

Welcome to the Pearly Gates – the ultimate matte from TIME OF THEIR LIVES (1946)

A Les Bowie shot of a collapsing bridge in THOSE FANTASTIC FLYING FOOLS (1967) – made at a time when titles corresponding to this had been all the fashion.

The cheeky Hal Roach ghost comedy TOPPER RETURNS (1941) was a little bit of a hoot.  Plenty of humorous bits, particularly right here with the all the time nice Eddie ‘Rochester’ Anderson and Marlboro puffing spectre.

Roy Seawright was the in home Hal Roach photographic results man, with Jack Shaw portray mattes and William Draper and Frank Younger on opticals.  Matte right here from TOPPER RETURNS

Additionally from similar movie is that this very nifty bit combining miniatures, matte artwork and actual water.

A pair of Jack Shaw mattes of The Riviera from TOPPER TAKES A TRIP (1939)

Peter Melrose painted this shot from Blake Edwards’ TRAIL OF THE PINK PANTHER (1982) – a movie comprised of out takes from unused footage from the sooner Sellers movies.

A fantastic forged of UK comics in SCHOOL FOR SCOUNDRELS (1960), although I do not know who did this matte shot for Tom Howard.

Jan Domela painted this matte for the Clark Gable comedy TEACHER’S PET (1958)

This was apparently Albert Whitlock’s first matte shot for Common.  The movie is THAT TOUCH OF MINK (1962) starring Cary Grant.  I had hoped to exhibit the unique matte artwork with this, however it wasn’t potential as issues turned out.

I do not go a lot for Terry Gilliam’s movies myself, with TIME BANDITS (1981) being an actual drag.  Mattes painted by Ray Caple, with this shot being particularly good.

Additionally from TIME BANDITS was this shot by Caple, which I imagine Gilliam was by no means proud of, and was continuously asking for the ‘damaged glass’ to look higher.

One of many nice cinema classics was Ernst Lubitsch’s TO BE OR NOT TO BE (1942) starring Jack Benny and Carole Lombard.  Daring, for the day, to combine critical drama with out and out hysterical comedy in the identical movie.  Many fantastic traces and bits.  Results overseen by Lawrence W. Butler, with this nameless matte of the theatre district in Warsaw, Poland, being a set extension for the higher half of the body.

One other favorite movie of NZ Pete was Preston Sturges’ UNFAITHFULLY YOURS (1948), that includes a by no means higher Rex Harrison and his elaborate makes an attempt to kill off his spouse.  A lot funnier than it could sound, with the graceful as silk ‘fantasy homicide’ utterly coming aside when carried out as ‘the actual factor’.  Aspect splittingly humorous, I laughed until my spleen exploded!  This is a matte by certainly one of Fred Sersen’s artists.

A key scene in UNFAITHFULLY YOURS has orchestral conductor Rex drift into his lengthy deliberate fantasy of knocking off his outdated woman.  What’s most fascinating is simply how within the hell Sersen and DOP Victor Milner pulled off this superb shot?  Shot begins in lengthy shot, and slowly pushes in (not a zoom, thoughts you…a push in) and finally goes proper as much as and nearly into his eyeball!!!  If any cinematographers are studying this, I would like to understand how the main target puller managed to make this work so properly.   Maybe shot in reverse, as a pull out?  Hitchcock did one thing comparable a decade earlier than with YOUNG AND INNOCENT with the drummer and his ‘twitch’.  Very spectacular.

Though the overlong, but bouncy Julie Andrews musical-comedy THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE (1967) had some inexplicably poor high quality work from the often dependable Albert Whitlock, a minimum of this shot was of excessive sufficient commonplace to slide by unnoticed.

The Naval comedy SAILORS THREE (1940)  from Ealing Studios, had some properly performed mannequin work and matte artwork on a really, very tight wartime price range.  Roy Kellino was Ealing’s results man.

As removed from the grasp, John LeCarre as one may hope to get; THE SPY WITH A COLD NOSE (1966) a few canine employed by MI5, had matte photographs by Gerald Larn (essential picture) and Doug Ferris at Shepperton. Not by any means to be confused with the good SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD with Richard Burton.

These enormous forged of worldwide star ‘around the world’ roadshow epics had been very a lot in vogue within the sixties, with quite a few alongside the identical traces.  THOSE MAGNIFICENT MEN IN THEIR FLYING MACHINES – OR HOW I FLEW FROM LONDON TO PARIS IN 25 HOURS AND 11 MINUTES (1965) – they usually all had absurdly lengthy titles as if to lend extra grandeur to the occasion!  Cliff Culley was matte artist, probably assisted by Charles Stoneham, with Roy Area on fx digital camera duties.

Painted Paris and onlookers from similar movie.

Interval riverboat antics, THREE MEN IN A BOAT (1956) from Shepperton’s fx dept.

Dramatic closing shot from the hit Gene Wilder-Richard Pryor motion comedy SILVER STREAK (1976).  I used to be advised as soon as that Louis Litchtenfield in all probability painted this .

Beautiful matte artwork is all that I can advocate for the completely dreadful SNOW WHITE AND THE THREE STOOGES (1960).  L.B Abbott was photographic results chief, with Emil Kosa jnr portray mattes.

Some extra high quality mattes from the identical diabolically terrible movie.

The Ritz Brothers had been a price range variation on the good Marx Bros, although not in that very same league by any means, and right here they play up in certainly one of many variations of THE THREE MUSKETEERS (1939).  Fred Sersen’s matte artists included Ray Kellogg, Fitch Fulton, Ralph Hammeras and  Gil Riswold.

The pre-code traditional TROUBLE IN PARADISE (1932) from the good Ernst Lubitsch, was a complicated, sultry, attractive and really clean affair – with Herbert Marshall completely forged.  Paramount’s Jan Domela would have painted the matte shot.

Producer Jerry Fairbanks made a complete sequence of very talked-about one-reeler quick topics SPEAKING OF ANIMALS within the early 1940’s, successful an Oscar for certainly one of them.  They will need to have actually been successful again within the day as they nonetheless look unimaginable right this moment.  Cleverly edited animal footage supplemented by intricate rotoscope work and cel animated lip sync for hilarious voice overs and fashionable songs of the day.

Anna Osborne was key animator for the SPEAKING OF ANIMALS sequence, and her group deserve a bow for such prime quality work.  I nonetheless have a VHS assortment of all of ’em.

The bull in baritone singing  ‘The Cow-Cow Boogie’ – good stuff that had my youngsters wrapped again within the eighties.

James Garner and Doris Day had been enjoyable in THE THRILL OF IT ALL (1963), as was Carl Reiner.  Matte photographs by Albert Whitlock.

Matte artwork and far inventive Buddy Gillespie mannequin work within the Clark Gable-Myrna Loy flick TOO HOT TO HANDLE (1938)

One other Clark Gable image from MGM, THEY MET IN BOMBAY (1941), was entertaining and seemingly unique, although all overseas locales had been furnished by glorious Newcombe mattes increasing the MGM again lot.

The loopy Laurel and Hardy misadventure, SWISS MISS (1938) from Hal Roach Studios, had a number of mattes by Luis McManus.

The Danny DeVito satire THE RATINGS GAME (1984) had Dream Quest as vfx contractor, with artists Rocco Gioffre and Mark Sullivan sharing brush duties.

In my intensive profession interview with Mark Sullivan, he advised an amazing story about this sequence:

“Rocco and I had been creating some photographs, at Dream Quest, for a Danny DeVito directed HBO movie known as THE RATINGS GAME.  At some point, a Hill excessive pace digital camera was getting used on the facility to movie some falling cash, for one more Dream Quest undertaking. The digital camera was able to working at some insanely quick body charges, for excessive sluggish movement results. Rocco seized the chance to shoot some components for this stormy sea scene. Whereas the digital camera was screaming alongside at 400 frames per second, Rocco tossed a few quarter cup filled with powdered espresso creamer up into the air, into body, in entrance of a black background. He later tossed some powdered hand cleaning soap for the rain aspect. Everybody was amazed in dailies at how efficient these components had been. Together with Rocco’s excessive pace components, this shot was a mixture of a glass portray, (the ship) and a background portray on panel (the sky). I did the portray work.  Bob Bailey did the images, which included a movement management digital camera transfer to simulate the shot being taken from one other boat in tough, uneven seas. The rain and wave had been again projected and shot on a separate publicity, so the digital camera may {photograph} them with the identical movement because it did with the portray passes. The again panel sky portray was shot as a number of cut up display screen passes, transferring at totally different charges, to counsel the clouds had been churning.”

Some uncredited mattes from the Bob Hope comedy THEY GOT ME COVERED (1943), made by Samuel Goldwyn Studios versus Bob’s traditional ‘house’ at Paramount for some cause.

A mod replace of the outdated Gunga Din story, with the Rat Pack on the unfastened, SERGEANTS 3 (1961) was a United Artists present, with no results credit score.

The unbearable UNDER THE RAINBOW (1981), in regards to the alleged making of The Wizard Of Oz, did a minimum of have this intelligent use of a matte portray, by Matthew Yuricich.  Carrie Fisher did look so candy although.

Peter Ustinov wrote and directed VICE VERSA (1947) – an overlong however extremely imaginative fantasy of position reversal, that was remade some 40 years later.  Some glorious trick photographs, supervised by Rank’s then chief of results, Henry Harris, corresponding to this wild head tornado of a shot which absolutely will need to have influenced William Friedkin when he did The Exorcist(??)  Movie is value viewing for the fantastic, quaint title sequence, performed as a sequence of classic lantern slides, and painstakingly set out and phrased in very Victorian period textual content, corresponding to: ‘Ices and nectarines could generally be obtained from neatly uniformed attendants by request’;   ‘Director of Kinema-Pictures, Mr Jack Hildyard’;   ‘Affiliate Producer and Factotum Mr Paul Sherrif’;   ‘All Fantastic & Extravaganza Results by Professor Henry Harris’;   ‘Continuity & Feats of Reminiscence Mlle. Tilly Day’;   ‘Sound Editor & Tips of the Ear Dr Harry Miller; and my fave ‘Editor in Cost of Magic Lantern Decoupage Mr John Guthridge’.  I am certain the good wordsmith himself, Mr Ustinov should have been behind the pleasant title playing cards.

Michael Curtiz’ WE’RE NO ANGELS (1954) used movement mattes for some tilt up and down photographs, which was not one thing that Paramount did fairly often, even having their patented Movement Repeater.  John P. Fulton was in cost, with Jan Domela on mattes and Irmin Roberts as FX cameraman.

A wonderful VistaVision Domela shot from WE’RE NO ANGELS.

Similar movie, with this fascinating shot that I think entails foreground miniature set; ship and background painted on glass, and a course of projected sea aspect

An impressive painted sky kinds a serious tilt down for the opening of the Ealing charmer WHISKEY GALORE (1948).  Almost certainly that Geoffrey Dickinson painted the mattes, as Ealing’s artist in residence.

Three matte comps from WHISKEY GALORE in addition to what I believe to be a foreground miniature (decrease left) shot.

I solely ever appreciated Dudley Moore when he was paired with comedian genius Peter Cook dinner (no relation) in these outdated issues just like the hilarious Bedazzled and varied television and radio specials.  This shot is a good matte by Matthew Yuricich from the abysmal, barely watchable parody WHOLLY MOSES (1979).

Two extra Yuricich photographs from the ‘to be averted in any respect prices’ WHOLLY MOSES.

The very humorous homicide thriller with Abbott & Costello, WHO DONE IT (1942).  Dizzying matte work featured at climax, with each Russ Lawson and John DeCuir on the brushes.  I do love excessive perspective matte artwork.

Two barely noticeable matte prime ups from the Frank Capra image YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU (1938) from Columbia Photos.  No results credit score however could also be somebody like Chesley Bonestell or Ted Withers?

I sort of hammered Mel in earlier examples from his movies for his weaker than traditional latter day output.  YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN (1974) nonetheless harks again to the times when Mel may do no fallacious.  Sensible, pitch good retelling of the Percy (Mary) Shelley horror fable.  Fantastically made, and fortunately shot in B&W because it damned properly needs to be!  I will wager Fox had arguments with Brooks about that alternative!  By the way, after I noticed this on first launch right here in my teenagers (on the Plaza theatre, Auckland) I used to be bitterly dissatisfied to seek out the movie not in color, particularly as all the front-of-house stills had been in damned full color!!

The traditional citadel on the rain soaked hill prime from similar movie, as painted by Matthew Yuricich.  In my oral historical past with Matt he talked about that the painted, accomplished glass obtained damaged earlier than images.  He thought that maybe certainly one of his boys stepped on it, however could not recall.  He managed to restore the cracked glass, and by all accounts, it was a superb repair.

Two extra Yuricich photographs from YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN.  By the way, Gene Wilder was by no means higher than on this film.

One other Matt Yuricich shot, this time from the Tom Hanks flick VOLUNTEERS (1985).

WILL SUCCESS SPOIL ROCK HUNTER (1957) was fairly a intelligent satire on commercialism.  L.B Abbott’s matte artist Emil Kosa jnr was little question answerable for the shot.

Frantic screwball kind car for pop icon Madonna, WHO’S THAT GIRL (1987) had some good results work corresponding to this jail matte by Rocco Gioffre.

Earlier than and after take a look at Mark Sullivan’s rooftop matte painted shot for WHO’S THAT GIRL

Some classic Albert Whitlock photographs right here, from the J.Arthur Rank comedy YOU KNOW WHAT SAILORS ARE (1953), when Al was head painter at Pinewood earlier than heading throughout the pond to the States a yr later.

Different Whitlock photographs from similar movie.  Noteworthy for outdated time character actor Akim Tamiroff – an extremely busy actor in a thousand flicks – who’s hilarious on this.

Jeff Goldblum and Cyndi Lauper in a bizarre psychic/mystical journey with Peter Falk, VIBES (1988), with mattes I believe, by Matthew Yuricich.

I’ve all the time had a liking for the movies of Woody Allen, particularly his ‘earlier & funnier movies’ (Take The Cash and Run and Bananas nonetheless being fucking hilarious!) in addition to his books and outdated 1960’s get up data.  Woody’s pseudo documentary, ZELIG (1982) was a masterpiece in intelligent fakery and seemingly convincing historic recreations the place Woody’s mysterious Leonard Zelig mixes and mingles with everybody from Hitler to Herbert Hoover, F.Scott Fitzgerald, Amelia Earhart, Babe Ruth and Chaplin amongst others.  Brilliantly photographed by the legendary Gordon Willis, with refined and seamless optical trickery by R/Greenberg and Associates, with Joel Hynek supervising, to not point out amazingly good photograph retouching.  The pretend marry-ups far outshine comparable photographs ILM did a lot later for Forrest Gump, which had been strictly show-pony photographs and a gimmick-fest, and little extra. Excellent work in all ZELIG departments, and a powerful rating too.  *Be aware, The photographs with Hitler above have Woody/Zelig flawlessly inserted inside the footage, with prime proper body having Zelig in background interacting 2nd from proper.  The opposite decrease Hitler body has Zelig with arm outstretched, waving to the newsreel digital camera of Leni Riefenstahl.

I did not take care of it again within the day, however WRONG IS RIGHT (1982) lately, it was a extra satisfying expertise. Sean Connery headlines on this Richard Brooks movie.  A number of results contributors, with an uncredited Ken Marschall portray and offering these opening photographs.

Extra from WRONG IS RIGHT, (which out of curiosity was titled THE MAN WITH THE DEADLY LENS right here in New Zealand and different overseas territories, full with ludicrous Bond styled advert artwork and posters to appear to be a 007 flick!  No shit!)  Anyway, the highest left matte was by Joe Musso, whereas the opposite optical mixture photographs of NY being destroyed had been performed (not properly) by Fox veteran Invoice Abbott.

Two Jan Domela mattes from WEDDING PRESENT (1936).

The Duke, sans horse or six shooter, within the romantic comedy WITHOUT RESERVATIONS (1946). Some fascinating matte work with what I took to be an in depth painted railway station for the decrease body.

Syd Dutton supervised the rendering of this new age church and environs for the movie WAYNE’S WORLD 2 (1993).  Solely value it for a extremely amusing prolonged sequence with a purposely badly dubbed James Hong, which, if you happen to’re something like me, you grew up on badly dubbed Hong Kong motion flicks, which this spoofs to perfection. Hilarious!

The ultimate composite, with transferring clouds and daylight breaking via.

A usually beautiful matte from certainly one of Warren Newcombe’s many artists, for the movie THE WILD MAN OF BORNEO (1941).

Effectively, that is about it for this weblog publish.  Hope you discovered it fascinating.

Peter