tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063592677187148799.post2402658425955762271..comments2024-03-27T23:06:28.849+13:00Comments on Matte Shot - a tribute to Golden Era special fx: The Epics...QUO VADIS matte shots - part two in an ongoing seriesNZPetehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13863364769084676156noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063592677187148799.post-6534043028338690462023-07-31T15:54:26.637+12:002023-07-31T15:54:26.637+12:00Watching QV in high Def on my home cinema and swea...Watching QV in high Def on my home cinema and swear that fried scene had people moving. How could a matte be moving? Would it be painted on material and moved from behind or is it animated? Seem less work.Hollynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063592677187148799.post-81470123366712049712022-07-22T10:18:43.950+12:002022-07-22T10:18:43.950+12:00Well said. I understand your point. I was just goi...Well said. I understand your point. I was just going by the pure quality. And yes, 1941 was overall very good miniature work. I still can't look at Alien, or any of Brian Johnson's work and see anything but average to below average miniature work. Too shallow depth of field. ILM was the best at maintaining sharp depth of field, even when angles change. STEPHENhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17428326615122884230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063592677187148799.post-52339153097853222282022-07-18T19:25:43.971+12:002022-07-18T19:25:43.971+12:001979 was a tough call for FX oscar. While ALIEN w...1979 was a tough call for FX oscar. While ALIEN was by far the best overall film (and should have taken art dir, cinematography, sound editing and actress) I would probably have given the FX gong to 1941.<br /><br />TREK was a great film and I liked the fx work, though where it differed from ALIEN was that Ridley used his fx very sparingly, and only to advance the narrative, and not a moment longer, with no tiresome, lengthy overtures of technique simply for the sake of it, where, in the case of Bob Wise's ST-TMP film, things were somewhat overplayed just because 'they could'.<br />Don't get me wrong... I like both films, and savoured them both on the big screen back in the day.<br /><br />Pete<br /><br />NZPetehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13863364769084676156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063592677187148799.post-41112092267234965242022-07-18T12:23:39.858+12:002022-07-18T12:23:39.858+12:00You talk about ET winning over Blade Runner. But h...You talk about ET winning over Blade Runner. But how about Alien, with mediocre miniature effects (the art direction, namely the Alien and its ship design were what should have won) winning over the brilliant miniature effects of Star Trek TMP? THAT WAS THE ACADEMY PLAYING FAVORITES FOR SURE!STEPHENhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17428326615122884230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063592677187148799.post-86009577407589851252019-07-29T14:24:57.381+12:002019-07-29T14:24:57.381+12:00Re-reading the Les Ostinelli interview - he may o...Re-reading the Les Ostinelli interview - he may only be talking about 'QV' being put together at Borehamwood - not 'Hornblower'<br /><br />The interview is here:<br /><br />https://historyproject.org.uk/sites/default/files/BEHP%200266%20T%20Les%20Ostinelli%20Transcript.pdfA R McKayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01926149813873413660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063592677187148799.post-12789968524386390282019-07-24T18:45:55.180+12:002019-07-24T18:45:55.180+12:00Thanks firstly for the kind comments.
I can't...Thanks firstly for the kind comments.<br /><br />I can't really expand much on Peter's MGM tenure. In the book (well worth having on your shelf BTW) he includes info and images of IDOL OF PARIS and QV, as well as that mystery matte of the fluted columns (terrific job incidentally). I'd love to see IDOL but have never found it anywhere. I think you are correct with Peter hired for QV and then staying on with a contract extension. <br /><br />I don't know anything about the HORNBLOWER mattes, but always assumed they were assembled at Denham - as were all of the TREASURE ISLAND shots. The same ship mock up was used for both films. Tom Morahan was production designer on both films and Peter mentioned him as being instrumental in his getting the HORNBLOWER gig. <br />Where did you read the Ostinelli info? Most interesting.<br /><br />I know that Peter was lured to MGM with the promise of a salary increase AND screen credit for QUO VADIS (never happened, despite Peter's fantastic work)<br /><br />PeteNZPetehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13863364769084676156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063592677187148799.post-46400426945325955332019-07-24T14:33:47.800+12:002019-07-24T14:33:47.800+12:00I've managed to get hold of a copy of 'Ido...I've managed to get hold of a copy of 'Idol of Paris' <br /><br />The "untitled Ellenshaw matte carried out while at Metro" was once attributed to 'Idol of Paris' so I can confirm this matte does not appear in the film. <br /><br />I've got all the British Metro films from this period other than 'Which Will Ye Have?' (1949) - made at the Gate Studios Elstree, but effects by Tom Howard's team at Metro.<br /><br />This matt could possibly be Pontius Pilate's palace - but without access to the film, who knows.<br /><br />I'm trying to get a copy of 'Ellenshaw Under Glass' without mortgaging the house - but in the mean time, are you able to expand on Ellenshaw's time at Metro.<br /><br />From what I can gather, he was employed on one film as a trial and then his contract was extended.<br /><br />I'm particularly interested in how he came to leave Metro for Disney.<br /><br />Les Ostinelli says that the 'Hornblower RN' matts were put together by Tom Howard at Metro from material filmed at Denham. Did the same apply to 'Treasure Island'?<br /><br />Thanks for making all this material available - I come back to this site again and again.<br />A R McKayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01926149813873413660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063592677187148799.post-39323293949110369572018-03-23T12:47:08.716+13:002018-03-23T12:47:08.716+13:00I would love to know if he did any miniatures that...I would love to know if he did any miniatures that weren't used in the film. His work was magnificent.O Murrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11531211128964654050noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063592677187148799.post-59200357186284094242012-07-28T23:34:16.271+12:002012-07-28T23:34:16.271+12:00Hi there
Thanks for the positive feedback - I app...Hi there<br /><br />Thanks for the positive feedback - I appreciate it so much when I hear from family members of the very magicians I try to do justice to with this blog. I'd love to hear from you at some stage if you have any more info on your uncle you might be able to share.<br /><br />PeterNZPetehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13863364769084676156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063592677187148799.post-32040940227323991602012-07-28T12:20:35.735+12:002012-07-28T12:20:35.735+12:00Thank You for this! I loved seeing it. My Uncle wa...Thank You for this! I loved seeing it. My Uncle was Donald Jahraus. He did the miniatures for this film and many more.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063592677187148799.post-2144043225385120792011-06-15T02:22:15.325+12:002011-06-15T02:22:15.325+12:00Pure beauty!!! No amount of CG can ever match up w...Pure beauty!!! No amount of CG can ever match up with this kind of magisterial work! Wish they start dumping those computers and work again on glasses.altafhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06790599775326427443noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063592677187148799.post-4112433408397852312010-10-10T20:07:57.788+13:002010-10-10T20:07:57.788+13:00I would have to agree that Ellenshaw's "M...I would have to agree that Ellenshaw's "Money Shot" of Rome in Quo Vadis is the most impressive matte shot of Rome out there. An absolute tour de force of matte painting! Though, in terms of overall composition and cinematic appeal, I still have to go with his painting from Spartacus.<br /><br />Again, thanks for posting!!!!!Paul Lasainehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01403625946473228870noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063592677187148799.post-42187148305126891702010-09-28T04:14:50.633+13:002010-09-28T04:14:50.633+13:00Brilliant! I first saw QV in early 50's and wa...Brilliant! I first saw QV in early 50's and was immediately turned on to Roman stuff and Miklos Rozsa's music.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063592677187148799.post-9910366954040110532010-09-20T22:59:01.337+12:002010-09-20T22:59:01.337+12:00Fascinating stuff.Fascinating stuff.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com