A Few Guys Named Ray, Will, Art, & Nick

Everyone loves a good throwback, and after my previous post that highlighted 3 reasons why I think stop-motion animation matters to our generation today, I thought I would share a few more great throwbacks with you! The first clip here was the very first stop-motion animated piece I saw when I was not yet in kindergarten. Please give a warm welcome to the work of artist, Ray Harryhausen in this segment from his "One Million Years BC" (1966).

The animals moved with such convincing fluidity and life, to the little preschool-dinosaur fanatic I was, this footage was as good as real! I wanted these creatures to live and breathe so badly, seeing this clip only ignited a hunt for more. I encourage you to search out Ray Harryhausen and find more classics such as "Jason and the Argonauts" and "Clash of the Titans". The next clip is from the comedic genius of animation artist, Will Vinton. Enjoy watching these characters in his movie, "Dinosaurs!" (1987).

Another family favorite to watch on the weekends was a series about a boy and his dog, Goliath. From the studios of Art Clokey, here is a short from "Davey and Goliath: The Big Apple".

Art Clokey was also the maker of another great show, "The Adventures of Gumby", which, to my childish glee had a couple episodes about dinosaurs. Here's one called "The Hidden Valley".

So these were some of the shows that sure kept us happy and imaginative growing up. And for a while these were my entertainment staples in stop-motion, until my Dad brought home a fun short film about another guy and his dog. Only this time, he brandished a sophisticated accent and was possessed with a strange affinity for cheese! Let me introduce you to the charming work of Nick Park, and a trailer for his adventure, "A Grand Day Out" (1989).

These 4 guys were just a fantastic set of minds that brought so many adventures to life for me and my siblings. Hope you got a kick out of these, too! ___________________________________________________ Sources Cited • gumbyworld.com • youtube.com