Norwich-Puppet-Theatre-Ray-Harryhausen-Weekend

Norwich Puppet Theatre is honoured to be holding a very special tribute weekend to the late, great master of animation, Ray Harryhausen. Ray passed away in May of this year, and our tribute to him will celebrate his great influence on the special effects industry and on Hollywood fantasy cinema. Ray pioneered the use of models and puppetry in some of the greatest Monster Movies of the twentieth century and created a unique stop-motion technique, Dynamation. Our Ray Harryhausen Weekend runs 8 to 10 November 2013.

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The loss of Ray sparked tributes from leading figures throughout the film industry. He was, and will remain for many, the embodiment of fantasy cinema. His models, never monsters, will live forever in the memories of those who grew up watching his films. The Harryhausen ‘brand’ spanned a huge breadth of time, from The Mighty Joe Young in 1959, to Clash of the Titans in 1981 and his influence is still felt today; Guillermo del Toro’s Pacific Rim was dedicated to Ray.

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Our tribute weekend starts with The Golden Clementine Awards which showcases animation and puppetry in film. The following day Tony Dalton, curator of The Ray and Diana Harryhausen Foundation, film historian and Ray’s official biographer, leads a discussion on Ray and his practice with examples of models used in key films, including an original skeleton from Jason and the Argonauts and a recently restored model of the centaur from The Golden Voyage of Sinbad. Tony will also be signing copies of his new book Ray Harryhausen: A Life in Pictures. After the talk there will be a screening of The Golden Voyage of Sinbad. On Sunday, animator and filmmaker Barry Purves runs a special workshop, What is a Puppet?, which explores the nature of puppetry, its relationship with stop-motion and the context of Ray’s work. Barry and Tony will then host a Q&A, accompanied by more models, before a screening of the John Walsh documentary Ray Harryhausen: Movement into Life, which has not been screened for 25 years. John scoured the vaults of his film school to find the footage and remaster it in HD. We end the weekend with a screening of Ray’s cult classic, Jason and the Argonauts, which celebrates 50 years since its release this year.

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This dedicated weekend celebrates one of cinema’s finest artists and is a unique opportunity to see some of Ray’s cult classics on the big screen, to engage in discussions about his motivations and his practice, meet models from Ray’s films (including skeletons!) and to celebrate the magic of cinema. The weekend is presented in collaboration with The Ray and Diana Harryhausen Foundation.

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“Ray, your inspiration goes with us forever.” Steven Spielberg

“The Lord Of The Rings is my ‘Ray Harryhausen movie’. Without his life-long love of his wondrous images and storytelling it would never have been made – not by me at least” Peter Jackson

“Ray has been a great inspiration to us all in special visual industry. The art of his earlier films, which most of us grew up on, inspired us so much… Without Ray Harryhausen, there would likely have been no Star Wars” George Lucas

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The Golden Clementine Awards

8 November, 7pm doors, 8pm start, 16+

Join the fabulously glamorous Clementine The Living Fashion Doll as she presents an evening of puppetry in film. The digital revolution has created an explosion of new films using puppetry in exciting new ways. Clementine has tirelessly devoted literally seconds of her valuable time, instructing her assistant to trawl through hours of footage to find the best examples to present to you. Puppets work brilliantly on film and can be dark, erotic and full of edgy humor. Consequently the evening is certificate for adults only.

Clementine will award each film a coveted Golden Clementine Statuette, and her personal tribute to the late, great puppet animator Ray Harryhausen will receive a special screening. As the event is a stylish film awards ceremony, dress for the Red Carpet!

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Tony Dalton Talk and The Golden Voyage of Sinbad

9 November, 7pm, 12+

Tony Dalton, Ray’s official biographer and curator of The Ray and Diana Harryhausen Foundation, presents a talk on Ray’s work and examples of models from his films, book signings and a screening of The Golden Voyage of Sinbad.

The second in Harryhausen’s Sinbad trilogy sees the heroic sailor journey to the lost land of Lemuria, where he must find the identity of the next ruler of Marabia. He is opposed by the magician Koura who is determined to restore his failing powers at the Fountain of Destiny and win the crown. Will Sinbad succeed in appointing the right ruler to the throne? This is a true heroic- fantasy epic which features great examples of Dynamation, including a six- armed statue, a griffin and a one-eyed centaur.

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Barry Purves Workshop: What is a Puppet?

10 November, 3pm, 16+

Join Barry for a lively afternoon of discussion with numerous film clips where he will throw out the question ‘What is a puppet and why do we need them?’. Why, in this age of technical miracles, is the sight of a performer standing in a pool of light very defiantly holding a glove puppet on his arm, or operating a marionette or manipulating an armatured puppet, still so exciting. What inner need do puppets satisfy? Just why are they and the myths and metaphors they suggest such a big part of our lives?

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Tony Dalton and Barry Purves Q&A and Jason and the Argonauts

10 November, 7pm, 12+

Filmmaker John Walsh chairs a Q&A with Barry Purves and Tony Dalton, accompanied by models from Ray’s films before a screening of John’s documentary short about Ray Harryhausen, Movement into Life. The weekend will then end with a screening of Ray’s cult classic, Jason and the Argonauts, which celebrates 50 years since its release this year.

Jason returns to the Kingdom of Thessaly after a 20-year voyage to make his rightful claim for the throne. However, before he can take up the helm as King, he must find the magical Golden Fleece. With his trusty crew and the help of Hera, Queen of the Gods, Jason sets out on his quest to find the fleece. On the way Jason and his crew encounter a 100-foot bronze giant, monstrous harpies, a huge venomous seven-headed hydra, and, of course, a terrifying army of skeletons with whom Jason must battle.

Ray Harryhausen images Courtesy The Ray and Diana Harryhausen Foundation.

 

Norwich Puppet Theatre

St James, Whitefriars Norwich, Norfolk, NR3 1TN 01603 615564 www.puppettheatre.co.uk For press enquiries contact Libby Waite [email protected]

 

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