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Let's kick off from the beginning. Starting at the dawn of cinema we'd surely have to choose the films of Georges Melies, the father of movie special effects. Although many of these effects were carry overs from his theatrical experience, he did introduce various motion picture effects techniques for the first time, some of which, in updated form, continue to be used. And his films, 100 and more years later, are still quite charming and entertaining to watch. They've still got that sense of wonder about them. They were also effects driven films, Melies being well aware that spectacle can be enthralling by itself.

Silent era: "Metropolis" "The Woman in the Moon" "The Lost World"

It's been awhile since I've seen THE WOMAN IN THE MOON but I'd agree that METROPOLIS and THE LOST WORLD are two of the high points of Silent film special effects, arguably the top two. Both films are effects driven, the first film practically wall-to-wall effects while the second achieves the same distinction once the explorers get on top of the plateau. Other films were augmented with special effects. With these two films the effects were the end-all, be-all.

Some other notables of the silent era that I would include would be C.B. DeMilles's THE TEN COMMANDMENTS for the parting of the Red Sea. A huge difference in the techniques employed to achieve the effect compared to the color remake. But still quite impressive. Another contender would be BEN-HUR. The chariot race arena with it's hanging miniature and tiny fake people is a spectacular effect. Is it KING OF KINGS that has the collapse of a huge arched building? SHERLOCK JR. has some amazing effects. Douglas Fairbanks' THE THIEF OF BAGDAD and ROBIN HOOD have some nice matte paintings. WINGS has some very well done miniatures.

Another film with some interesting effects is LITTLE ORPHANT ANNIE (1918). In this film there are several sequences in which Annie tells stories to a group of rapt children. These tales are designed to frighten the children by warning them of what happens to youngsters who disobey their parents or forget to say their prayers. The oft repeated moral is "The gobble-uns will git ya if ya don't watch out!" Most of the effects work is simple double exposure or carefully designed dissolves. These effects allow the goblins to whisk children away, flying past and over trains to their hideaway where a young 'un is dropped into a boiling pot. Another shot looks like it took a page out of Melies' book. A long table stretches across the frame. On either end are kids waiting to get at the food in the bowls laid out before them. Behind the table is a sort of proscenium, the actors grouped in front of it on either end while the center area is totally black. In a moment, we see tiny people climbing in and out of the bowls. Then they appear to climb down the back of the table out of camera sight. This shot is either a simple double exposure or it's forced perspective, the actors actually on another part of the stage set in the extreme background. Regardless, it's cleverly done.

And this is the thread in which to do it. We can cover the subject in as much detail as we wish, or just hit the high points. Makes no matter, we've got the room. I'd enjoy hearing any thoughts you have on the art and on specific examples.

Since we're starting at the "dawn" of special effects, Norman Dawn deserves recognition as the man who is generally credited with discovering and perfecting the concept of the glass painting and, later, matte painting. I recall that Raymond Fielding talks about him in his book on special effects but don't my copy at hand. Don't know that I've actually seen any film with his work in it, only photos of him working on paintings on location. Can anyone point me to some films which contain his paintings? I see a listing on IMDB for a Norman Dawn but can't be sure if it's the same man. The age seems right and he worked on films in the 'teens but there aren't many credits listed. Might Dawn be the next big special effects pioneer after Melies?

The other night at the weekly Monster Kid Movie Maniacs of North Texas meeting at Arch Stanton's house we watched a condensed version of PERSEUS THE INVINCIBLE (1963) under its THE SONS OF HERCULES syndication title MEDUSA VS. THE SON OF HERCULES. There are four things that are remarkable about this peplum.

One is the terrific music score. I'd love to get my hands on it but don't even know if it was ever released.

Second, it has a really terrific Medusa. It looks like a larger-than-man tree. It's feet are little root-like tendrils that enable it to scuttle forward. It rears back and then leans forward as it moves in a very creepy manner. It has not arms, just a bunch of vines that wave about. It has no mouth and only one eye. I did see one snake for sure that makes up the gnarled "hair" of the creature. But this is just one fantastic visual and monster design.

Third, there's a pretty good, life-size, mechanically articulated lake monster. A sort of sea serpent but not of gigantic stature, but larger than a man and his horse. Very well done for this sort of thing. It gives itself away a little bit in one shot when we can see that the "skin" is draped across the side of the creature and reaches the ground. This was done, no doubt, to hide the technicians within. But it's still a pretty cool "dragon."

Fourth, and most impressive for me, is what looks like a colossal outdoor glass painting or painting done on some other kind of material. It is so big, and placed in such a manner, that actors can appear in front of it and then move deep into the shot without their heads or spears ever disappearing behind it. It is mounted between two sets of trees/shrubs which obscure the dividing lines between the real terrain and the "set." This is the valley of the Medusa. The painted portions expand the height of the scenery, adding huge rocky cliffs to the landscape below. There are also some "petrified" soldiers painted into it at the furthermost edge of the right hand side of the painting (which no doubt cut down on the number of "stone" soldiers that had to be manufactured for the shot). The effect has been set up in such a manner that the camera can freely pan from side to side and back again without the "matte" line shifting. The painting itself isn't so great and looks painted. But the cleverness of the overall effect design is impressive and I never tire of looking at this effect.