Discuss Mighty Joe Young

Since IMDB shut up shop, I've really missed discussing these films and others from my childhood. No-one's posted here yet but hopefully, in time we can get a decent community going, where these works of art can be appreciated.

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I also love Harryhausen films. I also miss the IMDB boards. Mighty Joe Young has been one of my favorite movies since I was very young. I love the scene in Africa where the cowboys try to capture Joe.

Loved Harryhausen's work. My favorites being the Sinbad trilogy, Jason And The Argonauts and Clash Of The Titans.

I also grew up on Japanese monster film such as Godzilla. I was disappointed to learn that Harryhausen had a real dislike for these films.

I've never actually seen Mighty Joe Young. Recently ordered it on Blu-Ray. Very excited to see it!

The Big 5 for me - as is the case for many - would be the Sinbad films + Jason and the Argonauts + Clash of the Titans. The latter being one of my most watched films as child. Love to revisit these films in HD, you can really get a sense of the artistry involved in creating the creatures. The detail is incredible.

Didn't realise Harryhausen spoke out against the Godzilla films.

That's sad to hear. Each to thier own of course but a lot of work goes into those films too. The suits look a bit hokey and obviously it's not as painstaking as animating each individual frame with stop-motion. BUT... the minatures they had to build look incredible.

I love the Sinbad films and Jason and the Argonauts. I like Clash of the Titans but I don't think it is one of his BEST works.

20 Million Miles to Earth is also one of my favorites. Mr. Harryhausen didn't direct that one but did all the visual effects.

Like so many kids, the magical work of Ray Harryhausen is one of the primary regions why I grew up loving movies. The 7th Voyage of Sinbad has always been my favourite and I love Jason and the Argonauts too.

I also really enjoy Valley of Gwangi - once they arrive at the valley, that is, and Harryhausen's creations make themselves known. The opening third is pretty dreary stuff.

Going to see Clash of the Titans at the cinema was a seminal moviegoing moment of my childhood - although to be honest that one, while perfectly watchable, doesn't hold up so well for me.

I don't consider Mighty Joe Young to be in the same class as Harryhausen's very best, but I do have a fondness for it. Harryhausen always named King Kong as the primary reason why he fell into his particular line of work and while Mighty Joe Young is a poor man's King Kong, the love is evident - and no film with Harryhausen's magic touch can fail to be fun.

I love "Valley of Gwangi".

@Baxterrocky said:

Didn't realise Harryhausen spoke out against the Godzilla films.

That's sad to hear. Each to thier own of course but a lot of work goes into those films too. The suits look a bit hokey and obviously it's not as painstaking as animating each individual frame with stop-motion. BUT... the minatures they had to build look incredible.

You have to do more than just guess how Harryhausen felt. I looked it up and found an article in The Guardian. He wasn't dismissive of the technique, but he felt (and he was very careful about criticizing the film too directly) that Godzilla lifted its ideas from a film he helped make, The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms .

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2005/nov/20/features.review2

When you have a man who virtually perfected stop-motion and made it a staple effect of early films, surely you can understand that he carries a certain pride for his work. Also, if you've created an original work of art, having others come along and use it without attribution would surely rankle.

I understand Harryhausen's feelings and I doubt I'd feel any different if it were me.

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