A Selection of Overlooked Films – Part Nine

Here’s the latest from the Archives of Matte Shot …

Greetings friends, fans and followers of old time – as in the time before computerisation – traditional era ‘hand crafted’ movie trickery. I have a wonderful line up here today of grand matte painted mastery spanning the decades, as is my recognised modus operandi. I’m very pleased with the comments, emails and feedback I’ve been getting regarding this series of so-called ‘overlooked films’, so naturally I still have a lot more to share with you all. From a pair of classic thirties features – most likely completely unknown to recent generations – through to an excellent fifties musical bio-pic of a real American legend of harmony and tune from the crossover into the 20th century (probably also a mystery to many of you younger people, but what a sensational film) with terrific matte paintings and clever innovative camerawork.

Also featured here is another matte laden true story epic bio-pic made for television in the early 1990’s worthy of rediscovery, and as if they weren’t enough, I have a particularly fun Sly Stallone guilty pleasure in the form of a sci-fi thriller as well from quite recent times – at least quite recent in my general scheme of things, 1993 – in fact one of the last of the traditional hand painted films of it’s type before the whole she-bang went the way of the motherboard, plug ins and a keyboard. Sad times all round for those antique aficionados of conventional cinema technology, like me.

But wait… there’s more!

My latest ‘Blast from the Past’ feature celebrates a legend in matte artistry and all round visual effects expertise – a man I’ve been meaning to pay tribute to for quite some time but never seemed to get around to it, until a faithful reader and fellow industry matte painter recently gave me the subtle ‘hurry up’ (thanks Richard). Overdue I know, but better late than never.

…Read the Full Article @ Matte Shot…

Matte Shot – a tribute to Golden Era & Traditional Special Effects is a tribute to the artistry and ingenuity of traditional matte painters, this collection celebrates the hand‑crafted movie magic that once shaped cinema — from grand, epic vistas to invisible effects even seasoned viewers might miss. It’s designed for both casual fans and dedicated enthusiasts, offering a renewed appreciation for skills largely forgotten today.