Forgotten Gems of SPFX Part One – SUEZ (1938)

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.

So, here’s the latest from the Archives of Matte Shot …

There are so many Golden Era effects shows that I still find entertaining and pack a sizable punch in their respective technical achievements, even many decades later as today’s featured motion picture will prove. Some upcoming Forgotten Gems on NZPete’s Matte Shot blog include not only matte painted wizardry but in some cases stop motion animation, optical work and full blown physical effects. In an effort to keep it as fresh as possible I’ll try not to re-visit movies already covered at length – though thoroughly deserving they may be – such as all time faves 30 SECONDS OVER TOKYO, GONE WITH THE WIND, DARBY O’GILL AND THE LITTLE PEOPLE, THE NAKED JUNGLE (may re-visit that one now that I have excellent HD1080 screen captures), IN OLD CHICAGO, THE RAINS CAME and many others.

What we will be covering, starting with this post, will be the epic and still spectacular 20th Century Fox desert picture SUEZ (1938) where the sheer volume of trick shots and brilliant effects design blows me away completely. In following articles expect to see some retro visits upon the beautiful matte showcase that was MARIE ANTOINETTE (1938) – with hitherto unseen crisp high definition imagery. I’ll be reviewing JOAN OF ARC (1947) where Jack Cosgrove and John Fulton joined forces to create evocative vistas of period France, again illustrated in exquisite 1080p images directly captured from the recent BluRay.

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