Category: film gifs

The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms

The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, 1953, Computer Graphics, Film Gifs

The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (aka The Monster from Beneath the Sea) is a 1953 American black-and-white science fiction monster film from Warner Bros., produced by Jack Dietz and Hal E. Chester, directed by Eugène Lourié, and starring Paul Christian, Paula Raymond, Cecil Kellaway, and Kenneth Tobey. The film’s stop-motion animation special effects are by Ray Harryhausen. Its screenplay is based on Ray Bradbury’s short story “The Fog Horn”, specifically the scene where a lighthouse is destroyed by the title character.

The climactic roller coaster live action scenes were filmed on location at The Pike in Long Beach, California and featured the Cyclone Racer entrance ramp, ticket booth, loading platform, and views of the structure from the beach. Split-matte, in-camera special effects by Harryhausen effectively combined the live action of the actors and the roller coaster background footage from The Pike parking lot with the stop-motion animation of the Beast destroying a shooting miniature of the coaster.

Mermen: Legends of the Sea

Mermen:  Legends of the Sea Become Reality

Mermen are  male equivalents and counterparts of mermaids – creatures who have the form of a male human from the waist up and are fish-like from the waist down, having scaly fish tails in place of legs. They almost always wear no clothing, no matter what the temperature of the water is, with the exception of armour or cloaks In times of war or as fashion. They are know to chase down naked swimming otters for the purpose of sex activities, mostly but not exclusively oral.

Akira: Gif Set Two

Akira: Gif Set Two

Akira: directed by Ruairi Robinson and Katsuhiro Otomo, 2001

One of the best-known examples of contemporary Japanese animation, this cyberpunk adventure takes place in the post-apocalyptic city of Neo-Tokyo. A teen-age boy is exposed to a mysterious energy source and develops telekinetic powers that place him at the center of a conflict that may destroy the world.

A landmark anime feature that paved the way for the medium’s growing popularity outside of Japan and remains a significant influence in the sci-fi genre (this and “Ghost in the Shell” were key influences to the super-popular Matrix trilogy). At times it can be over-shadowed by it’s excessive graphic violence and an exhaustingly drawn-out third act, but this adaptation of director Katsuhiro Otomo’s 2000-page manga keeps up a kinetically-energetic pace that simply has you holding on for dear life throughout. Plus, the hand-drawn cell animation remains a wonder to behold even 14 years later and still holds a candle to even modern contemporary anime efforts.

David Belle: Pakour

David Belle, Film Gif Excerts from “District 13” and “Brick Mansions”

Born in April of 1973, David Belle is a French actor, film choreographer and stunt coordinator. He is deemed the founder or leading pioneer of the physical discipline known as parkour. The term is based on the teachings of his father Raymond Belle and the exceptionally skilled training necessary for parkour’s execution.

Belle came to fame via his parkour videos and film appearances as Leïto in the 2000 “District 13” and 2009 “District 13: Ultimatum”, both written and produced by Luc Besson. He also appeared in Camille Delamarre’s 2014 American remake “Brick Mansions”. Belle was a consultant on the production of “Babylon A.D.”, “Prince of Persia”, “Colombiana” and “The Family”.

Note: There are quite a few parkour videos available online, one of which is “Still Alive”, a nine-minute excerpt from “District 13”. Set to music, it follows Belle’s fast-paced escape across rooftops, through windows, and down twisted flights of stairs. The video shows Belle’s agility, concentration, and skill in the parkour discipline. “Still Alive” is available for viewing on different sites at YouTube.