Slurpasaur

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

With Slurpasaur (combination of the English terms slurp > sip and dinosaur ) is called a film technique as described in the disguised, real animals other species dinosaurs are to represent, prehistoric animals and giant monsters.

principle

This technique was mainly used in low budget productions, as the scenes could be implemented much faster and therefore more cost-effectively than with the complex stop-motion technique or with actors in costumes.

Reptiles such as monitor lizards and lizards as well as alligators were mostly used for slurpasaurs . Occasionally, elephants (as mammoths ), snakes or spiders were also used.

The animals were often provided with additionally attached imitations of bone plates, horns and skull crests to give them a dangerous appearance. In some films, however, it has been omitted to reduce costs even further.

Since the animals were filmed in recreated landscapes, played back slowly and optically enlarged, the Slurpasaur technique is one of the miniature effects. These scenes were then cut between real scenes or combined with actors and other sets via rear projection . The blue screen technology was also used later .

Problem

In terms of film technology: In contrast to the stop-motion technology otherwise used in monster and dinosaur films, the dinosaurs shown in this way appear natural and agile. However, due to the anatomy and the ratio of eye and head size to the body, the animals are clearly recognizable as small reptiles or known species and are therefore not very convincing.

Ethical: From the point of view of animal welfare, the Slurpasaur technology is no longer justifiable. So in One Million BC (1940) two animals were made to fight each other to the blood and the dying monitor lizard was shown. Nevertheless, the lexicon of international films summed up: "Amusing trick shots provide some entertainment."

In Sunken World (1960) a similar fight was repeated and the animals were even allowed to fall deeply in the end and in another scene to be spilled by rubble. In Valley of the Dragons (1961), lizards were literally thrown into the picture and onto each other.

The film studios were aware of the problems and did not let any behind-the-scenes material become public, there are very few photos of filming. By the mid-1960s, the Slurpasaur technology had become obsolete.

Slurpasaur films

The first film to feature slurpasaurs is Brute Force (1914) by DW Griffith . However, the animals have not yet been optically enlarged here. For a T-Rex-like dinosaur, Griffith then used a life-size dummy with a posable mouth and tail.

For the first time in a large film production, slurpasaurs were used in One Million BC / Tumak, ruler of the jungle (1940). Roy Seawright and Elmer Raguse were nominated for an Oscar in 1941 for their work in the category Best Special Effects . These scenes, along with other leftover footage , were later used as stock footage in several other films , including King Dinosaur (1955) and the Mexican Tumark remake, La Isla de los Dinosaurios (1967).

More movies

Individual evidence

  1. ^ The Dinosaurs of 1960: A 50th Anniversary Photo Retrospective cinefantasticonline 2010/07
  2. ↑ Animal Training is deadly Game - Magazine article by Pamela Herbert. Teen Magazine January 1959 - English.
  3. ^ Hal Roach Jr, Hal Roach: One Million BC April 5, 1940, accessed August 28, 2016 .
  4. ↑ Two thousand and one. Film lexicon FILMS from AZ - Tumak, the lord of the jungle. In: www.zweitausendeins.de. Retrieved August 28, 2016 .
  5. ↑ Irwin Allen: The Lost World. July 13, 1960. Retrieved August 28, 2016 .
  6. ^ Edward Bernds: Valley of the Dragons. November 1, 1961, accessed August 28, 2016 .
  7. ↑ Photo from the recordings for One Million BC monsterkidclassichorrorforum
  8. ^ DW Griffith: The Primitive Man. April 25, 1914, accessed August 28, 2016 .
  9. ↑ 2 Oscar Nominations - One Million BC Website Oscars.org
  10. ↑ Bert I. Gordon: King Dinosaur. June 17, 1955, accessed August 28, 2016 .
  11. ↑ Rafael Portillo: La isla de los dinosaurios. January 1, 2000, accessed August 28, 2016 .
  12. ↑ Lucien Hubbard, Benjamin Christensen, Maurice Tourneur: The Mysterious Island. October 5, 1929. Retrieved August 28, 2016 .
  13. ↑ Milton Rosmer: The Secret of the Loch. December 3, 1934, accessed August 28, 2016 .
  14. ^ W. Merle Connell: Untamed Women. September 12, 1952, accessed August 28, 2016 .
  15. ↑ Bert I. Gordon: The Cyclops. July 28, 1957. Retrieved August 28, 2016 .
  16. ^ Edward Bernds: Valley of the Dragons. November 1, 1961, accessed August 28, 2016 .
  17. ↑ John Florea: Island of the Lost. January 1, 2000, accessed August 28, 2016 .