I Visited the Monsters of Ray Harryhausen
James Rolfe visits the Ray Harryhausen: Miniature Models of the Silver Screen exhibit at The Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures, on display from September 30, 2025 through May 3, 2026. This special exhibit celebrates the legendary work of Ray Harryhausen, showcasing incredible miniature models and artifacts connected to his groundbreaking fantasy and stop-motion film legacy.
UPDATE: The Rhedosaurus skull still survives and is in the UK collection! Thanks to the Harryhausen Foundation for the info.
GO VISIT THE EXHIBIT YOURSELF!!!
The Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures in Tucson, AZ
https://theminitimemachine.org/
CREDITS:
James Rolfe – Writer, Director, Editor
Justin Silverman – Producer & Camera
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Marc Miller – Help & Transport
Special Thanks:
Emily Wolverton (Curator & Patron Engagement)
Amanda Muzaurieta (Marketing Manager)
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#jamesrolfe #RayHarryhausen #StopMotion #MovieMiniatures #SpecialEffects
@JamesNintendoNerd
October 21, 2026 at 8:04 pm
GO VISIT THE EXHIBIT YOURSELF!!! https://theminitimemachine.org/
@PearlHarbor420
October 21, 2026 at 8:04 pm
I love these field trip episodes. Came here from the Texas Chainsaw Location tour video.
@bulbasaurbrutal5137
October 21, 2026 at 8:04 pm
6:01 I was like, why does this shot of the lizard look so familiar? I think that oh, it must be this that they based the stop motion dinosaur commercial in the movie RoboCop 1987 on. It's a near identical head movement.
@RonBlacksmith_Author
October 21, 2026 at 8:04 pm
18-years old and that tabletop set he created. Amazing. That is what passion, drive and determination get you. He had a great career.
@rubenperez3882
October 21, 2026 at 8:04 pm
Thank you for showing!
@wakeywarrior
October 21, 2026 at 8:04 pm
I remember going to see the original Spiderman in the 1970s and not being impressed, but Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger was also shown, and that was amazing. In those days they showed a ‘lesser’ film then the main one. Should have been the other way around. That Spider-Man film was I believe made for TV in the US but got some theatrical showings in UK.
So many memories, they were so effective the Minotaur rowing, Talus was genuinely terrifying etc. Clash of the Titans is a classic.
@barrettKiwi
October 21, 2026 at 8:04 pm
Have you seen that one of the 4 Mighty Joe Young screen used puppets is up for auction at PropAuctions? It's starting at like half a million haha!
@thevectorcave3616
October 21, 2026 at 8:04 pm
It is so awesome to see this, Growing up I was huge fan of the Ray Harryhausen movies. He was such a trailblazer in getting monsters into movies. Without him I dont think we would have the monsters we have today in movies 👌👍.
@BillSilver-kg8hs
October 21, 2026 at 8:04 pm
My favourite Harryhausen creation is an unusual choice, but it is the Allosaurus from "One Million Years B.C". I could just look at it all day and marvel at its meanness.
@chronocommander007
October 21, 2026 at 8:04 pm
Awesome. Thanks for sharing your visit with us.
The "strings" on the saucers look like nylon mono filament fishing line.
@kalicozywow
October 21, 2026 at 8:04 pm
I highly recommend the book Ray Harryhausen Titan of Cinema. Any fan will appreciate both the personal information on Ray and the details on his work process.
@fabioduquemartinez9130
October 21, 2026 at 8:04 pm
Excelent….. Thanks.
@userunaccesible
October 21, 2026 at 8:04 pm
4:34 what is that walrus from?
@jermalshemism3367
October 21, 2026 at 8:04 pm
Had me in tears, I'd like to stars wars original team exhibit and a stan winston exhibit.
@0djdoublerr0
October 21, 2026 at 8:04 pm
I'm 35 years old and i feel like I'm too young to be watching this cuz i have no idea what any of these figures are or what movies their from lol don't mean to make you feel old big guy
@kingfisher7603
October 21, 2026 at 8:04 pm
Find and defeat THE CLAAAAAACKIN…..SAY IT RIGHT NERD
@montycircus7705
October 21, 2026 at 8:04 pm
I recently saw an old Harryhausen film, and instantly noticed something was off. Googled and confirmed my suspicions, they used AI to "smooth out" the stop-motion! I couldn't watch it. So be careful out there.
@TJWasiuk
October 21, 2026 at 8:04 pm
Damn bro. Made me cry lmao
@WorldBuildingWilliams
October 21, 2026 at 8:04 pm
James needs to just retire the Slightly Irritated Corporate Nerd and just make movie content. You can tell that's where his true passion is and he's just going through the motions with the Nerd.
@Diane-g5k
October 21, 2026 at 8:04 pm
Another person who recognizes the early special effects creator Ray Harryhausen‼️‼️‼️ I’ve been a fan since I first saw Jason and the Argonauts!!!!❤❤❤
@justinstuart8382
October 21, 2026 at 8:04 pm
I actually prefer watching the old movies with stop animation than actually CGI or now even AI. It's so much more nostalgic. And yes they look more awkward but to me they're so much more believable, because thats the point, although it's cinema we can still use our imagination and be transported to another world another time. Growing up with these films was the best ever and they were only ever shown at Christmas or Easter time. Amazing 👏
@ScottStockton
October 21, 2026 at 8:04 pm
Just stumbled onto this video. Thank you so much for sharing! Getting some more background on the details of some of these creations is great. In 2017, in Oklahoma City, I got to see an exhibit of many of these items (but without a personal tour), it was part of the opening night of a tour of Ray's creations and for the launch it included a showing of Clash of the Titans and a discussion and Q&A with Vanessa Harryhausen after the movie. It was so much fun hearing her stories of her dad, and of growing up as his daughter (her as a small child playing with some of his creations as if they were dolls, her in high school bringing friends over to a house where these works were all over the house on shelves and tables, her being the test subject for scene framing as well as stunt double for Judi Bowker in the scene where Andromeda is chained up, with the crashing waves as the Kraken arises). I was blown away with seeing the creations, and very surprised by his sketches and how much they informed the scenes from his movies. Getting the extra background on some of these items that you're able to share is great! So again, thank you for sharing!
@MichaelValadez-v6s
October 21, 2026 at 8:04 pm
And now everything is done by computer and otherwise…Ray Harryhausen was a genuis…at the age of 18…he was driven by inspiration. I greatly appreciate this post !!!!
@knowbodysongwritinggroup
October 21, 2026 at 8:04 pm
Fabulous memories …. Ray was the King
@667Mumble
October 21, 2026 at 8:04 pm
You know you've made an impact as an artist when you're referenced in other movies such as Monster's Inc. and Corpse Bride
@LizzyTexBorden
October 21, 2026 at 8:04 pm
Great tour… Thanks.
@mixemyth
October 21, 2026 at 8:04 pm
Seeing Talos first animation when he turns his head and looks straight down on you brought me right back to the shock and amazement when I was a little kid, so this 60yr old went and immediately put all of Ray Harryhausen's movies on my watch list.
@JNathanielBerke
October 21, 2026 at 8:04 pm
Ray was one of my Mt Rushmore of heroes growing up. They say never meet your heroes, but when I decided to do a documentary about paleoartist Charles R. Knight, Ray agreed to come to LA to be interviewed. One of the nicest, kindest people I have ever met and he, not only was a brilliant interview, much of what he said changed the course of the film. It might be one of the last major interviews he ever did.
@drphibesrises
October 21, 2026 at 8:04 pm
Very cool and so informative. Thanks for sharing.
@falcon215
October 21, 2026 at 8:04 pm
Wow.. this is amazing to see. The biggest surprise to me is how much smaller all the models are than what I imagined.
@Mouryo
October 21, 2026 at 8:04 pm
When I was a child we Had the so called Bavaria Filmpark in Bottrop-Kirchhellen ( Germany). In the Park they Had a Museum where they exhibited various props from different Films. Among them also some of Harryhausens creatures. The Medusa was there too, together with a model which they used for the Close ups. Did you know that the crab from the mysterious Island was the carpace of a real crab? Harryhausen ate it for Lunch and His wife wanted to throw it away. When suddenly He got the Idea to usw it as a for the Film