Ray Harryhausen's producer Charles Schneer has died at the age of 88. He and Harryhausen produced a series of low-budget sci-fi and fantasy films that almost always outclassed those made by traditional Hollywood means.
Schneer was a famous cheapskate, utilizing Harryhausen (who worked alone and came cheap) and spectacular but unfamiliar locations in Spain (which also came cheap). As a result his films, with budgets on par with what Roger Corman was spending, resembled nothing else being produced at the time.
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117998888.html?categoryid=13&cs=1 (http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117998888.html?categoryid=13&cs=1)
Thanks for the wonderful films, Mr. Schneer, and for splurging on Bernard Herrmann and Miklos Rozsa.
I haven't seen much of what he's made, but "Valley of the Gwangi" is an old favorite, and I personally like the robo-owl from Clash of the Titans :) .
RIP, Charles! :bluesad: