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AICN Bids Farewell To The Great Peter Ellenshaw
As long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated the art of visual effects. I love the entire history of how special effects have developed, and growing up, I remember sitting in theaters, reading every last credit at the end of a movie, fascinated by how many people worked on a movie, wishing I could talk to the people who created these amazing images.
One name that I saw a lot when I was young was “Ellenshaw.” It shouldn’t really be a surprise that his was one of the first names that registered with me since, like many people of my generation, I was weaned on Disney films, both animated and live-action. Peter Ellenshaw was one of those guys who had his hands in every part of the effects process, and when I was mainlining movies like DARBY O’GILL & THE LITTLE PEOPLE or THE BLACK HOLE or SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON or, most notably, MARY POPPINS, it was the wizardry of Ellenshaw that gave those films their unique visual signature. He was nominated for a total of four Oscars, two for Art Direction (ISLAND AT THE TOP OF THE WORLD and BEDKNOBS & BROOMSTICKS) and two for Visual Effects (THE BLACK HOLE and MARY POPPINS). It was POPPINS that won him his only Academy Award, and for good reason: the film remains one of the purest pieces of film magic to ever carry the Disney name.
He was also an accomplished matte artist, and continued working all the way up through DICK TRACY, the last film for which he contributed matte paintings. That’s a bit of a lost art today in the traditional sense, with computer artists having successfully staked their claim on the field, but there’s nothing like a perfect matte shot from the golden age of Hollywood. It’s amazing to me that Ellenshaw’s career actually began in the ‘30s. He worked on films like THINGS TO COME, THE THIEF OF BAGDAD, THE RED SHOES, A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH, and BLACK NARCISSUS. After he came to Hollywood, he worked on films like QUO VADIS, TREASURE ISLAND, and 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA.
And if all that wasn’t enough, this is the guy who painted the very first published map of Disneyland.
Ain’t it cool, indeed.
Each year, it seems like we perfect some new technique that allows us to push effects even further, but we’re all just standing on the shoulders of giants like Peter Ellenshaw, guys who could do everything, and who invented much of the vocabulary that we simply expand upon now.
His contribution to the art of film can’t be overestimated, and he will be missed. More importantly, he will be remembered.
He was 93. His daughter Lynda Ellenshaw Thompson and his son Harrison Ellenshaw are both still active in the effects community. Our condolences go out not only to them, but to all the others who had the opportunity to work with him or know him over the course of his remarkable life.
Drew McWeeny, Los Angeles
Drew McWeeny, Los Angeles
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..it normally comes in threes..Anna Nicole, now this, who's next?
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I am always amazed when someone, whose work I have enjoyed my whole life (without specifically knowing them by name), dies - and I find out their work was everywhere I found enjoyment.
Mary Poppins, 20,000 Leagues, Black Hole, Treasure Island, and a Disneyland Map. What a life - bringing such joy to people. If only any of us could be so lucky to be so richly rewarded for our efforts.
RIP...say hi to Walt for us. -
One of the greats, indeed. RIP, and thanks.
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life and hardly anyone has heard of him.
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what a resume...some great, great stuff he did. My wife just loves Mary Poppins and the Black Hole, 20,000 Leagues...as a little kid I ate those up. Thanks Mr. Ellenshaw.
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Feb 15, 2007 1:54:14 PM CST
Just watched "20,000 Leagues" on TCM the other night
by kentucky colonel
Rejoice! A life lived to 93, especially one filled with so much wonder, is a life truly lived. I loved "the Black Hole" as a kid and even though the acting is pretty bad the SFX are still hold up quite well. Loved the "Cygnus" model! Thoughs & prayers, as always, are with the family. My Pa-Paw lived to almost 93, and when he went it was not a time of sadness for me but one of delight (no, he didn't so much as leave me a nickle in his will, but that's A-OK). He lived to be 93 years old...that's all I could ever have hoped for. He was THE MAN (made Louisville Slugger baseball bats for Hank Aaron, Johnny Bench, etc.). Think I'll watch my Black Hole DVD tonight.....
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is why I consider the old disney films to be works of art. I remember seeing Mary poppins as a young kid in the savoy cinema and being blown out of seat, when Bert and mary go through the pavement to perform that scene. Disney were pioneers and visionaries. In the early days. We throw up at song of the south because we live in such PC times. You cant get it or buy it in the shops. Sure Disney was a tyrant, a drunk and a bigot and yes he destroyed the careers of many many people. This is a big but his early film animated feature films and the merging of Animation and live action were landmark watersheds. Katzenberg isnt good enough to lick their shoes.
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as a kid and Mary Poppins is a classic in so many ways.
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Seriously, have a word with yourself.A word that isnt 'first'
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... that he is the best writer on this site. A great obituary for a real legend. I agree that people making jokes and saying "first" on this talkback thread is completely inappropriate, but this is AICN, I guess.
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John Barry score, great visual effects, and an ending that definitely sends chills up one's spine... A true master of the art has been lost.. His effects are STILL better than CGI!
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There is something amazing about a great matte painting. A great matte can set the tone for a movie in a way a realistic digital image simply can't. How much better and more effective is the ending of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" for being a matte rather than digital? For that matter, who can imagine the Rooftops of London in "Marry Poppins" without the rich, deep look of a great painting? At 93 Mr. Ellenshaw was still painting and a recognized legend. He was also a great man in general. From "Ellenshaw Under Glass" "I tried to see (Walt) in the hospital, but his secretary told me he would see no one. I decided to do a little painting of a desert smoke tree, knowing how much he loved the desert, hoping I would be able to give it to him.
I called his secretary, Tommie Wilck, who told me, no, (Walt) didn't want anyone to see him in the condition he was in, but she would take it to him. Later, she told me it was hung on the wall so he could look at it, and he would proudly tell the nurses how one of his boys painted it for him." -
http://www.ellenshaw.com/ His son fucking worked on Star Wars, Empire Strikes Back, and fucking TRON. What an amazing goddamn family.
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Here was an artist who's work truly lived up to the phrase "movie magic". He was one of my greatest influences.
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Thanks for the great childhood, Mr. Ellenshaw.
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I remember seeing Mary Poppins and Bedknobs and Broomsticks.
Let's all raise a glass to the memory of the Disney of old and the magic you helped put into those films.Cheers -
was probably my favorite film when I was very young and is the first film I can remember seeing in a drive-in (though I'm sure it probably wasn't the first). Whatever your opinion on the story, the film holds up extremely well effects-wise all these years later, and Mr. Ellenshaw's work is a large reason why.
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Thoughts and prayers to family and friends; he had quite a powerful body of work.
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Like any geek here, I loved my genre films as a kid and as I grew older and more interested in "how" particular film effects had been achieved, Peter Ellenshaw's name was a name that came up again and again and again. In fact, he was one of the first effects artists who I truly got interested in and whose work I actually became aware of. His artistic vision truly deserves the word "genius" and is all the more staggeringly impressive given the fact that so many of the effects he created, which continue to stand the test of time and which future generations to come will amaze at as well, all started out as nothing more than a blank pane of glass with Ellenshaw holding a mere paint brush.Rest in peace, sir, and thanks for all the great film memories. Here's hoping you and Uncle Walt are reunited up there creating all-new wonders of the imagination.
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The man has his tendrils in many of our beloved features. Agreed about THE BLACK HOLE as well, I was 11 when I saw that and it freaked me out (in a good way). We'll never forget his creations, hopefully he'll get a respectful DVD collection out of Disney showcasing his works.
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A great artist. It was always nice to see his name in the credits, sometimes I would go back to see what he had done in the films because I didn't notice the matte work. ( his "style" of painting on the fantasy films was really nice) RIP...
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...Black Narcissus. Truly a piece of artistic perfection.
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I just checked out his artwork on the website at http://www.ellenshaw.com and all I can say is... Wow! What a talented gentleman indeed. I never knew his name before but I certainly knew his work. His Disney artwork is absolutely iconic.
Go in peace my friend, and thanks for leaving us with so many great memories. -
Just picked up a copy last week, it's an incredible hardcover with full page pictures of his matte work and some incredible behind the scenes shots from the movies he was a part of. If you're a fan it's well worth picking up.
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...A Matter of Life and Death and Black Narcissus!!!!!. A Matter of Life and Death is still in my Top 10 fav films. I recommend everyone see it asap. The visuals are just simply breathtaking. Heaven in monochrome...... is just, well heavenly! Lets hope Powell and Pressburger are there to meet him at the top of the escalator. RIP you genius you.
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Another one of the greats goes and takes his talent with him, with only CGI to take the place of his. A memorial viewing of 20000 Leagues is imminent, I think.
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I just happened to catch it, like, two days before he passed on Turner Classic Movies (I don't know if y'all get that one or not). Alas, Jill has booked all of our hotels already so we won't be staying overnight in Wales....though I'm trying to squeeze in a day trip! Cross your fingers!!!! We did get tickets to see Daniel Radcliffe in "Eqqus", though. That will be fun...
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I mean, there is a "Forbidden Planet", but a REALISTIC "Forbidden Planet" vibe to the whole production design. It was retro before retro was cool. It really is an amazing earliest dawn of CGI era film. RIP.
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