FXRH, a fanzine published in the 1970s dedicated to the work of filmmaker Ray Harryhausen, is back as a new, revised second edition collecting all four issues – The FXRH Collection.
In 1971, Ernest Farino and Sam Calvin teamed up to create and publish the first fanzine devoted entirely to stop motion master Ray Harryhausen. Named for Ray’s on-screen credit, Special Visual Effects Created by Ray Harryhausen (or FXRH) made its debut as a 26-page offset publication, side-stapled, with a print run of only 300 copies. Three more issues followed, each better than the last. The FXRH Collection, a limited edition, deluxe hardcover book, edited by Ernest Farino, compiles all four issues of FXRH, plus rare art and photos, improved images, and updated layouts.
This new FXRH Collection edition has been expanded from the first edition’s 316 pages to a 351-page volume.
Reprinted material includes coverage on Harryhausen’s 16mm film, Fairy Tales; a two-part film book on Jason and the Argonauts; the 1971 National Film Theater interview with Harryhausen and producer Charles Schneer; Calvin’s parody, The Jiggling Rock; The Golden Voyage of Sinbad content; and an exclusive interview with Sinbad actor Kerwin Mathews by actor Mark Hamill.
New content includes Mike Presley’s account on creating the cover art for FXRH #3 and #4; Calvin and Farino share their experience meeting Harryhausen in 1971; Farino recounts meeting Italian filmmaker Sergio Leone in Rome; there’s a long letter by animator Jim Danforth in response to FXRH #4; and coverage of Calvin and Farino’s later work and continuing to build on FXRH.
Ernest Farino, who runs Archive Editions, has previously published British author Mike Hankin’s elaborate three-volume hardcover book set Ray Harryhausen – Master of the Majicks, The FXRH Collection, and was the graphics and layout designer for Mark Wolf’s Smoke and Mirrors, Pete Von Sholly’s Lovecraft Illustrated, Stephen A. Czerkas’ Major Herbert M. Dawley – An Artist’s Life, and others. Farino also wrote numerous articles for RetroFan magazine, covering everything from James Bond to Italian Westerns to Superman and The Dick Van Dyke Show.
Continuing his extensive career in the film industry, Farino most recently directed an episode of the SyFy/Netflix series Superstition, created by and starring Mario Van Peebles, as well as serving as Visual Effects Consultant. Previously, he directed Steel and Lace starring Bruce Davison, episodes of Monsters starring Lydia Cornell and Marc McClure, ABC’s Land of the Lost starring Timothy Bottoms, and extensive 2nd Unit for the miniseries Dune starring William Hurt, Noah’s Ark starring Jon Voight, and Supernova starring Luke Perry.
A two-time Emmy-winning Visual Effects Supervisor for SyFy’s Dune and Children of Dune miniseries, Farino supervised and produced the Emmy-nominated visual effects for the Tom Hanks/HBO miniseries From the Earth to the Moon, James Cameron’s The Terminator, The Abyss and T2, as well as Starship Troopers, Snow White – A Tale of Terror, Creepshow, and many others.
• The FXRH Collection is now available for order via AmazonUK (Affiliate Link) | Amazon.com
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
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