Beverly Hills, CA � The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will present two classic films highlighting the work of stop-motion animation and visual effects pioneer Ray Harryhausen, �20 Million Miles to Earth� and �The 7th Voyage of Sinbad,� on Friday, July 16, at 7:30 p.m. at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. The screening is presented in conjunction with the Academy�s current exhibition �The Fantastical Worlds of Ray Harryhausen,� and there will be special gallery hours from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and after the screening.
Directed by Nathan Juran and produced by Charles H. Schneer, �20 Million Miles to Earth� (1957) was Harryhausen�s final black-and-white film. It features one of his favorite monsters, the Ymir, who survives the crash of a spaceship returning from the first human exploration of Venus, and ultimately wreaks havoc on the city of Rome.
In �The 7th Voyage of Sinbad� (1958), the famed sailor and his fianc�e Princess Parisa land on an island in search of provisions while on their way to Baghdad to be married. On the island, they encounter an evil magician, a genie and many Harryhausen creations, including a man-eating Cyclops. Also directed by Juran and produced by Schneer, this action-packed adventure was Harryhausen�s first Dynamation film in color and is considered one of his best.
�The Fantastical Worlds of Ray Harryhausen� is open to the public through August 22 in the Academy�s Fourth Floor Gallery in Beverly Hills. Regular viewing hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and weekends, noon to 6 p.m. Admission to the gallery is free.
Tickets for the Harryhausen double feature on July 16 are $5 for the general public and $3 for Academy members and students with a valid ID, and may be purchased online at www.oscars.org, in person at the Academy box office or by mail. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The Samuel Goldwyn Theater is located at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills. All seating is unreserved. For more information, call (310) 247-3600 or visit www.oscars.org.