Jumping the Chasm

  
There are many iconic subjects that depict the art of matte paintings.  Probably a castle or fortress on the top of a hill could be the most popular. Apart from other all time matte subjects, the jumping of a huge spectacular chasm has been without a doubt one of the frequent topic under request for matte painters.
We’ve seen people jumping gorges since the silent era. That’s a small overview of some of those great exciting moments of magic on the screen.


 1929    Tide of empire  MGM.
Warren Newcombe was working at MGM matte department since 1925, I guess he must be involved on that shot. Maybe also Ferdinand Pinney Earle who was painting mattes for MGM during the 20´S.



1935. She   RKO Pictures
Vernon L. Walker as Photographic effects supervisor, and Linwood B. Dunn as optical effects, the matte paintings probably were done by Mario Larrinaga and Byron Crabbe

1936 Santa Fe bound
Produced by Reliable Pictures Corporation, there is not  VFX credit of any kind. And I don’t have any idea who could have painted that.




 1944. Ali Babá and the Forty thieves. Universal Pictures
John Fulton was credited as photographic effects. Russell Lawson was head of Universal matte department at that time, and probably with John De Cuir as matte painter assistant.




1948.  Man from Texas   VFX Jack Rabin.
Jack Rabin got credit as matte effects. That film is  before he tamed up with  Irving Block to supply VFX for low budget films. Rabin worked  in several FX department from  Selznick,  Warner bros and T.C. Fox dong miniatures, opticals and matte paintings.  After joined with  Block, most of the matte painting work was done by his partner.




1953.     Rob Roy: The highland Rogue. Disney production.
Matte paintings by Peter Ellenshaw made at  Elstree Studios in London with Albert Whitlock as matte assistant.




1954 . Passion. RKO. Pictures
No FX credit but probably Albert Maxwell Simpson, who was working for RKO during those years.



1957. Zorro rides into terror  (TV series Zorro)    Disney
Peter Ellenshaw was in charge of the matte paintings.


1957. Zorro secret passage  (TV series Zorro)  Disney
Again  mattes by Peter Ellenshaw.



1962.     Taras Bulba. United artist . 
Although it was Russell Lawson credited on that film, and he was responsible for most of the matte paintings on that show, Albert Whitclock was commissioned by Howard Anderson Company to execute the paintings for the gorge horse jumping.




 1964    Cheyenne Autumn  Warner. Bros
No FX credit on that film, but  probably  the matte work was by Lou Lichtenfield head of matte paintings at Warner Studios.



1972. Evil Roy Slade Universal Pictures
Albert Whitlock credited as head of matte department at Universal Studios.



1986    Solarbabies  VFX by Boos film Studios.
Veteran matte artist  Mat Yuricich was supervisor of  matte paintings with Michelle Moen as matte assistant.



 1994.       On deadly ground  
Roco Gioffre, former Yuricich assistant, was responsible for those matte paintings.






There are much more matte paintings on that jumping issue.  That was just a representative small selection.