Today, we know Ray Harryhausen as one of the most talented people in the special effects industry. But with such a long and storied career, where did it all begin?

Unsurprisingly, Harryhausen's journey in film began at the cinema. As a child, Harryhausen described being "stunned and haunted" by the 1933 film, King Kong, according to an article for The Daily Telegraph. Special effects in King Kong were provided by Willis H. O'Brien, and it was this film that awakened something in Harryhausen.

"I became fanatical about King Kong," said Harryhausen. "I saw the movie over and over again to try to discover O'Brien's secrets. I even named my dog Kong in honor of the monster."

It was an interest that wasn't necessarily shared by his peers. At the time, Harryhausen was just a teenager. "I just couldn't understand it," said the creator. "None of my friends were as interested in King Kong as I was." Of course, trivial matters such as this didn't bother Harryhausen, and he created his own films as a child until he was old enough to join the entertainment industry. 

Today, Harryhausen is known for his special effects work in films like 20 Million Miles to Earth, Jason and the Argonauts, and The Golden Voyage of Sinbad.

As an adult, Harryhausen worked hard to tell a more complicated story than that of simply "good versus evil." Harryhausen explained that the monsters in his film were "victims of circumstance."

The creator wanted the audience to feel for the monster, despite the fact that they were the villain of the story." We all know that the monster was to die before the last reel in the most spectacular way possible, but I like to try and get a little pathos in at the end," said Harryhausen.

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