MovieChat Forums > Green Dolphin Street (1947) Discussion > Among the best FX/action sequences ever ...

Among the best FX/action sequences ever caught on film?

posted 10 years ago by ClassicMovieholic
5 replies | jump to latest

In my opinion, the earthquake sequence in Green Dolphin Street is second only to the Tyrannosaurus fight in King Kong (1933) as the greatest special effects/action sequence ever to rumble across the classic silver screen...possibly among the best special effects sequences ever caught on film (including the computer age). The special effects and clever use of illusionistic matte paintings was mind-blowing in general in Green Dolphin Street, but the catastrophe was obviously the pinnacle scene.

Other contenders for best FX/action sequence:

Plane Crash in Foreign Correspondent
The Hurricane in The Hurricane (1937)
Skeleton sword fight in Jason and the Argonauts
Monsoon/flash flood in The Rains Came
Sea battle in Ben Hur
Sea Battle in Captain Blood
Charriot Race in Ben Hur (1925 and/or 1959)
The "utopian" art deco cities of the future in Metropolis and Things to Come.
Shipwreck/Giant squid battle in Reap The Wild Wind
Final moments of "Titanic" in A Night To Remember (1958)
Tsunami in Manhattan in The Deluge (1933)
Apocalyptic destruction of London in The Time Machine (1960)
The Fall of Atlanta in Gone With The Wind

Personally, Green Dolphin Street and King Kong are my favorites of the bunch.

Any other suggestions for really stand out work combining riveting action and mind-blowing special effects? Clearly I'm partial to classic era effects, but I can appreciate contributions from the computer age, and newer films are open for discussion.

[–] ClassicMovieholic 10 years ago

Mega-tsunami in Manhattan from The Deluge (1933)

...superior (if you ask me) to very similar scenes in When Worlds Collide (1951) and The Day After Tomorrow (2004)

Forgot to mention that one, although I would like focus to remain on the Wonderful work in Green Dolphin Street, while opening up discussion for other great FX work.

[–] mnbush 10 years ago

I was very impressed with the earthquake in Green Dolphin Street. The only other time I'd seen an effective portrayal was in the movie San Francisco with Clark Gable and Spencer Tracy. Having lived in San Francisco, I had to see this film as soon as I moved there. Interestingly enough, Robert Osborn mentions the special effects guy after Green Dolphin on TCM and includes San Francisco in this same man's credits.

[–] ClassicMovieholic 10 years ago

Oh, yes! I don't know how I could have forgotten San Francisco. That was an amazing sequence.

[–] oldblackandwhite 9 years ago

The Bibical Flood in Noah's Ark (1928).

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He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good... St. Matthew 5:45

[–] ClassicAndForeignFilmLover 9 years ago

Even though I haven´t seen ¨Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo¨ (1944), I've checked and it won an oscar for special effects by the same 3 team leaders as in "Green Dolphin Street" {Arnold Gillespie (photographic), Douglas Shearer (audible) and Warren Newcombe (visual)}.

Ben Hur (1959)´s oscar for special effects was also won by A. Arnold Gillespie (photographic) and two others.

Anyone has seen ¨Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo¨ (1944)?

By the way, I only got to see the end of Green Dolphin Street this morning and I intend to see it entirely when it shows again on TCM on Friday, April 17th at 8.00 pm EST. I'd love to see this scene. I also like Lana Turner very much.

Thanks for the post ClassicMovieHolic!