The Lydeckers: Pioneers of Practical Effects

[@devlinasssociatesllc4569]

Finally someone gives these pioneers their due!

[@PerfDamagePodcast]

Somebody had to do it!

[@devlinasssociatesllc4569]

@@PerfDamagePodcast You could do a short sequel. You missed out on their Irwin Allen work. Making breath taking shots of the Flying Sub and Jupiter 2 flying through the sky or plunging into the ocean. These shots still hold up today!

[@genelewisjr]

Finally, someone showing the Lydeckers some love , thank you thank you thank you

[@ARWest-bp4yb]

Nice to see the Lydeckers in the spotlight, their work holds up to this day. L.B. Abbott is another effects legend equally deserving praise, in particular his time as the Head of the 20th Century Fox FX department. He wrote a book published by the American Society of Cinematographers, Special Effects: Wire Tape and Rubber Band Styles (1984). Thanks guys!👍👍

[@rabsmiff]

that book was advertised in 80s Cinefex

[@fliznit4986]

That clip of explosions was great! In the immortal words of John Candy: "That blowed up real good".

[@robabiera733]

Thanks for this! I can remember a time when the work of the Lydeckers was looked down on. The rehabilitation of their reputation is long overdue.

[@georgeadams8230]

You guys are great, seeing younger people interested in this is just great. It's so easy for these people to be forgotten. Thanks!

[@richdrees4852]

The fact that the Lydecker's father designed mini-golf courses when the family moved to California jibes with something I read about recently. Apparently the popularity of miniature golf* grew through the 20s, until it reached a point in 1930 when studio executives were so worried that the game could cut into moviegoing they asked Mary Pickford to downplay her association with the miniature golf course Wilshire Links - located at the intersection of Wilshire and La Cienega Boulevardds in Beverly Hill - in which she the principal stakeholder. *And yes, I love the idea that their dad was work in "miniatures" long before the Brothers were.

[@palmettotree1221]

So glad to hear that the Republic library is being restored. There are so many fine pictures that hopefully will be available in time for us to view. Nitrate won't wait and the TruColor negatives are likely fading. Sadly some of the films were edited for television and the cuts may no longer be extant. I have always admired the work of the Lydeckers; so glad you do as well.

[@PerfDamagePodcast]

We ❤️ the Lydeckers!!!

[@grahamhill6340]

As a Baby Boomer in Britain I grew-up with Republic & Columbia serials a tthe Saturday morning Matinees... little did I know then that I would end-up in HOLLYWOOD and spend 40-years working in the industry.. I was so blessed to meet Theodore Lydecker, and so many special effects icons like Linwood Dunne and Albert Whitlock. A good many of the serials were mostly shot out at the legendary Iversons Movie Ranch and the surrounding rural areas of LA. In 1995, I produced a documentary on the hundreds of movies and TV shows filmed there. Having been studio historian for Universal City Studios, I went on to become the same at 20th Century-Fox. The Lydeckers did the special effects for Fox upon leaving Republic went they went out of business, and they gained new fans with TV's Irwin Allen shows like 20th Century-Fox. I came in at the tail-end of the Hollywood Studio System, and again, I was so blessed to meet so many of the names I had read on the screen credits, and they were so happy to share the secrets of their craft in all aspects of movie making both behind-the-camera and in front of it... that glorious HOLLYWOOD feeling is long gone, and I treasure so much those wonderful memories in my retirement!

[@PerfDamagePodcast]

That’s fantastic! What’s the name of the documentary, and where can we see it?

[@nigelcarren]

Clearly there is more than one British legend with the name Graham Hill! Bravo and best wishes from a fellow Brit currently making movie armour in a French forest. 🇬🇧⚒️🇺🇲

[@grahamhill6340]

@@nigelcarren Good luck in France, fifty years ago I was on a period picture called CROMWELL, lots of period armor on that one and no CGI.

[@unclerat2131]

The algorithm be blessed. It was so refreshing listening to people who showed a love of film without running down the current era. I knew about the brothers, but this is the first time I've heard about them in the context of Republic Pictures. Thanks for the work. I will be back.

[@PerfDamagePodcast]

Glad you enjoyed the video and learned something new! -C

[@billqs9974]

Glad to see all these great Republic serials are getting the restoration love! Now if only the releasing side would put more of these out, we could really enjoy them, too!

[@gilnorton3958]

Thank you. guys. I grew up with all these old films. My dad worked for Paramount Pictures for over 40 years, and he carefully filled me in on how to pay attention to the names in the credits, the people who actually made the movies happen. This included the supporting players who were the real pros. It's helped me enjoy films all my life. You two make all that info available to help them get a better understanding of what they're watching.

[@TheVid54]

I'm so glad you decided to give the Lydeckers a little love. One of my favorite all-time adventure movies when I was a kid, and to this day, is FAIR WIND TO JAVA, a wildly entertaining, Technicolor, seafaring adventure featuring Fred MacMurray and culminating with a terrific Lydecker set piece, the famous eruption of the Krakatoa volcano. All the south sea miniature shots are sensational. The Imprint blu-ray Adventure Collection 2 box contains "Fair Wind" and ANGEL ON THE AMAZON. The Republic serial vignette was fun, so until next time, keep up the good work! Perhaps Paramount's master of process shots, Farciot Edouart, could be the subject of another episode.

[@PerfDamagePodcast]

We almost included a shot from Fair Wind To Java. That film has such a great volcano explosion in it! Glad you enjoyed the Blu-ray set, those two films were both transfers that we did at Paramount, so I was very happy to see them get released!! -C

[@benjaminyoon4253]

It should be legally required that Adam provide the voice for every 1930's movie studio boss. Good stuff, as always!

[@PerfDamagePodcast]

I agree with you!! -C

[@tomchris60]

Wow! An informative and fun retrospective on the Lyedeckers and Republic serials? It 's a joy because it's so rare. Many young people today grabble with anything produced before they were born. I hope your content inspires them to seek a bygone but very entertaining genre.

[@franknoel5658]

I so loved this! Thank you so much. I spent many hours as a kid in the late 1940’s enjoying the Lydecker’s effects in all the serials I would see at the Saturday afternoon movies. I later asan adult became involved in the motion picture industry as a result of the wonderful memories. As a kid I could tell you what studio produced a picture just from hearing the sound effects. Every studio had their own individual gun shots, horses sounds and effects. I always preferred Republic’s sound library. I loved Columbia’s westerns but hated their gun shots. Again thank you so much!

[@glennhaist3866]

Another great episode. King Of The Rocket Men was my favorite serial.

[@ErrolConner-p8p]

This is incredible! Thanks for shining a spotlight on the Lydeckers. One of my favorite serials was “ the Purple Monster Strikes “ in 1945. Dennis Moore who was big in Universal serials was on loan for this one. Queen of the cliff hangers Linda Stirling, and long time Republic “ Baddie “ Roy Bancroft. The amazing stunt work done by Tom Steele, Dale Van Sickel, and Carey Loftin. In 1972, Van Sickel and Loftin would do the car-big rig stunts in “ Duel “. The incredible Lydeckers were the icing on the cake. Their work and these Republic serials are long over due for restoration. You knocked this one out of the park!

[@PerfDamagePodcast]

Thank you! I LOVE Roy Barcroft!!!!!! I’ve been wanting to do an episode to highlight him and a few other Republic favorites (films and actors). -C

[@ErrolConner-p8p]

@@PerfDamagePodcast Well, the one thing we have learned from Republic Serials is that aliens from other planets not only engage in good old fashioned fist fights, but...they can be knocked out-Ha!!!

[@newwave89]

You did these guy's justice! Loved your clip reel!

[@Diego-p9z1e]

Great Video! Thank you for highlighting these pioneers of cinema.

[@mustang0464]

The Lydeckers are legendary. Thanks for doing this video. Please consider doing one about LB Abbott.

[@ARWest-bp4yb]

+💯

[@StephenWithers1]

Another great show, thanks guys!

[@joefaracevideos]

In your closing remarks, you are so right. I just watched "Jesse James" last night and there jumping off the screen was Natalie Kalmas, a name I would have glossed right over before you two wonderful people educated me about this woman. I can't tell you how much I love these videos. And as someone who is passionate about film I want to thank you for these wonderful videos.

[@RobertClack-r5z]

Thank you, that was fabulous. I was familiar with the Lydeckers but didn't know that much about them. Some of the clips brought back a lot of memories. I remember watching Daredevils of the Red Circle in the early 1980s (I even remember the tunnel flooding cliffhanger). Thank you and thank you for looking after The Republic library it is just as important as any of the majors.

[@ruthandjoebarrett]

Another great episode!

[@frankbruno9499]

Classic episode! Right on the nose editing with the 1812 Overture! Love Republic. The little studio that could.Yes the serials need to be restored, as important as Gone With the Wind for tech value to film students. Took a vid editing course and nobody in the class ever worked with film! They did not know the difference in variable density/area optical and mag tracks!. Nobody knew about MOS or the origin. As I raise my glass of Gallo Bros. Salute" to Adam and Charlotte, for preserving our film history. I won $50. Nobody knew what RKO stood for!

[@rafaelrosario5331]

Facinating....thanks for bring these artists and craftsmen to my attention....shining a light to recognize these men....and their crews....have to look up that circus performer serial....Looks interesting....what stunts!

[@rafaelrosario5331]

So how did commando cody not burn his bum with those rockets? Great editing flourish at the end!

[@PerfDamagePodcast]

These are the burning questions we’ll probably never have answers to!

[@PerfDamagePodcast]

The circus ones were Daredevils of the Red Circle (1939) and then King of the Carnival (1955) which re-used a lot of the circus footage from Daredevils. (Similar to how Flying Disc Men from Mars (1950) reused footage from G-Men vs the Black Dragon (1943))

[@almag6872]

Nice documentary on the Brothers . .beautiful job. I particularly love the first shot in your reel where the heroine is being menaced by the oncoming propeller. The trick in that setup is that the blades were made of a dark cheesecloth which whipped into a whirling blade shape due to the centrifugal force from the device's core; and while it wouldn't feel pleasant if anyone was accidentally struck with it, it would hardly have caused any serious injury. The same technique was used in Raiders of the Lost Ark when Indy is fighting the Nazi guard in close proximity to the Flying Wing. Just another example of the same age-old methods being utilized in newer, larger-scale films. I did want to mention that the inclusion of Monogram in Yates' consolidation of the poverty row studios into Republic was kind of short lived - less than two years, in fact. The two companies didn't play well together and Monogram went back to being its own independent studio in 1937, long before most of the serials you spotlighted. It remained that way until the early 1950s when they upscaled their product to a degree and changed their name to Allied Artists in an attempt to escape the stigma associated with poverty row productions. Regarding the Lydeckers falling into relative obscurity, whereas personalities like Ray Harryhausen did not . . please keep in mind that Harryhausen was very much into self promotion, even to the point where he threw his mentor under the bus and took jobs that brought Willis O'Brien's budgets down to near zero. Where O'Brien would develop jobs that were intended for roadshow-type budgets, Harryhausen undercut Obie by peddling the techniques at bargain basement prices, effectively scuttling the older man's career. The two had a falling out over this from which the friendship never recovered - as evidenced by O'Brien's name being absent from the credits of The Valley of Gwangi (which he wrote,) that Harryhausen produced several years after O'Brien's death. So . . yeah . . stealing from a dead guy . . that's Ray Harryhausen . . .

[@ChrisDawson-y9p]

This was fascinating! I knew some of this info, but not to the extent that these guys were responsible for so much. Thank you for putting this out - looking forward to more.

[@justinplayfair4638]

You’re doing a retrospective on the Lydeckers?! Ah man, looks like I’m going to have to subscribe…

[@PerfDamagePodcast]

Glad you found us! Hope you enjoy the video. -A

[@dogmediasolutions]

As always, I left watching this smarter than I started🤘🏾btw, the editing, music and the restoration quality of your gag reel was lotsa fun and super expressive of all the work it takes to restore film. I’m only hoping that one day we can restore everything that’s stuck on VHS😂😂 like the time I lost on Wheel of Fortune 😬

[@johnhall1753]

Thanks so much for this.

[@mustang0464]

Sorry to correct you but Earthquake was not a Irwin Allen production. Irwin worked at 20th Century Fox at that time and later moved to Warner Brothers. Earthquake was made at a Universal Studios.

[@PerfDamagePodcast]

Looks like Adam caused his own Earthquake with that slip of the tongue and it snuck past me in the editing room too! Disaster movies and disasters in facts go hand in hand, right? Sorry about that! -C

[@mustang0464]

@@PerfDamagePodcast It's perfectly alright just wanted make the correction. I love your channel.

[@ResinBabes]

I love their work on the '60s IRWIN ALLEN TV shows. The 'Jupiter 2' crash scene from 'Lost in Space' is still one of the best.

[@christopherleodaniels7203]

Ooooh, this page has MY name all over it. At first I thought it was gonna be aspect ratios and restoration. But… Now I don’t mind asking for your overview on traveling matte techniques. I’m super obsessed with the old sodium vapor technique.

[@sillygrandad]

These wonderful podcasts are so addictive, I’ve learned so much in such a short time. Have you done a restoration of a 70mm ToddAo?

[@BrianRandall-v8c]

Stop motion animation was around long before King Kong. It was used a lot during the silent age as well. Wladyslaw Starewicz used it to move insects and puppets. His film the Mascot is amazing.

[@chuckwoodwood1979]

Might I humbly suggest the work of Fred Sersen? His work at Fox through the thirties and forties remains amazing.

[@1crannog]

Howard also did the effects on 'Sink the Bismark' some of the finest water effects ever done.

[@roachman1412]

Great video also thought it was neat that your video on white christmas got a mentioned from Movie Collector KZbin channel

[@edryba4867]

Hurray for Harryhausen!!! And even more so, Yakima Canutt! And did you know that Howie and Ted Lydecker were asked many times by the major studios to come work for them. They always declined those offers. Why? They were ARTISTS. They knew the management of the majors would interfere with their work. At Republic, they were left alone to do what they did! And they did it better than anyone else! How do I know about the Lydeckers and Republic Pictures (officially 1936 - 1956?). Simple. I looked ‘em up YEARS AGO!

[@IlluminatiLand]

This was so good! - I love'd it! ~ and the surprise reel was masterful.. Thanks for the joy 😃 PS: I think I saw a guy that looked like Walter Reed in the fast lane of the 101 Hollywood Fry,, I hope the guy made it home okay.....

[@PerfDamagePodcast]

Thanks for watching, and thanks for the tip. I will steer clear of the 101 at all costs! -A

[@johnmitchelljr]

yes they deserve much respect. Thank you.Next best thing to the book which I can't afford.

[@NeilBulk]

Twice Adam says Earthquake is an Irwin Allen film, once while the poster is even shown. But you won't see his name on it because Earthquake isn't an Irwin Allen produced film. Also, I have to deduct points for Charlotte saying out loud, "Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark." Otherwise, thank you for this. I've been delighted by the Lydeckers ever since I first saw The Adventures of Captain Marvel.

[@PerfDamagePodcast]

Yes, Adam caused his own Earthquake in the comments with that slip of the tongue! It got by me in the editing room too, so I’m just as guilty. You can keep your Earthquake deduction points, however, I’m taking my deducted points back for Raiders. It’s been officially rebranded with that name! I did credit it on screen with the original name, just for the die-hard fans! -C

[@NeilBulk]

@@PerfDamagePodcast Thanks for the reply, but sorry, I must re-deduct your recently reclaimed points. The latest "Raiders" UHD packaging goes back to the original title, sans "Indiana Jones and the..." but somehow the font used for the word "Raiders" is not the original. So I'm happy the original title has been restored, but sad the word "Raiders" looks like a knock-off bootleg. Know anyone at Paramount that can fix this? I did appreciate seeing the correct title when you showed the clip. Don't think I didn't notice. :)

[@3dartistguy]

the Lydeckker method was used on all of Irwn allen's sci fi tv series in te 1960s, Voyage to the bottom of the Sea, Lost in Space, Time Tunnel, and Land of the Giants.

[@Lumibear.]

I enjoyed that, cheers guys, have a sub.

[@StephenWithers1]

Lydecker is the name of a character in Aliens, and given James Cameron started out doing effects for Roger Corman I wonder if that was a nod to the brothers?

[@PerfDamagePodcast]

It HAS to be a nod. We totally agree with you! -C

[@eeddieedwards3890]

Excellent overview! However Irwin Allen didn't produce EARTHQUAKE (although many people think it is an Irwin Allen production) - I like EARTHQUAKE a lot and when I saw that in a theater in 1974 in Surround sound it was breathtaking. When I eventually moved to Los Angeles in the 1980s and experienced my first earthquake is was very similar to my Surround sound EARTHQUAKE movie experience. Amazing.

[@stillbuyvhs]

42:06 Harryhausen & Willis O'Brien did creature FX, which are easier to notice. Cars, bridges, buildings, fires, & explosions exist in our world, so we tend to over look those FX scenes.

[@BobBloom-b9n]

As a serial fan, I enjoyed this podcast. any chance some restorations will be released on Blu-ray or DVD?

[@revtlc]

Nobody did flying sequences better than they did with Commando Cody.

[@hamsterman2008]

Earthquake was produced by Mark Robson not Irwin Allen .

[@RonHamill818]

Fun show, however, IA didn't produce Earthquake.

[@PerfDamagePodcast]

Thanks! Yes, Adam had IA on the brain and had a slip of the tongue. Unfortunately, I didn’t catch it in the editing room either! It’s great to see everyone is paying attention to the details and calling this out. Thanks for watching! -A&C

[@chwenhoou]

After discovering Smol World Workshop's channel, I long for a return to practical effects. Especially from low-budget films. CGI cannot hold a candle to an in-camera effect.

[@genelewisjr]

Will paramount be releasing the Republic Serials?

[@PerfDamagePodcast]

Kino Lorber has released a few of them on physical media over the years, but we’ve heard that they don’t sell very well. -A

[@genelewisjr]

@ thank you, I’ve bought those. Thank you

[@ebinrock]

40:13 Still doesn't hold a candle to Jonathan Winters' total destruction of the auto repair shop in It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World!

[@ebinrock]

So you're saying special effects (practical effects) effect-ively (pardon the pun!) started in 1933 with King Kong? What about in 1902 with Georges Méliès' A Trip to the Moon?

[@terrijohnson6204]

Poor Ed Wood. He was the king of stock footage! 🤣

[@PerfDamagePodcast]

Knew you’d like that bonus story!!

[@scotchpro1]

Why not show some of their bigger budget work such as Sink The Bismark instead of just their low budget work?

[@PerfDamagePodcast]

We went with the Lydeckers’ low-budget work because nobody ever talks about those hidden gems! Plus, those are the ones Charlotte and her team restored, so we’ve got some personal stories to sprinkle in-because who doesn’t love some added behind-the-scenes tales? -A

[@ebinrock]

Walter Reed = Ted Striker 🤣

[@randyacuna5643]

Rader men from the moon , not rocket men from the moon.

[@PerfDamagePodcast]

Ah-You noticed!! We realized that after publishing the video. It’s “King of the Rocket Men” and “Radar Men from the Moon.” -C

[@randyacuna5643]

@PerfDamagePodcast yes, my spelling was incorrect, but more important, the lydeckers work should be more well known. Absolutely 💯 Republic serials were clearly the best. Stories, music ,and action were so good , no other studios came even close in terms of consistency.

[@haineshisway]

Godzilla was NOT stop motion.