Site update June 2024

 I have replaced all the frame grabs for the post on Mutiny 1952. While the colour is still poorly represented and inconsistent in the source print the new donor is a higher resolution than the previous one so there is an improvement in the quality of the images.

New sister site launched.

One other thing to note is I have now launched another sister site to this one; 

modeltrainsinthecinema.blogspot.com

It is identical in format to modelshipsinthecinema and modelaircraftinthecinema. It currently has a grand total of 7 movie posts and a small model train movie list index page which is always under construction.

So if you are interested in model railways at all and special effects miniatures in general click on the link and have a look. Comments welcome.

Passage To Marseille 1944

There is almost every kind of miniature effect in this film, from a model ship to model aircraft and a miniature train. There is also a slightly odd sequence featuring a miniature farm with moving miniature cows, agricultural machinery and a car that travels along a road. In fact you can just make out the slot in the road that controlled the model car as it was pulled along under the set.

The miniatures were supervised by Jack Cosgrove who was responsible for the miniature effects for Action in the North Atlantic only a year before. It has many of the same features as the earlier film in that the model ship appears to have been shot at sea with a real horizon and the explosions are augmented by large camera shaking added later via the optical printer.

Typically for the period quite a number of the miniature shots appear as rear projected backgrounds for the live action.