HERKY-JERKY MAN

Long before CGI, blue screen, motion capture and bullet time, visual effects in movies were achieved via rotoscoping, matte paintings, rear projection and stop-motion animation. Ray Harryhausen was the undisputed master of those cheesy old-school effects — if by cheesy, one means awesome. So don’t think of the Kansas City, Kansas, Public Library’s latest offering as a mere film series. Rather, it’s a career-spanning retrospective hailing a truly influential pioneer of modern cinema. It premieres at KCK’s Main Library (625 Minnesota, 913-551-3280) at 6 p.m. with 1949’s Mighty Joe Young, a straight line to which can be drawn from a 13-year-old Harryhausen’s fascination with the 1933 classic King Kong. Screening every other Thursday through August, the free, all-ages series includes Harryhausen’s signature entertainments: The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, Jason and the Argonauts and the original Clash of the Titans, plus five others. For a complete schedule, see kckpl.org/calendar.htm.

Thu., May 6, 6 p.m., 2010