Lord Jim 1965

Based on a Joseph Conrad novel this movie adaption some how does not quite add up to the sum of it's parts but none the less has some well staged model ship action. The model is of a clapped out death trap, the coastal freighter Patna, which in a typhoon, leads to the downfall of the hero who then spends the rest of the film trying to atone for his error in judgement.

The typhoon model work is very well shot. The special effects are attributed to two very famous British special effects men Cliff Richardson (the father of John Richardson), who was well known for large scale on set physical effects in the blockbuster movies of the age as well as model work and Wally Veevers known for almost everything to do with visual effects including model work and whose next film after this was Kubrick's 2001 a space Odyssey.

North Sea Hijack (aka ffolkes) 1979

This quirky tale features Roger Moore as a strange cat loving woman hating leader of a team of specialist underwater saboteurs. More importantly, as far as this site is concerned, it also has some very fine miniature tank work supervised by John Richardson.

There is a couple of miniature oil platforms, a rig service vessel and a miniature helicopter involved in the action of the story. Nigel Brackley of NB Modeltronics built and operated the model Bolkow BO 105 helicopter for the bomb dropping sequence.

Particularly noteworthy is the tiny mechanical figure which can be seen walking on a gangway of the rig to impart some life to the miniature.

This is a film that I originally caught late night on TV in the 80's and was astounded at the quality of the miniature work, having never heard of the film. I would love to know more about the miniatures but have never once come across any information of any kind about the film's model shoot.

Top of the sky backing is visible at the top of the photo

The platform miniature sitting in the empty tank with sky backing screen behind. This must be a test of the practical lighting as the model is not yet painted.

Model rig support ship under construction.

Small orange figure ( Top middle ) walks along the side of the model. It has some very mechanical motion but is just glimpsed in the film and is quite effective at making you think you are looking at a real oil platform.