Walter Percy Day gained the nickname ‘Poppa Day’ for his literal parentage and historical importance for matte painting. As the BFI’s Powell & Pressburger film season begins, let’s look at the man responsible for some of their magical painted scenes.
Day started as a fine art painter, moving around Tunisia and France, before getting into the film industry. There he would work on an astonishing number of films, including Abel Gance’s NAPOLEON (1927) and LA TERRE PROMISE (1925), before returning to his British homeland.
Back in Iver, England, Day moved in across the street from a young Peter Ellenshaw and roped him into working under him. Eventually Day married Peter’s mother – hence the ‘Poppa’ nickname – as the duo worked on early Hitchcock films and films for the Korda brothers like THINGS TO COME (1936)
Under Alexander Korda, Day ran the matte department at Denham Studios and worked on the astonishing THIEF OF BAGDAD (1940), which also marked Day’s first collaboration with director Michael Powell.
Day would work on several Powell & Pressburger films, including THE LIFE AND DEATH OF COLONEL BLIMP (1943) and supervising A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH (1946). These righteously British films would push Day’s talents into new realms
Perhaps Day’s crowning achievement was BLACK NARCISSUS (1947), with the majestic and psychological Himalayas all filmed inside UK’s Pinewood Studios. It functions as both ‘narcissistic’ colonial imagination and breath-taking spectacle. Day won an O.B.E. the following year.
Walter Day officially retired in 1954. Although a daunting and often intimidating figure, ‘Poppa Day’ leaves a huge legacy over matte painting, advocating his disciples to “use a big brush!” and “don’t be afraid, it’s only a painting” [pic below: Laurence Olivier’s HENRY V (1947)]
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