You'll have to hurry if you want to check out the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art's landmark celebration of the late special effects superstar Ray Harryhausen, now entering the home stretch after a highly acclaimed run of over a year. Taking its final bow on Sunday 20 February in Modern Two, Ray Harryhausen: Titan of Cinema is the largest and most comprehensive exhibition of Harryhausen's work ever seen, and includes iconic, newly restored and previously unseen material from his archive.

Famed for his ground-breaking animated sequences in Jason And The Argonauts (1963) the Sinbad films, One Million Years B.C. (1966) and Clash Of The Titans (1981), Harryhausen was a huge inspiration to generations of filmmakers that followed, such as Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Tim Burton. Peter Jackson has revealed that his blockbuster Lord Of The Rings series sprung from a dedication to Harryhausen's work, saying: 'Without that life-long love of his wondrous images and storytelling, it would never have been made – not by me at least.' While another Oscar winner, Guillermo del Toro – whose latest creation Nightmare Alley has just hit cinemas – has said: 'To my generation, and to every generation of monster lovers to come, Ray will stand above all. Forever.'

Harryhausen's influence extended beyond the sci-fi and fantasy genres he was known for and his work appeals to all ages; this exhibition will take many visitors hurtling back to their childhoods, whilst younger visitors will learn about how he inspired their own, modern-day favourites. In a specially recorded interview, Peter Lord CBE, the co-founder of Aardman Animations, has spoken about the impact Harryhausen had on his work in stop-motion animation, both from the outset and most obviously in 2018's Early Man. In a nod to his importance across the animation field, Pixar's Monsters, Inc. includes a dedication to the great man, with the top restaurant in its fictional town dubbed 'Harryhausen's'.

At the other end of the spectrum, Harryhausen was inspired by and later inspired many greats of the horror genre (including Sam Raimi's Army Of Darkness), as Phil Hunt from the Galleries explains in his essay Horror And Harryhausen. The director of An American Werewolf In London, John Landis, also cites Harryhausen as a major influence. By way of tribute, he has kindly provided the narration for this exhibition's audio guide. Harryhausen's work can also be fruitfully explored through a queer lens with curator and educator Dan Vo in a series of short interviews with queer historians. With John Johnston Dan Vo discusses reception and interpretation of the ancient world, while Cheryl Morgan talks trans histories and the legend of Medusa and Claire Mead considers the representation of Hindu goddess Kali from The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1974).

Created in close collaboration with The Ray and Diana Harryhausen Foundation – for which many long-time collaborators of Harryhausen's, including actress Caroline Munro (Margiana in The Golden Voyage of Sinbad ), are regular advisors – the exhibition was assembled to mark the centenary of Ray's birth and showcases some of the original models which he brought so memorably to life onscreen. These include skeletons from Jason And The Argonauts, the Cyclops from Sinbad, the Medusa from Clash Of The Titans and the UFOs from Earth Vs. The Flying Saucers. This is your last chance to check them out in person and, by doing so, you'll be getting an unforgettable glimpse of movie history.

Can't make it to the exhibition in Edinburgh? Get the inside story on Ray Harryhausen with the Virtual Exhibition Experience. Featuring a host of exclusive content including documentaries and special in-conversation events.

Ray Harryhausen: Titan of Cinema is showing at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (Modern Two), Edinburgh, until Sunday 20 February. Book tickets at nationalgalleries.org.