Clash of the Titans (1981)

The Greek Gods are the foundation of much of our world mythology. Learning of their contribution to our modern world is not surprising as we have much to thank them for. Here is an excellent movie adaption of the Greek legends. It is called " Clash of the Titans " and is one of the finest films ever made. It's true, it must compare with the newer version, but if one enjoys the special effects and the excellent cast, it seems a worthy offering. In this movie we have the legendary hero Perseus (Harry Hamil) who is born the son of mighty Zeus (Laurence Olivier), cast ashore on a distant land where he must seek out his true destiny. There, he is helped by Ammon (Burgess Meredith) and Thallo (Tim Pigott-Smith) to win the hand of the beautiful Andromeda (Judi Bowker). With a bevy of British actresses like Claire Bloom, Maggie Smith, Ursula Andress and Siân Phillips, the movie carries the Olympic story well. Ray Harryhausen produced this film and added the stop-action sequences he is so famous for and as a result has created a Classic for all time. School students of many ages and grades are sure to remember this fabulous myth for generations to come. *****

Fmovies: This movie is imaginative and enthralling, made even more charming by the use of stop motion effects. Movies, especially fantasy movies, really shouldn't look 100% real. That's why it's myth/fantasy. The monsters are excellent, especially Medusa. Honestly, I wouldn't want to see them done with today's special effects. The old ones make the film much cooler.

As far as the acting, there are no real problems. Harry Hamlin and Judi Bowker are kind of lifeless, but it almost seems appropriate for the characters. The gods are all portrayed in a way that reflects the actual myths. In actuality, there is no blatantly bad acting present here.

"Clash of the Titans" only loosely follows the actual myth of Perseus, but that doesn't detract from the overall quality of the film. If you are a person who watches movies for FUN, they way they were meant to be watched, you'll probably love this movie!

This movie is a wonderful showcase for stop-motion modeling mixed with live-action. By 2005 CGI standards things look a little jerky and unfinished, but this does not distract from drawing the viewer into the world of Greek mythology (commercialized).

The Greek gods are butting their jealous heads together and it is up to the pawn in their game, Perseus, to save the day. This is not a movie that will evoke any sort of overwhelming emotional reactions, but it is a competent damsel-in-distress action flick with handsome heroes and ugly bad guys. The lines between good and evil are distinct and predictable.

Clash of the Titans fmovies. I am not here to comment on the admittedly laughable acting. I am not here to ridicule the uninteresting and thoroughly unoriginal storyline. But if anyone, anywhere in the world, endeavours to say a bad word about Ray Harryhausen's special effects, that's where my moral sense of outrage kicks in and I jump into action. Harryhausen's efforts may not closely resemble the flashy, ultrareal CGI-effects we're used to seeing right now. Heck, they may even be primitive for the time they were made in. But darnit, they're vintage! What Harryhausen and his two (that's right, just two!) assistants bring us is unfiltered movie magic, and one of the last true testaments to a dying artform. I know at least a few people who agree with me, which is always a comfort.

It's always difficult to review something in 1999 which was made 18 years earlier. The first thing that people do is to criticize the special effects. Does this mean that every movie made before computer graphics should be rejected out of hand. Should we start by throwing out The Wizard of Oz because the flying monkeys used piano wires? It ultimately gets down to whether there is a story worth telling and how well that story is told. Clash of the Titans is not a masterpiece. It does, however, tell a pretty good story. The characters are interesting and the thread of mythology is interesting enough to carry it to its conclusion. The special effects are the stop action kind that were the only thing available at this time. Believe me, they were a lot of fun when the movie first came out.

This tells the story of Perseus who is not as well known in mythology as say Hercules, Theseus, or Jason, but his story is a fun one. The quest for the evil Medusa, the need to figure out a way to defeat her without being turned to stone, the evil Calibos (a complete creation), and, of course, the beautiful Andromenda (Judi Bowker, who is absolutely stunning) is the prize. It is paced nicely and the scenery is pretty breathtaking. The music is also very nice. I enjoyed the creatures. I liked the boatman and the river of death. I liked Pegasus, I liked the sound effects. But I don't mind suspending my disbelief.

The downsides are numerous but I think they have more to do with what the director chose to do. The gods and goddesses are stiff and uninteresting, including Laurence (anything for a buck) Olivier. Some pretty important actors to throw away at these Olympian debriefings. They could have lost the owl. He is a mini version of R2-D2 with his silly metallic bleeps and erratic actions. I'm sure they did this for the kids but it really diminished the integrity of the story. Still, if you allow yourself, you can have a lot of fun with this film.

I love this movie. I remember when it made it's debut in 1981. Sure the stop motion special effects used in the movie were just about at their end by that time, but that does not detract one iota from the story. Special effects DO NOT make a movie. Good acting and story do, period.

The movie of course is based on the Greek myth of Perseus. It follows the original myth rather well but of course there was some artistic license taken. A few of my favorite scenes were the encounter with the three blind witches, the crossing of the River Styx and of course the showdown with Medusa.

I fully recommend you see the movie and remember, don't pay the ferryman until he gets you to the other side.