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Although it’s not a real classic, Clash of the Titans is one of the most memorable of monster movie wizard Ray Harryhausen’s works, and a particularly interesting piece of Greek mythology fiction (namely because it mixes and adapts so many popular myths). With a notable cast, creative stop-motion animation creatures, a thrilling score by composer Lawrence Rosenthal, and an epic feel, this Gods and monsters mash is cheesy good fun, complete with mediocre acting and goofy dialogue. The 2010 remake, an odd choice to reignite interest in the swords and sorcery genre, is likely to only improve upon the special effects. But even though Harryhausen’s art form is outdated, it’ll be difficult to top the unique designs. Unjust tyrant Acrisius of Argus casts his daughter Danae (Vida Taylor) and her infant son Perseus into the sea, entombed alive in an ornamented coffin. Unbeknownst to the ill-fated king, the mighty gods on Mount Olympus watch over his actions, and leader Zeus (Lawrence Olivier) demands revenge, namely because Perseus is his son. “Let loose the Kraken!” he commands to Poseidon, god of the sea. Argus is destroyed and the drifting mother and son are set safely ashore far away. |
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Perseus (Harry Hamlin) grows up on a tropical beach, always under the watchful and omnipotent eye of Zeus. Thetis (Maggie Smith), the goddess of creation also watches over her son Calibos (Neil McCarthy) who is transformed into a disfigured beast when Zeus learns of his cruelty to his people. Although Thetis can’t overturn the decision, she relocates Perseus to an amphitheater in the city of Joppa in the kingdom of Phoenicia, where he will fulfill his destiny and cross paths with the cursed Calibos. Throughout the course of Perseus’ heroic odyssey, he must solve a riddle to earn the hand of princess Andromeda (Judi Bowker), who was originally promised to Calibos, and seek out the blind Stygian witches, the gorgon Medusa and a way to rescue his princess from a human sacrifice to the Kraken. He’s always guided with the help of Zeus, who provides him with a magic helmet, shield and sword, and later a mechanical owl that beeps and whistles. Bubo the owl is very much a precursor to Star Wars’ R2-D2, both of which have similar mannerisms, provide light comic relief and are only fully understood by the main character. Also on the comedy front is Burgess Meredith, who portrays playwright and poet Ammon, in a role that is hardly necessary and adds even more silliness to a fantastical story that definitely doesn’t need any help being unbelievable or ridiculous. But even with the undeniable mawkishness of the dialogue, the acting and the unconvincing greenscreen technology, Clash of the Titans does provide an intriguing Greek Mythology story, complete with the skeleton-like ferryman of the River Styx, the two-headed dog Dioskilos, Pegasus the winged horse and the best movie version of Medusa ever filmed. - Mike Massie
Click HERE to read the review of Clash of the Titans (2010)
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