CLASH OF THE TITANS (1981)

Stop-Motion animation master Ray Harryhausen (monster division) and producer Charles Schneer, with beloved B-pics of Outer-Space Horrors and legendary Mythological Bestiaries since the 1950s, at long last classed up their act on this, their final collaboration, bringing in A-listers* to play the Gods and generally upping the ante in all departments.  (Though not with journeyman director Desmond Davis.)  No wonder fans were disappointed, if more in sorrow than in anger, on the 'improved' product.  Somehow the style of these films, poised between kiddie matinee adventure and sophisticated charade, missed the all-of-a-piece quality seen in some of their earlier films, and especially in the recent Jason & Sinbad films.  (That’s ‘missed’ in both senses of the word.)  And with indispensable composer Bernard Herrmann no longer there to gild the product with classically influenced orchestral thrills, and with the rise of STAR WARS giving Schneer impetus to turn a wise owl into a C-3PO knock-off, true believers took to nitpicking Harryhausen’s work as not being up to snuff.  Yet time has once again, tamed a lot of doubts, even if losses in color & crispness remain, you’ll still get caught up in the story as Greek Gods & Goddesses watch from above while their half-mortal off-spring fight for the hand of Princess Andromeda.  Guided by an unusually subdued Burgess Meredith, Harry Hamlin’s heroic  Perseus (thick of hair, thick of neck, thick of lip) is obviously worthy, not only for fair-haired Judy Bowker, but equally for loyal military aide Tim Pigott-Smith.  (Who deserves him more?)  The two men, and crew, spend the film fighting one Harryhausen monster after another.  Though a finale lifted from KING KONG, is largely aimed at Andromeda with Perseus to the rescue.  (Stolen from or by KONG?)  It's more or less irresistible.

ATTENTION MUST BE PAID:  *A-listers indeed!  Laurence Olivier, Claire Bloom, Maggie Smith (the latter brought in by scripter/husband Beverly Cross?).  Ursula Andress also shows up, but instead of dialogue, she got a new boyfriend, Harry Hamlin.

DOUBLE-BILL/LINK:  JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS/'63 is probably the closest match-up.    https://maksquibs.blogspot.com/2025/01/jason-and-argonauts-1963.html   

SCREWY THOUGHT OF THE DAY:  For Family Friendly viewing, let the kids know that the film is ‘back-loaded,’ with the three  Stygian Witches, Medusa (her life-force spilling out like a tube of toothpaste - yuck!); and finally the Kraken all appearing in the last two reels.