Clash of the Titans (1981)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Desmond Davis

Writer:

Beverley Cross (written by)

Release Date:

12 June 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Action | Fantasy | Family | Romance

Tagline:

An Epic Entertainment Spectacular!

Plot:

A film adaption of the myth of Perseus and his quest to battle both Medusa and the Kraken monster to save the Princess Andromeda.

Plot Keywords:

Kraken | Medusa | Zeus | Princess | Quest

Awards:

2 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Laurence Olivier	...	Zeus
Claire Bloom	...	Hera
Maggie Smith	...	Thetis
Ursula Andress	...	Aphrodite
Jack Gwillim	...	Poseidon
Susan Fleetwood	...	Athena
Pat Roach	...	Hephaestus
Harry Hamlin	...	Perseus
Judi Bowker	...	Andromeda
Burgess Meredith	...	Ammon
Siân Phillips	...	Cassiopeia
Flora Robson	...	Stygian Witch
Anna Manahan	...	Stygian Witch
Freda Jackson	...	Stygian Witch
Tim Pigott-Smith	...	Thallo
Neil McCarthy	...	Calibos
Donald Houston	...	Acrisius
Vida Taylor	...	Danae
Harry Jones	...	Huntsman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ferdinando Poggi	...	Guard (uncredited)

Directed by
Desmond Davis

Writing credits
Beverley Cross		(written by)

Produced by
Ray Harryhausen	....	producer
John Palmer	....	associate producer
Charles H. Schneer	....	producer

Original Music by
Laurence Rosenthal

Cinematography by
Ted Moore		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Timothy Gee

Casting by
Joyce Agu		(as Joyce Robinson)
Sam Christensen
Irene Lamb

Production Design by
Frank White

Art Direction by
Giorgio Desideri
Fernando Gonzalez
Peter Howitt
Don Picton

Costume Design by
Emma Porteus

Makeup Department
Colin Arthur	....	masks
Stephanie Kaye	....	hair stylist
Basil Newall	....	makeup artist
Connie Reeve	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Mario Pisani	....	production supervisor: Italy
Luis Roberts	....	production supervisor: Spain

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gerry Gavigan	....	second assistant director
Terry Madden	....	second assistant director
Anthony Waye	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Colin Chilvers	....	model maker
Harry Cordwell	....	set dresser
Bob Cross	....	construction manager (as Robert Cross)
David Lusby	....	production buyer
Bill McLaren	....	construction manager
Janet Stevens	....	model maker
Cathy Hill	....	painter: production paintings (uncredited)

Sound Department
Robin Gregory	....	sound mixer
Graham V. Hartstone	....	dubbing mixer
Nicolas Le Messurier	....	dubbing mixer
Gordon K. McCallum	....	chief dubbing mixer
Terry Poulton	....	sound effects editor
Terry Sharratt	....	boom operator

Visual Effects by
Dennis Bartlett	....	blue screen technician
Cliff Culley	....	special miniatures
Roy Field	....	special opticals
Ray Harryhausen	....	special visual effects creator
Frank Van der Veer	....	special opticals (as Frank Van Der Veer)
Martin Body	....	rostrum/matte cameraman (uncredited)

Stunts
Ferdinando Poggi	....	stunt coordinator
Ralph Faulkner	....	fight choreographer (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Mike Bulley	....	clapper loader
Anthony Gaudioz	....	focus puller (as Tony Gaudioz)
Keith Hamshere	....	still photographer
John May	....	chief electrician
Mike Roberts	....	camera operator
Jimmy Spoard	....	camera grip
Egil S. Woxholt	....	underwater and aerial camera operator
Costas Charitou	....	titles & opticals: Camera Effects Ltd (uncredited)
David Johnson	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)
Marc Wolff	....	camera pilot (uncredited)

Animation Department
Jim Danforth	....	animator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Keith Denny	....	wardrobe supervisor
Helen Gill	....	wardrobe mistress
Yvonne Zarb Cousin	....	wardrobe assistant (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Christopher Thompson	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Robin Clarke	....	music editor
Herbert W. Spencer	....	orchestrator
Gordon Langford	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Steven Archer	....	assistant: Ray Harryhausen
Bryan Coates	....	location manager
Jim Danforth	....	assistant: Ray Harryhausen
Norma Hazelden	....	production assistant
George Marshall	....	production accountant
Brian Smithies	....	floor/physical effects
Doreen Soan	....	continuity
Ann Tasker	....	unit publicist
Nick Maley	....	prosthetics technician (uncredited)
Enzo Sisti	....	accountant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (presents)
• Titan Productions

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1981) (USA) (theatrical)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1993) (USA) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• Vídeo Arte (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vídeo (2002) (Brazil) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Camera Effects  titles (as Camera Effects)
• London Symphony Orchestra, The (LSO)  music performed by

Runtime:

118 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:12 | UK:12 (DVD rating) (2005) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | USA:PG (certificate #25716) | UK:15 (video rating) | UK:A (original rating) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:15 | West Germany:12 | Norway:16 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Albert R. Broccoli 007 Stage, Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Screenwriter Beverley Cross was a student of mythology and he developed a storyline centering on Perseus and Andromeda which linked together a number of myths. He took the idea to producers Charles H. Schneer and Ray Harryhausen. The story was modified to add more creatures. Cross's wife, actress Maggie Smith, appeared in the film as Thetis.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Calibos releases the scorpions from the Medusa's head, there are three of them. One kills a soldier, one is killed by Thallo and one is killed by Perseus. Then the fight ends. The one which killed the soldier disappears mid-battle.

Quotes:

Princess Andromeda: [to Perseus] In my mind's eye, I see, three circles joined in priceless, graceful harmony. Two full as the moon, one hollow as a crown. Two from the sea, five fathoms down. One from the earth, deep under the ground. The whole, a mark of high renown. Tell me, what can it be?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star (2003)

Pretty Good, All Things Considered

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.