1981’s Clash of the Titans signals the end of an era. In the fifties, sixties and even part of the seventies, stop-motion maestro Ray Harryhausen was the guy you went to if you wanted to do a fantasy epic. His stop-motion animation brought so many fantasy adventures to life, such as Jason and the Argonauts, Mysterious Island and the various Sinbad movies. He was easily one of the people responsible for truly bringing magic into the movies, but the game started to change in the seventies, especially once Star Wars was released. By the time other fantasy epics like Conan the Barbarian were being planned, Harryhausen was at work on what would be his most ambitious movie to date, Clash of the Titans.
Telling the myth of Perseus, Harryhausen would face some of the most significant logistical challenges of his career, as he’d have to use his effects to portray Medusa, The Kraken, and more convincingly. By the time the film came out, many wondered if Harryhausen’s charming but old-fashioned effects would seem archaic next to what ILM was doing. Indeed, Clash of the Titans opened the same day as Raiders of the Lost Ark. However, while it wasn’t a monster hit, Clash of the Titans still grossed a solid $41 million in North America and even more overseas. Against all odds, it was a legitimate hit, if not a game-changing blockbuster. It would eventually be remade, and that remake would be such a big hit, it would get a (troubled) sequel, Wrath of the Titans.
In this episode of Fantasizing About Fantasy Films, which is written and narrated by Jessica Dwyer, edited by Bill Mazzola, and produced by Adam Walton, we dig into the making of Ray Harryhausen’s final epic, which sports an all-star cast, and offered an early role to Harry Hamlin, who would become an eighties heartthrob on L.A. Law and can now be seen on AMC’s Mayfair Witches.
Do you think the original Clash of the Titans holds up? Let us know in the comments.
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They should do, 1981 Medusa Vs 2010 Medusa. For me the 1981 Medusa wins hands down. Why is the 2010 Medusa so bad.
We had HBO and the Movie Channel in the early eighties when I was around 8ish years old. I remember watching Clash of the Titans, Excalibur, and Star Wars and I still love all three… oh yeah, I also saw Heavy Metal (not sure how my mom missed me watching that one, lol). Each one had something different that drew me in and I still love and occasionally rewatch all 4.
Excellent documentary! Thanks for doing this!
I like the 1981 version much better than the newer one! Much better actors. The problem was, it came out after Star Wars, which affected it's box-office. Poor Ray was a Legend, but lived long enough for his techniques to become obsolete.
This came out when I was 12, was PG, and I probably saw it twelve times! I Loved it
Probably timeless, one of the few. Did Harryhausen do the dinos in "Journey to the centre of the Earth"? The 1959 film which will also outlive every ridiculous and futile attempt to re-make it? As for Judi Bowker, she is immortal because of "Clash of the Titans". Her line when she spurs her horse is the most ridiculous in cinema history but nobody cares about that……………. She also appears in !977s "Count Dracula" and she's properly trim – all any man wants to do is rescue her – a danger to male shipping, no question of that.
What hurts this movie ,in my opinion,is that it came out one year after "The Empire Strikes Back" which had technically way better stop motion animation,although Harryhausen is a legend
I love Burgess Meredith in this film. Also just to mention, Sam Worthington is a dick for wanting less Bobo in the remake. If you really truly think a mechanical owl created with special effects is going to outshine you, maybe give up acting? Harry Hamlin still managed to be the hero despite Bobo being in the film. That Sam has so little faith in himself that he felt he would be outshined by Bobo…..I mean geez. Also if you aren't a fan of the original story why sign on?
Loved this movie as a kid. Despite the corny out dated special effects (even for its time) it's so much better than the modern remakes. Plus it taught me pretty much all I know about Greek mythology.
If a film gets a remake, and years later the title still invokes memories of the original, the remake was not good. The sad thing is that there is so much in the story of Perseus that didn't make it to the original Clash of the Titans, and could have been used in the remake to establish its own identity. But no, if anything they drifted further away from the mythology that made Clash of the Titans so great.
I adored Greek mythology growing up, and I think this movie may have been what first kicked it off for me. I remember getting a huge book of Greek mythology as a kid, that had a family tree, and had all the well known stories, and a lot of not so well known ones.
It was awesome seeing Harry Hamlin as Perseus in God Of War 2. Kind of continues the theme of corrupt gods.
Considering this movie came out only one year before 'Conan the Barbarian' it doesn't hold up that well!
Conan holds up extremely well, in my opinion!
Went to see this at the cinema aged and absolutely loved it. Medusa was really cool…. For an 8 year old in 1981!!!
I grew up on this show. Seen it over 100 times. Can quote lines and scenes verbatim. The 8 year old me, played Perseus, Medusa, even the Scorpions. Though it has not aged well, there is still magic in this film. Thanks for the video. And it's time for another rewatch.
1st saw it when I was 7 or 8, had so many nightmares, but at the same time loving it till this day.
The stop motion animation is just so charming. It actually takes me outta the movie far less than bad cgi.
Titans Will Clash !
Well, the title makes no sense because the Kraken was the only Titan in the movie. Medusa was a Gorgon.
Yes it does. It's a Love Story that was left out of the reboot. And that ruined the reboot. The original is awesome 😎
Well done Jessica
IT,,,, HOLDS UP YA blork