Clash of the Titans (Widescreen): Amazon.ca: Harry Hamlin, Judi Bowker, Burgess Meredith, Ursula Andress, Maggie Smith, Desmond Davis: DVD

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You have a classic tale full of drama, passion, and adventure. A tale of universal archetypes that speak to everyone. A tale that has remained unfailingly popular for thousands of years. Why not spice it up with a wacky mechanical owl? Such was the thinking behind Clash of the Titans. Maggie Smith, Laurence Olivier, and Harry Hamlin (one of these things is not like the others...) star in a toga-ripper about a valiant hero, capricious immortals, and lots and lots of giant stop-action monsters. Perseus (Hamlin) is the favored son of the god Zeus (Olivier), but he has unwittingly ticked off the sea goddess Thetis (Smith). Just to make things worse, Perseus falls in love with the lovely Princess Andromeda, who used to be engaged to Thetis's son. Soon Perseus is off on one quest after another, with Zeus helping, Thetis hindering, and lots of innocent bystanders getting stabbed, drowned, and squished. Of course, the whole thing is just an excuse to show as much of Ray Harryhausen's stop-motion animation as possible, and good thing too. It's an old technique, but it still looks pretty darn cool, and it means the cast can just relax and do a bunch of reaction shots. Don't use this one to study for that big classical mythology exam, but if you just turn your brain off and enjoy the Kraken, it's pretty good fun. --Ali Davis

Video Details

The classic Greek myth of Perseus and Andromeda re-told with an all-star cast. To win the right to marry his love (Andromeda) and fufill his destiny, Perseus must complete various tasks including taming Pegasus, capturing Medusa, and answering riddles. The result is a timeless adventure that's a treat for kids and adults.

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Customer Reviews

100 Reviews

5 star:		(61)
4 star:		(23)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(4)

Average Customer Review

4.3 out of 5 stars (100 customer reviews)

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2.0 out of 5 stars Great film, lousy DVD, May 15 2003

By

josh bellin (Pittsburgh, PA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Clash of the Titans (Widescreen) (DVD)

I love "Clash of the Titans," but I'm terribly disappointed by the quality of this DVD. The "all-new digital transfer" that the manufacturer promises is quite possibly the worst transfer I've ever seen, enhancing the film's visual flaws while disguising its merits. In composite shots, live-action elements are so washed-out as to appear almost black-and-white at times, while stop-motion elements are garishly bright and crisp, looking more like cartoons than dimensional objects. This is particularly pronounced in shots of the flying Pegasus; the digital transfer so exaggerates the matte lines around the figure that it appears to be a paper cut-out plastered against the sky. Even the glorious Medusa segment suffers from these defects: what was, in the original (and on VHS), an atmospheric balance of rich darks and flickering red lights, becomes a clash of nearly impenetrable spots of shadow against grainy, pale-brown relief. I'm no authority on digital transfers, but my guess is that this one was done as quickly and cheaply as possible, the manufacturer's reasoning being (probably) that fans of Harryhausen will be so thrilled to have his films on DVD that they could care less what the films look like. Well, I was thrilled to have "Clash of the Titans" on DVD--but when the abysmal quality of the transfer interferes with the very effects that make the film great, my enthusiasm wanes considerably. I'd advise fans of Harryhausen to buy the video version, and to write angry letters to the manufacturer protesting their callous desecration of one of the master's greatest films.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Greek Epic Myth On DVD: Fantasy Of High Calibre, Feb 6 2003

By

Rachel Garret (Beverly Hills) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Clash of the Titans (Widescreen) (DVD)

1981: Ray Harryhousen made the special effects, monsters and clay "creations" for this Greek epic myth about the heroic deeds of Perseus. Harryhousen had previously made the magic possible for such films as "Jason and the argonauts", another film revolving a Greek myth, and the sci-fi classic "Earth vs. the flying saucers." Harry Hamlin, tv actor from the 80's series L.A. Law (and a hot hunk I had a crush on as a girl), makes an impressive performance as the confident, toga-wearing, muscle-bound, swordsman Perseus, who defeats monsters, including the three headed dog from Hell and the sea monster Kraken.

British actress Dame Maggie Smith (from Sister Act films and Hook) and the esteemed British actor Laurence Olivier play the roles of the goddess Thetis and Zeus, who are involved in a bitter feud. Zeus protects Perseus, as he is his son by a mortal woman, but Thetis is upset that Zeus shows no mercy to the deformed Calabos, her son, who was once a handsome prince. Calabos has the princess Andromeda (Claire Bloom) under a dark spell. She will be married to the man who solves the nightly riddles she is given. Perseus solves the riddle and becomes engaged to Andromeda. But when the queen Cassiopeia elevates her daughter's beauty above that of their patron goddess Thetis, Thetis becomes so enraged she puts Andromeda in a tight spot. She will be the sacrificial victim for the hunger of the sea monster, the Kraken. Perseus journeys to the Underworld, defeates the snake-haired Medusa and with his friends, the old wise man, the winged white horse Pegasus and a robotic owl (who chirps and buzzes almost like R2D2 in Star Wars). He frees Andromeda, who as the classical myth dictates, was chaind to a rock by the sea, and the ending is a very happy one.

Thanks to the fine acting by Harry Hamlin, whose heroism comes through as shining as Perseus (not to mention his good looks), Andromeda (Claire Bloom), Maggie Smith as the vindictive goddess and Zeus (Laurence Olivier) as an eloquent, authoritarian king of the gods. The London Symphony Orchestra fills the soundtrack with lofty themes, romantic melody and dramatic highlights. One of these highlights is the moment when Perseus tames Pegasus. This film was a classic in the 80's and is still great to watch, especially with the magic of DVD. A must have for fantasy fans, a great addition to fantasy films. Look for "Jason and the Argonauts" with Harryhausen effects, equally a match to this film, although dating from an earlier time, the 60's.

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5.0 out of 5 stars One Last Shinning Moment, July 14 2002

By

gobirds2 (New England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Clash of the Titans (VHS Tape)

When CLASH OF THE TITANS was first released theatrically it was an across-the-board success. It just wasn't popular with followers of the genre but with the general public. It contained elements of the fantastic, Greek Mythology and most importantly it contained a story of young love told with genuine prose and passion. This is Ray Harryhausen's last full-length feature to date. It does not contain the awe-inspiring creatures or the sweep of JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS. It does not contain the eerie landscapes and esoteric feeling of isolation of MYSTERIOUS ISLAND. What CLASH OF THE TITANS has is the romanticism of its catalytic love story and also the romanticism for an era of filmmaking coming to an end. Harry Hamlin's performance, as Perseus is one of nobility and character, not cynicism. Laurence Olivier as Zeus shows us a god with a conscience manipulating events for the manifestation of mortal man's better qualities. Harryhausen's Pegasus shows us that man has the ability to control the creatures of the fantastic, tame them and use them for what is good in the universe. Laurence Rosenthal's heavenly score floats like an ethereal mist with its gossamer tonalities in somewhat a homage to Ray Harryhausen, the late composer Bernard Herrmann but ultimately to the romantic images and the eternal story of man's devotion to love found in CLASH OF THE TITANS.

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