CLASH OF THE TITANS

UK, 1981, 118 minutes, Colour.
Laurence Olivier, Claire Bloom, Maggie Smith, Ursula Andress, Jack Gwillim, Susan Fleetwood, Pat Roach,, Harry Hamlin, Judi Bowker, Burgess Meredith, Sian Phillips, Flora Robson, Freda Jackson, Freda Jackson, Anna Manahan, Tim Piggott- Smith, Neil Mc Carthy, Donald Houston.
Directed by Desmond Davis.

Clash of the Titans has excellent technical credits but is a disappointing adventure. It is particularly the work of Ray Harryhausen, a creator of special visual effects for over 30 years - The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad, Jason and the Argonauts and several other Sinbad adventures. The writing is by Beverley Cross, a historian who wrote the screenplays for such adventures as Genghis Khan and The Long Ships. Direction is by Desmond Davis, director of The Girl With Green Eyes, Smashing Time, A Nice Girl Like Me. There is also an excellent cast led by Laurence Olivier. Harry Hamlin as Perseus the hero, is, however, a somewhat dashing but wooden hero.

The film takes Greek mythology and presents it in an entertaining style - however, the dialogue and the action is more reminiscent of adventures of the '50s and '60s than of the '80s. The dialogue seems too contrived and contrasts badly with such adventures as Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark. The work of Ray Harryhausen is the best feature of the film and, indeed, its reason for existence.

1. How interesting an adventure? The appeal of Greek mythology? The relevance of mythology for the present? Heroes and heroines, dangers, monsters?

2. The atmosphere of the old world: Greek location photography, colour, the sea and the landscapes, the cities? So much action in the air and from the air? Costumes and decor and atmosphere? The suggestion of the gods on Mount Olympus? The importance of the special effects: monsters and battles, Pegasus and his flying, Medusa and her horror and the battle, the Kraken and danger, the two-headed dog, the scorpions, Bubo the humorous owl, the vulture? The special effects of live action and animation with the character of Calibos? Audience delight in these effects and their magic?

3. Audience familiarity with the material: the Greek gods, Olympus, the myths of Danae and Zeus, the birth of Perseus,. Andromeda and the curse on the city? The Gorgon?

4. The basic patterns of Greek mythology and their incorporation into the adventure - fate and the favours of the Gods, punishment, heroes and quests, love, dangers and rescue?

5. The Olympus sequences - Laurence Olivier as Zeus, the range of stars representing the gods, the look of Olympus, the court, the throne? The models of human beings and Zeus' use of the models for his power? The gods with human qualities and defects? Their capacity for giving gifts to men and helping them, destroying them?

6. The prologue of the Danae story - her being given to the sea, Perseus and his safety? The contrast with Calibos and his story - the monster, his threats, becoming a villain? (And his owing so much to Shakespeare's Tempest as well as mythology?)

7. Perseus as hero, rescue from the sea, relationship with his mother, his capacity for riding a horse, the theatre at Joppa, his being befriended by Ammon? His going into the city, the encounter with Andromeda? The fights with Calibos? The discovery of Pegasus and taming him? The riddle and his winning Andromeda? His journey to the Three Fates and their answer, his treatment of them? The confrontation and fight with Medusa? The blood and the scorpions? The guidance of the owl? The final confrontation with Calibos? Rescuing Andromeda from the Kraken? A one-dimensional hero for this kind of adventure?

8. Andromeda as heroine -her dream, relationship with Calibos, the riddle and her being won by Perseus, accompanying him on his adventures, her being sacrificed for the city, the rescue?

9. Ammon as the wise guide, his background of the theatre, comic touches, help with Pegasus, accompanying Perseus on his quest? The wise humour and companion?

10. The various powers given to Perseus and his exercise of these (with special effects)? Shi61d. helmet. sword, owl?

11. The owl and the overtones of Star Wars, talking. sounds, guiding, tricks, the taunting and saving of Perseus?

12. Calibos and his mother, his place in Joppa, the taunting of Thetis and her revenge, the sacrifice of Andromeda and Calibos' death? Ugly, vengeful? A stronger characterisation? Thetis as goddess and yet her human passions - the special effects of her statue falling and speaking?

13. Cassiopeia and Andromeda's fate, the riddle, her taunting of Thetis, sacrificing her daughter?

14. The horror of the Kraken and its double appearance? The destruction of the city at the beginning with Thetis' vengeance? Medusa with her arrows and turning adversaries to stone? The dogs and the scorpions?

15. The background of Zeus and his ruling of Earth, Hera and her jealousy, Thetis and her power, Artemis and Athena, Poseidon and his releasing the Kraken, Aphrodite and her companion, Hephaestus and his forging the weapons? The fate of the gods and man's not needing them any more?

16. Slow pace, the imaginative flair, renewing the myths for contemporary audiences?