Clash of the Titans

CLASH OF THE TITANS (PG)

D: Desmond Davies

MGM (Charles H. Schneer & Ray Harryheusen)

UK 🇬🇧 1981

118 mins

Adventure/Fantasy

W: Beverly Cross

DP: Ted Moore

Ed: Timothy Gee

Mus: Laurence Rosenthal

PD: Frank White

Harry Hamlin (Perseus), Laurence Olivier (Zeus), Claire Bloom (Hera), Maggie Smith (Thetis), Ursula Andress (Aphrodite), Jack Gwillim (Poseidon), Judi Bowker (Andromeda), Burgess Meredith (Ammon), Siân Phillips (Cassiopeia)

A mishmash of Greek myth and legend, starring Harry Hamlin as Perseus, determined to face adventurous danger and deadly mythical creatures as he fights for the love of Andromeda.

The story is a hodge-podge which works better than one would expect, with a throwback to fantasy films of yesteryear with Ray Harryheusen's stop-motion visual effects featuring prominently. They mightn't be appreciated by the generation of kids nowadays, but they are themselves a work of cinematic art and this film is a marvellous showcase for them.

6/10

CLASH OF THE TITANS (12)

D: Louis Leterrier

Warner Bros./Legendary (Richard D. Zanuck, Basil Iwanyk & Kevin De La Noy)

UK/USA 🇬🇧 🇺🇸 2010

96 mins

Adventure/Fantasy

W: Travis Beacham, Phil Hay & Matt Manfredi [based on the 1981 screenplay by Beverly Cross]

DP: Peter Menzies, Jr.

Ed: Martin Walsh & Vincent Tabaillon

Mus: Ramin Djawadi

Sam Worthington (Perseus), Gemma Arterton (Io), Mads Mikkelson (Draco), Alexa Davalos (Andromeda), Liam Neeson (Zeus), Ralph Fiennes (Hades)

The original 1981 movie is far from perfect and has dated rather badly, but at the time of its original release it seemed the perfect swansong to Ray Harryheusen's stop motion visual effects which were considered revolutionary when first put into effect during cinema's golden age.

The fact that the original film's effects now look cheesy and dated doesn't justify a remake, especially one which dumps all over the Greek legends upon which it was based in order to appear more like an unofficial Lord Of The Rings sequel.

Considering the original film took liberties with legend and thrust a questionable metal owl character into the plot was hardly Grade A filmmaking but the CGI visual effects in this are barely any better, while the acting performances are even worse. Sam Worthington (and his terrible accent) is completely miscast and I always expect much better from brilliant actors like Liam Neeson (who is given hardly anything to do but stand around and occasionally release a kraken) and Ralph Fiennes (fresh off the Harry Potter set, it would seem).

If you want to watch Lord Of The Rings, watch Lord Of The Rings. If you want to watch Clash Of The Titans, watch the 1981 version.

4/10