The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Nathan Juran

Writer:

Ken Kolb (written by)

Release Date:

23 December 1958 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Fantasy | Action | Adventure

Tagline:

8th Wonder of the Screen!

Plot:

When a princess is shrunken by an evil wizard, Sinbad must undertake a quest to an island of monsters to cure her and prevent a war.

Plot Keywords:

Island | Princess | Magic | Magic Lamp | Sinbad

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Kerwin Mathews	...	Sinbad
Kathryn Grant	...	Princess Parisa
Richard Eyer	...	Barani - the Genie
Torin Thatcher	...	Sokurah the Magician
Alec Mango	...	Caliph
Danny Green	...	Karim
Harold Kasket	...	Sultan
Alfred Brown	...	Harufa
Nana DeHerrera	...	Sadi (as Nana de Herrera)
Nino Falanga	...	Gaunt Sailor
Luis Guedes	...	Crewman
Virgilio Teixeira	...	Ali

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Canada:G (Ontario) | UK:U | Australia:G | Australia:PG (DVD rating) | Ireland:PG | Finland:K-16 | USA:G (1975) | West Germany:12 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Caves of Arta, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain

Company:

Morningside Productions

Trivia:

A soundtrack album of Bernard Herrmann's score was released on Colpix, Columbia's record label. In later years it would become one of the most sought-after albums by soundtrack collectors. It was finally released on CD, along with the full score, in 2009.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: In his close-up on the poop deck, Karim's big hoop earring can be clearly seen to be tied on to his (unpierced) ear by a piece of string emerging from beneath the scarf around his head.

Quotes:

Sinbad: For another such kiss, I'd invent a whole continent.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Strongbad_email.exe: Disc Five (2007) (V)

Great family film

The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad is one of my all time favourite movies. Great cast, great villain, great script and just the right balance of absolutely fantastic Ray Harryhausen special effects (without being excessive or absurd - as in the ridiculous and completely unbelievable baboon who appears to star in the deeply inferior 'Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger', 1977).

Kerwyn Mathews stars as Sinbad minus the traditional beard, but compensates by showing off as much chest hair and his forearms as possible. Critics have describe him as a little wooden but I disagree. I thought he was just great for the part and plays it well. Its not Shakespeare after all. My three year old son still joins in shouting 'Parisa !' and 'Sakura !' whenever we watch this movie.

The gorgeous Katherine Grant is a beautiful Princess named Parisa (and not in a slightly sleazy, ever so tartish fashion that we see foisted on Caroline Munro in the 1974 'Golden Voyage of Sinbad').

Torin Thatcher, born in Bombay and therefore possibly the token 'Asian' in this flick, is absolutely marvelous as Sakura, the evil wizard or magician (it's never made quite clear what side of the fence he sits on, or why). He exudes evil even before it made clear that he's a resident baddie.

This is a really great family movie above all else. Everyone except the eternally idle, the immature and clinically over-cynical teenagers can sit through this and find something enjoyable - even the music and scenery (the caption reads: Bagdad, but in fact it's Granada, Spain). I might also add that it makes a very pleasant change to see a movie in English where the bloke who says 'Allah' in his sentences is not some dreadful caricatured half-mad terrorist looking to kill innocents. Its good to be able to sit down with the kids and watch a film that everyone likes for a change.

My only, only complaint with this film is the silly voice they have given the child-genie. Very unnecassary and distracting from an otherwise excellent piece of cinema viewing. Five stars or ten, whichever is highest.