Clash of the Titans (1981)

Perseus must battle Medusa and the Kraken to save the Princess Andromeda.

Director:

Desmond Davis

Writer:

Beverley Cross

Stars:

Laurence Olivier, Harry Hamlin, Claire Bloom

2 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Laurence Olivier	...	Zeus
Claire Bloom	...	Hera
Maggie Smith	...	Thetis
Ursula Andress	...	Aphrodite
Jack Gwillim	...	Poseidon
Susan Fleetwood	...	Athena
Pat Roach	...	Hephaestus
Harry Hamlin	...	Perseus
Judi Bowker	...	Andromeda
Burgess Meredith	...	Ammon
Siân Phillips	...	Cassiopeia
Flora Robson	...	A Stygian Witch
Anna Manahan	...	A Stygian Witch
Freda Jackson	...	A Stygian Witch
Tim Pigott-Smith	...	Thallo

Storyline

Perseus (Harry Hamlin) is the favored son of the god Zeus (Sir Laurence Olivier), but he has unwittingly ticked off the sea goddess Thetis (Dame Maggie Smith). Just to make things worse, Perseus falls in love with the lovely Princess Andromeda (Judi Bowker), who used to be engaged to Thetis' son, Calibos (Neil McCarthy). Soon Perseus is off on one quest after another, with Zeus helping, Thetis hindering, and lots of innocent bystanders getting stabbed, drowned, and squished.

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Plot Keywords:

quest | gods | remade | mythology | kraken | 

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Taglines:

An Epic Entertainment Spectacular!

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Family | Fantasy

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

The screenwriter Beverley Cross was a student of mythology. He developed a storyline centering on Perseus and Andromeda, which linked together several myths. He took the idea to producers Charles H. Schneer and Ray Harryhausen, and the story was modified to add more creatures.

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Goofs

In close-ups of Andromeda's hands, it can be seen that she is wearing nail polish.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Acrisius: Bear witness, Zeus, and all you gods on high Olympus! I condemn my daughter Danae, and her son Perseus to the sea! Her guilt and sin have brought shame to Argos! I, Acrisius the King, now purge her crime and restore my honor! Their blood is not on my hands!

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Crazy Credits

In the closing credits, the cast is divided into three categories: The Immortals (for the gods of Olympus), The Mortals (humans, etc.), and The Mythologicals (As Themselves) (In Alphabetical Order) Bubo, Charon, Dioskilos, Kraken, Medusa, Pegasus, Scorpions, Vulture. Those 8 are the non-human animated characters supplied by special effects.

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Alternate Versions

The UK cinema release was cut by the BBFC to secure an 'A' rating and removed the closeup of Calibos stabbing a man's back with a trident, as well as shortening the scene where Calibos is stabbed in the stomach by Perseus. The cuts were restored in all video/DVD releases and the certificate upgraded to a 15 (12 for the DVD).

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Connections

Referenced in The Flash: The Trickster (1991)

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Soundtracks

The Farewell
(uncredited)
Composed and Conducted by Laurence Rosenthal

User Reviews

Mythology Comes Alive!

This film opens with a woman and her child being shunned by her kingly father and the city he represents, and banished to the depths of the sea. We soon find out that this child is the son of Zeus, king of Mt. Olympus and king of the gods. Zeus then releases this terrible beast called the Kracken to destroy the city. The child is saved and grows to manhood. His name is Perseus. The film is then a chronicle of Perseus's adventures as he battles the deadly, deformed Calibos, giant scorpions, a two-headed giant dog, and the evil Medusa herself, as well as the mightiest of all titans, the Kracken itself. We also see him befriend the magical Pegasus, and meet Cheron on the river Styx. This movie is great fun and makes all these mythological names come alive. The credit for this goes to the wonderful stop-animation work of Ray Harryhausen, in his (unfortunately) last film. Credit also goes to the wonderful supporting cast of British stage nobility playing the gods and such, Laurence Olivier plays Zeus, Maggie Smith is Thetis, and Claire Bloom, Ursala Andress, Flora Robson, and Burgess Meredith play memorable roles as well. Harry Hamlin as Perseus and Judi Bowker as his love-interest Andromeda are lackluster(although Ms. Bowker is VERY easy on the eyes). But their lack of acting savvy is one of the few detriments of the film. This film is fast-paced adventure that is magical, mystical, and memorable!

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 June 1981 (USA)

Also Known As:

Clash of the Titans

Filming Locations:

Albert R. Broccoli 007 Stage, Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$41,092,328

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$41,092,328

Company Credits

Production Co:

Charles H. Schneer Productions, Peerford Ltd.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

118 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1