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Special Features
A Conversation with Ray Harryhausen
Myths and Monsters gallery
Theatrical trailer
Myths and Monsters gallery
Theatrical trailer
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
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
Product Description
Before history and beyond imagination! The machinations of gods above and the fates of man and monsters here below play out in a Clash of the Titans. Decades prior to the sensational 2010 version of the tale, Harry Hamlin took up sword and shield to play valorous Perseus, mortal son of Zeus (Laurence Olivier) who sets out to fulfill his destiny by rescuing beloved Andromeda from the wrath of goddess Thetis (Maggie Smith). Perils await Perseus time and again. And eye-filling thrills await viewers as stop-motion effects legend Ray Harryhausen (Jason and the Argonauts) unleashes snake-haired Medusa, fearsome Kraken, winged Pegasus, two-headed dog Dioskilos, giant scorpions and more. Rejoice, fantasy fans: the movie gods gift us with adventure that's innovative, heroic, titanic.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
264 of 283 people found the following review helpful
By josh bellin
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
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.
51 of 54 people found the following review helpful
By HiDefGuy
Format:Blu-ray|Amazon Verified Purchase
Okay, I really like this movie and have since 1981 when it was theatrically released. It's not my favorite Harryhausen fantasy but it's in my top 5.
I ordered this blu-ray from Amazon.com a week or so ago and it just arrived today. This is where I kick myself in the head for not reading other's reviews of the blu-ray first. The transfer sucks BIG TIME or, perhaps it was just the elements used to create this blu-ray that were a mixed bag! Most (not all) of the daylight scenes were excellent but the evening and night scenes were truly horrid. From the opening scenes of the soldiers on the sandy beach right up to the end titles all I could see were large chunks of dirt that wasn't removed prior to making the transfer. Way too much film grain (much more than should be for a film of this age) and artifacts throughout.. all this clearly visible in the darker and some of the daylight scenes viewed on a 65 inch HD LED TV.
It seems the studios are really getting lazy (or is it just cheap?) in releasing newer and older films in substandard transfers.
I can name on perhaps 1 hand the films I feel are really superb transfers to blu-ray. Another 25 to 30 that are good and all the rest (approx 985 in my collection) as dismal failures as far as the quality of the transfers. I invested in Blu-ray for the promised superb quality this new format offered and to be honest I feel cheated MOST of the time to the point where I'm not going to be buying blu-rays based on how much I like/love the film but more importantly how good the quality of the transfer is. It's just a slap in the face from the studios to wait for them to make one of my favorites available on blu-ray and to be let down once again by a skanky presentation.... Read more ›
I ordered this blu-ray from Amazon.com a week or so ago and it just arrived today. This is where I kick myself in the head for not reading other's reviews of the blu-ray first. The transfer sucks BIG TIME or, perhaps it was just the elements used to create this blu-ray that were a mixed bag! Most (not all) of the daylight scenes were excellent but the evening and night scenes were truly horrid. From the opening scenes of the soldiers on the sandy beach right up to the end titles all I could see were large chunks of dirt that wasn't removed prior to making the transfer. Way too much film grain (much more than should be for a film of this age) and artifacts throughout.. all this clearly visible in the darker and some of the daylight scenes viewed on a 65 inch HD LED TV.
It seems the studios are really getting lazy (or is it just cheap?) in releasing newer and older films in substandard transfers.
I can name on perhaps 1 hand the films I feel are really superb transfers to blu-ray. Another 25 to 30 that are good and all the rest (approx 985 in my collection) as dismal failures as far as the quality of the transfers. I invested in Blu-ray for the promised superb quality this new format offered and to be honest I feel cheated MOST of the time to the point where I'm not going to be buying blu-rays based on how much I like/love the film but more importantly how good the quality of the transfer is. It's just a slap in the face from the studios to wait for them to make one of my favorites available on blu-ray and to be let down once again by a skanky presentation.... Read more ›
87 of 99 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
What a shame, this is Ray's last feature film and they give the man a kick in his pants with this transfer. This has some of Ray's best creations and it's ruined with a washed out grainy print. I could not bring myself to give it a lower rating. The film deserves 5 stars for Harryhausen's incredible work, but the DVD transfer keeps me from giving it a full thumbs up.
The print is very watchable and at a bargain price of $5.00 it should not be passed up, but the film and Harryhausen deserve much better! Thankfully they are releasing this film on BluRay and on a new DVD, so I will update my review when it has been released and I have a chance to compare them.....I'll keep my fingers crossed that they do this gifted genius justice!
****DVD/BLU RAY UPDATE****
Save your money as the new release of this film looks to be the same old transfer and the Blu Ray isn't worth the upgrade as it just brings out the wear and tear all the more. There are no new extras either. It's a shame because this film desrves to be completely restored and preserved for future generations and old school Harryhausen fans!
****END OF UPDATE****
The print is very watchable and at a bargain price of $5.00 it should not be passed up, but the film and Harryhausen deserve much better! Thankfully they are releasing this film on BluRay and on a new DVD, so I will update my review when it has been released and I have a chance to compare them.....I'll keep my fingers crossed that they do this gifted genius justice!
****DVD/BLU RAY UPDATE****
Save your money as the new release of this film looks to be the same old transfer and the Blu Ray isn't worth the upgrade as it just brings out the wear and tear all the more. There are no new extras either. It's a shame because this film desrves to be completely restored and preserved for future generations and old school Harryhausen fans!
****END OF UPDATE****
22 of 25 people found the following review helpful
By Knight Hawk
Format:DVD
Judging from the comments below, it seems one either loves this film or despises it. In the book "Roger Ebert's Movie Home Companion", Mr. Ebert praised the film, so I decided to give this DVD a try. I'm glad I took a chance because it turns out Mr. Ebert's opinion matches my own. If you harbor a child's spirit within you, if you like to entertain fantasies, or enjoy comic books, this film is probably for you.
Ebert says "Clash Of The Titans" is special effects wizard, Ray Harryhausen's masterwork, a tour de force, and having seen many of the master's earlier films, I tend to agree. His effects are achieved by stop-action animation, rear projection, modeling, etc.; traditional methods requiring painstaking effort and which lend themselves well to a film which deals with ancient Greek mythology. But there is much more here than just fantastic effects. Nearly everything about this film works for me. The mostly British cast infuses the film with a high tone. Harry Hamlin plays the role of Persius exactly right, and Judi Bowker is adorable as the lovely princess Andromeda. The production values are high, with wondrous sets and marvelous costuming. The location filming in the Mediterranean is beautiful and sometimes breathtaking.
Ebert says "Clash Of The Titans" is special effects wizard, Ray Harryhausen's masterwork, a tour de force, and having seen many of the master's earlier films, I tend to agree. His effects are achieved by stop-action animation, rear projection, modeling, etc.; traditional methods requiring painstaking effort and which lend themselves well to a film which deals with ancient Greek mythology. But there is much more here than just fantastic effects. Nearly everything about this film works for me. The mostly British cast infuses the film with a high tone. Harry Hamlin plays the role of Persius exactly right, and Judi Bowker is adorable as the lovely princess Andromeda. The production values are high, with wondrous sets and marvelous costuming. The location filming in the Mediterranean is beautiful and sometimes breathtaking.
The DVD video transfer is from a clean 35mm print and looks terrific in the 16:9 widescreen mode. The sumptuous London Symphony scoring sets a tasteful mood and effectively augments the story. I do have one gripe, however. The music track on this DVD has too much treble and the music is too loud, competing with the dialog. Whoever remixes these soundtracks should be instructed that the music is not supposed to upstage the acting.
Apart from the sound mix, I honestly can't find much to fault with the film. This ages-old epic of gods and men, good vs.
... Read more ›Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
good
great. no scratches. played good. worth the money. really loved the movie great. happy with the purchase. good deal. really
Published 14 hours ago by Heather Kiser
5.0 out of 5 stars
Classic Harryhausen
Reminds me of going to the drive in movies in my PJs with all my
brothers piled in the back of the Country Squire.. fun!
brothers piled in the back of the Country Squire.. fun!
Published 18 hours ago by Jeannette Avila
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent conditon, Excellent Product!!
Love this product. wonderful exactly what i needed. Great quality will use over and over, for many years to come
Published 1 day ago by Chasity R. Brignac
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another masterpiece!
The original classic which features Sir Laurence Olivier in perhaps his last screen appearance. Special effects (stop motion) performed by acknowledged master of the genre, the... Read more
Published 9 days ago by William R. Moore
5.0 out of 5 stars
Loincloth's Gone Wild!!
Very good old school movie. Pegasus is now the correct White Horse as he was in Greek Myth. Worth the purchase, even for the kitsch value alone.
Published 9 days ago by ACFRESH
5.0 out of 5 stars
clash of the titans
i always like clash of the titans ever since i was akid and i am 61 years old noiw so buy it and enjoy the fantasy of it. l.cusumanbo
Published 10 days ago by Linda A. Cusumano
1.0 out of 5 stars
Not worth it
I bought this thinking it would be good, it was funny but not what I thought it be condition was good, but now I can't get rid of the movie.
Published 11 days ago by Michelle Badger
5.0 out of 5 stars
Totally a Classic!
You have to remember it's 1981! Burgess Meredith, Sir Lawrence Olivier, Maggie Smith? Come on, that's a cast! Read more
Published 13 days ago by Your Royal Highness
5.0 out of 5 stars
Summary
I love this version of the movie. The updated version was not as good as I thought it could be. This is my favorite!!
Published 15 days ago by barb bessette
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great
Met my expectations for certain. I don't buy films anywhere but Amazon anymore. Why would I? Great prices and great quality. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Eddie
