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"CLASH OF THE TITANS (1981)" (1981) (Harry Hamlin, Laurence Olivier) (PG) QUICK TAKE: Fantasy: Perseus, the mortal son of the Greek god Zeus, falls for Princess Andromeda. But he incurs the wrath of the sea goddess Thetis and must find a way to kill a great undersea beast before Andromeda is sacrificed to it. PLOT: King Acrisius (DONALD HUSTON) locks his daughter, Danae (VIDA TAYLOR), away from the world in order to avoid a prophecy that he would die if she bares a son. While imprisoned, she is impregnated by Zeus (LAURENCE OLIVIER) and bears a son, Perseus (played as an adult by HARRY HAMLIN). Zeus destroys Acrisius' kingdom and kills him after he sets mother and child adrift at sea in a coffin. By the grace of Zeus and the Greek god of the sea Poseidon (JACK GWILLIM), though, they survive. Years later, the sea goddess Thetis (MAGGIE SMITH) is rejected by Zeus when she pleads with him for mercy on her son, Calibos (NEIL McCARTHY), who Zeus curses with deformity for hunting his stable of flying horses. Thetis looks to get revenge by cursing Princess Andromeda (JUDI BOWKER), who rejected her son once deformed and denied him the throne of Joppa. Meanwhile, a now 20-year-old Perseus has fallen in love with Andromeda and must discover how to kill the fabled sea beast, the Kraken, when Thetis threatens the local population to sacrifice the virgin princess or risk the Kraken's wrath. Perseus sets out on his quest with several soldiers; his friend, the scholar and poet Ammon (BURGESS MEREDITH); Bubo, the mechanical owl; and the winged horse Pegasus. His journey will take him into contact with three blind witches, the fearsome Medusa, some giant scorpions, and eventually the Kraken. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? At this point, it is more a curiosity for kids and teens than a must-see due to the new, souped-up version of the classic tale. But Generation-X parents who grew up with the film may try and get their kids into it, too. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG This film was released in 1981, before the MPAA began detailing why it would rate a film G, PG, or R, but we'd guess it's for violence, nudity and sexually related material. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: HARRY HAMLIN plays the mortal son of the Greek god, Zeus, who must take a hero's journey to save his new wife from being sacrificed to a fabled sea beast. Perseus prefers to walk around in various stages of undress and has no problem killing to complete his mission. LAURENCE OLIVIER plays Zeus, the greatest of all Greek gods who regularly disciplines humans for their disobedience by ordering up floods, great sea monsters, and even rendering some deformed. He is said to have taken human form many times in order to seduce human women and have sex with them. JUDI BOWKER plays a virginal princess who Perseus falls in love with, but who is doomed to be sacrificed to the Kraken to save her people. MAGGIE SMITH plays a vindictive sea goddess who curses Perseus and Andromeda after her son is cursed by Zeus. NEIL McCARTHY plays the son of Thetis, who is cursed by Zeus for his excessive hunting and brutality by being transformed into a demonic satyr. He is extremely cruel and bitter, thirsting for revenge against the princess who rejected him and the world that has forgotten him. BURGESS MEREDITH plays a scholar, poet, and playwright who helps Perseus on his hero's journey. URSULA ANDRESS plays the Greek goddess Aphrodite, who has cursed Medusa for sleeping with Poseidon in her palace. JACK GWILLIM plays the Greek god Poseidon, who willingly agrees to release a horrific sea beast on unsuspecting populations whenever Zeus commands him to do so. DONALD HUSTON plays a deranged king who first locks his daughter away to avoid a prophecy that he would die if she had a son, then has her and her baby by Zeus placed in a coffin and set adrift at sea. VIDA TAYLOR plays his daughter and the mother of Perseus. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this fantasy action film that's been rated PG (before the advent of the PG-13 rating). The film contains no profanity and little in the way of imitative or offensive dialogue. Instead, it goes for a sort of stilted Shakespearean vibe. Violence consists of people being stabbed, shot with arrows, and having limbs and heads lopped off by swords, spears, and other primitive weapons. Some of this has fairly bloody results, and those scenes and moments of potential peril involving mythic beasts and other creatures will likely be unsettling and/or suspenseful for younger viewers who don't find the rather dated special effects laughable. Although this is a PG-rated film, there is some nudity and sexually related dialogue. Bad attitudes are present throughout, especially on the part of the gods who use humanity as back playthings. There is also some potentially imitative behavior, various thematic elements and tense family material. If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE None. BLOOD/GROSS STUFF Zeus crushes a figurine of King Acrisius in his hand, causing the man in real life to writhe in pain and fall dead to the ground, blood flowing from his mouth. A man in a crowd peers into the camera as Perseus walks by, displaying facial scarring and exposed wounds that may be the result of leprosy or some other disease. The town square of Joppa features a burning corpse, one of Andromeda's failed suitors. A skeleton hangs from a tree in the swamp where Calibos lives. Calibos inhabits the swamp with several other cast-offs with various mutations and deformities. Perseus proves he has bested Calibos in battle by displaying his severed hand. Calibos displays the bloody, bandaged stump where his hand once was before Perseus cut it off. Three blind witches have deformed faces, with their eyes swollen shut. A living hand reaches up from the witches' cauldron. Perseus slays a two-headed dog with his sword, causing several wounds that bleed. Two of Perseus' soldiers are shot with arrows by Medusa. Her lair is so dark, though, that we can barely see any blood from the arrow wounds. Perseus lops the head off Medusa. We see a brief blood spray, followed by the headless torso sputtering around her lair aimlessly until it falls to the ground. The camera then pans down to the creature's torso and purplish goo is seen spewing out. Perseus emerges from Medusa's lair and victoriously holds her severed head high in the air. Calibos sticks a fork-like weapon in a bag holding Medusa's head, causing thick blood to spill out. The blood is briefly shown to contain tiny maggot-like creatures. Some scorpions are dripped on and they become larger as a result. Perseus pulls the severed head out of his bag and uses it as a weapon against the Kraken. When he is done with it, he throws it out into the sea. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE King Acrisius orders that his daughter, Danae, be locked away from mortal men to avoid a prophecy that he would die if she were to have a son. King Acrisius orders that his daughter and the baby son she bore with Zeus be placed into a coffin and cast out to sea. When Zeus learns of this, he orders the god Poseidon to summon the Kraken and destroy Acrisius' city of Argos. Zeus punishes Calibos for his excessive hunting, the killing of Zeus' stable of winged horses, and other transgressions by transforming him into a hideous satyr. Zeus is said to have taken human form many, many times over the years in order to seduce and have sex with human women under false pretenses. For rejecting her deformed son, Thetis vows to make it so that Andromeda will never marry. Thetis teleports Perseus from his safe island to danger-filled Joppa while he is sleeping. It is said that any suitor to Andromeda who fails to answer a riddle correctly to win her hand in marriage is subsequently burned at the stake. Out of revenge for sleeping with Poseidon in her palace, Aphrodite is said to have cursed the beautiful Medusa with various deformities and made it so that her very gaze will turn men to stone. Calibos prays to his mother, Thetis, to help him exact revenge on Perseus. FRIGHTENING SCENES Scenes listed under "Violence," "Blood/Gross Stuff" and "Jump Scenes" may be unsettling, suspenseful or scary to younger viewers and/or those with low tolerance levels for such material. The Kraken attacks the city of Argos, causing giant tidal waves to destroy its buildings and drown its people. Ammon first appears to Perseus wearing a large mask and using a booming voice to yell at him. Calibos' first appearance in the swamp is quite creepy. He is accompanied by other swamp mutants and society's castoffs. As Perseus trudges through the swamp, gators and crocodiles swim near him. Medusa's demon dogs peer out from the darkness with their glowing red eyes at Perseus and his men. Perseus and two soldiers stalk Medusa through her lair, weaving around the statues of men who have previously been turned to stone by the Gorgon. Medusa has been turned into a serpent-like monster with snakes for hair and a creepy hiss. The scene is unsettling even with the primitive special effects, and there's very effective use of fire-lit shadows and silhouettes. Blood drops from Medusa's head transform several small scorpions into giant ones that attack Perseus and his men. The Kraken emerges from the sea to terrorize Joppa and devour Andromeda, who has been offered up as a sacrifice. GUNS/WEAPONS At various points in the movie, characters both major and minor carry a variety of swords, spears, and other primitive weapons to do battle. Medusa employs a very deadly bow and arrows. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Some kids may be compelled to imitate the sword play and other action that takes place throughout this film's running time. A teenage Perseus rides a horse along a beach, doing all sorts of potentially dangerous tricks like standing up while the horse is in full gallop. A man entertains street crowds by juggling flaming batons. Perseus sneaks into Andromeda's bedroom (using a helmet that makes him invisible) while she is sleeping. Perseus and his men climb up a steep mountain with no equipment. Perseus lies to Andromeda that they will set out for Medusa's island the next morning. He leaves with his soldiers while Andromeda and Ammon are still sleeping. Calibos prays to a higher power to help him get revenge against his enemy. JUMP SCENES The Kraken rises suddenly from the water to attack the city of Argos. A man in a crowd peers into the camera as Perseus walks by, displaying facial scarring and exposed wounds that may be the result of leprosy or some other disease. The head of Thetis' statue suddenly comes alive and she issues a warning to the people of Joppa. A hand reaches up from the witches' cauldron. Medusa stalks Perseus and two of his soldiers through her darkened lair. When one of the soldiers gazes into her eyes, both pupils glow bright green and, in an instant, her face becomes very monster-like, screaming and hissing. Tiny scorpions are transformed into giant ones by drops of Medusa's blood. The Kraken rises from the sea to threaten Joppa. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) A fairly heavy amount of booming, tense, operatic music plays throughout the film. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None. PROFANITY None. SEX/NUDITY It is said that Zeus took human form and seduced Danae, daughter of King Acrisius, into having sex with him. This coupling (off-screen) produced a child, Perseus. We see Danae's bare breasts as she breast-feeds infant Perseus. The scene cuts to a few years later, and Danae and what looks to be a 5- or 6-year-old Perseus are walking nude on a beach together. The shot is from the back, showing both their bare behinds. A few years later, we see a teenage Perseus riding a horse along the beach in a just a bottom under-garment. As the boy bounces up and down on the horse, we get glimpses of his bare butt. Perseus is bare-chested throughout nearly the entire movie, wearing very skimpy, toga-like outfits. Many of the other male and female characters are clad similarly. Zeus is said to have taken human form many, many times over the years in order to seduce and have sex with human women. Thetis the sea goddess relates a story of how he once tried to seduce her by taking the form of a fish, but she took the form of a shark to ward him off. Thetis decrees that Andromeda must remain a virgin during the 30 days her new husband Perseus tries to devise a way of saving her from the Kraken. It is said that Poseidon and Medusa had sex in the palace of Aphrodite, which prompted Aphrodite to curse Medusa. Andromeda emerges from a bath fully nude. We see her bare buttocks for several seconds and one bare breast from the side before some servants clothe her. One of the final images of the film is Perseus and Andromeda lying asleep in their marriage bed, having obviously just consummated their marriage. SMOKING None. TENSE FAMILY SCENES King Acrisius orders that his daughter, Danae, be locked away from mortal men to avoid a prophecy that he would die if she were to give birth to a son. King Acrisius orders that his unfaithful wife and the child she bore with Zeus be placed into a coffin and cast out to sea. Thetis pleads with Zeus to have mercy on her son, then comes to hate Zeus' son Perseus when Zeus refuses. Queen Cassiopeia is punished for likening her daughter's beauty to that of Thetis. Thetis decrees that Cassiopeia must be sacrificed to the Kraken as a virgin bride. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT Greek mythology. Marital infidelity. Revenge. The psychological impact of living with a deformity. Humans and their relationship with higher powers. Stop-motion animation and the pioneering special effects work of Ray Harryhausen. VIOLENCE Zeus crushes a figurine of King Acrisius in his hand, causing the man in real life to writhe in pain and fall dead to the ground, blood flowing from his mouth. The Kraken attacks Argos, and its movements cause tidal waves that flood the city and drown many people. Calibos attacks Perseus from behind, putting him in a choke hold and punching him several times. Perseus fights back and eventually cuts Calibos' hand off. We see the blade rise up and come down in a hacking motion, but we don't actually see the hand get lopped off. Calibos and his accomplices from the swamp throw a rope around Pegasus' neck and violently corral him, throwing nets over him and hauling him away. Perseus slays a two-headed dog with his sword, causing several wounds that bleed. Medusa shoots two of Perseus' soldiers with arrows, killing one. Medusa then kills the second when he looks into her eyes and turns to stone. Perseus lops the head off Medusa. We see a brief blood spray. The camera then pans down to the creature's torso and purplish goo is seen spewing out. Calibos sticks a fork-like weapon in a bag holding Medusa's head, causing thick blood to spill out. A solider cuts off a giant scorpion's arm, then delivers a death blow with his sword. Calibos trips another soldier who falls and is then stung hard by one of the giant scorpions. Calibos wraps his whip around another soldier, draws him close, and then stabs him through the back. Perseus kills a giant scorpion with his sword. He is then whipped by Calibos, who delivers several lashes. Perseus eventually is ensnared by the whip, but manages to throw his sword at Calibos, impaling him through the chest and killing him. The Kraken causes Bubo the mechanical owl to crash against the rocks by roaring at him. The creature then knocks Perseus off Pegasus, sending man and his horse crashing to the sea. Perseus emerges on the shore, takes Medusa's head from his bag, and turns the beast into stone. The Kraken then crumbles to pieces. Reviewed off DVD / Posted April 2, 2010