All Topics  
Clash of the Titans

 

 
   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link
 

 

Clash of the Titans
 
 
  Topics Clash of the Titans Topic Home

For the metal concert tour by the same name, see Clash of the Titans (tour)
Clash of the Titans (tour)

Clash of the Titans was the name of a worldwide tour by several popular thrash metal bands of the early 1990's. Said by some to be the finishing moment for the Heavy metal music era of the 80's before Grunge took over....


Clash of the Titans is a 1981
1981 in film

Events*January 19 - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquires beleaguered concurrent United Artists. UA was humiliated by the astronomical losses on the $40,000,000 movie Heaven's Gate , a major factor in the decision of owner Transamerica Corporation to sell it....
 fantasy
Fantasy

Fantasy is a genre that uses magic and other supernatural forms as a primary element of Plot , Theme , and/or Setting . Fantasy is generally distinguished from science fiction and horror by the expectation that it steers clear of technological and macabre themes, respectively, though there is a great deal of overlap between the three ....
 and mythology
Mythology

The word mythology refers to a body of folklore/myths/legends that a particular culture believes to be true and that often use the supernatural to interpret natural events and to explain the nature of the universe and humanity....
 movie
Film

Film encompasses individual motion pictures, the field of film as an art form, and the film industry. Films are produced by recording images from the world with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or special effects....
 based on the myth of Perseus
Perseus

Perseus , the legendary founder of Mycenae and of the Mycenae there, was the first of the mythic heroes of Greek mythology whose exploits in defeating various archaic monsters provided the founding myths in the cult of the Twelve Olympians....
. Stop motion
Stop motion

Stop motion is an animation technique to make a physically manipulated object appear to move on its own. The object is moved in small amounts between individually photographed frames, creating the illusion of movement when the series of frames are played as a continuous sequence....
 animation is used to a large extent in the film to animate the various monsters. The special effects creatures were created by Ray Harryhausen
Ray Harryhausen

Ray Harryhausen is an United States film producer and, most notably, a special effects creator most famous for his brand of stop-motion model animation....
, who retired from filmmaking shortly after the movie was released. Stephen R. Wilk wrote in 2000 that "most people today who are aware of the story of Perseus and Medusa
Medusa

In Greek mythology, Medusa was a gorgon, a chthonic female monster; gazing upon her would turn onlookers to stone. She was beheaded by the hero Perseus, who thereafter used her head as a weapon until giving it to the goddess Athena to place on her Aegis....
 owe their knowledge to the 1981 film Clash of the Titans."

Clash of the Titans was released on June 12, 1981 (Raiders of the Lost Ark
Raiders of the Lost Ark

Raiders of the Lost Ark is a action film-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg, produced by George Lucas and starring Harrison Ford....
 was also released on the same date).






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Clash of the Titans'
Start a new discussion about 'Clash of the Titans'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Recent Posts

Who is medusa?
What was the name of the metal owl in the movie








Encyclopedia


For the metal concert tour by the same name, see Clash of the Titans (tour)
Clash of the Titans (tour)

Clash of the Titans was the name of a worldwide tour by several popular thrash metal bands of the early 1990's. Said by some to be the finishing moment for the Heavy metal music era of the 80's before Grunge took over....


Clash of the Titans is a 1981
1981 in film

Events*January 19 - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquires beleaguered concurrent United Artists. UA was humiliated by the astronomical losses on the $40,000,000 movie Heaven's Gate , a major factor in the decision of owner Transamerica Corporation to sell it....
 fantasy
Fantasy

Fantasy is a genre that uses magic and other supernatural forms as a primary element of Plot , Theme , and/or Setting . Fantasy is generally distinguished from science fiction and horror by the expectation that it steers clear of technological and macabre themes, respectively, though there is a great deal of overlap between the three ....
 and mythology
Mythology

The word mythology refers to a body of folklore/myths/legends that a particular culture believes to be true and that often use the supernatural to interpret natural events and to explain the nature of the universe and humanity....
 movie
Film

Film encompasses individual motion pictures, the field of film as an art form, and the film industry. Films are produced by recording images from the world with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or special effects....
 based on the myth of Perseus
Perseus

Perseus , the legendary founder of Mycenae and of the Mycenae there, was the first of the mythic heroes of Greek mythology whose exploits in defeating various archaic monsters provided the founding myths in the cult of the Twelve Olympians....
. Stop motion
Stop motion

Stop motion is an animation technique to make a physically manipulated object appear to move on its own. The object is moved in small amounts between individually photographed frames, creating the illusion of movement when the series of frames are played as a continuous sequence....
 animation is used to a large extent in the film to animate the various monsters. The special effects creatures were created by Ray Harryhausen
Ray Harryhausen

Ray Harryhausen is an United States film producer and, most notably, a special effects creator most famous for his brand of stop-motion model animation....
, who retired from filmmaking shortly after the movie was released. Stephen R. Wilk wrote in 2000 that "most people today who are aware of the story of Perseus and Medusa
Medusa

In Greek mythology, Medusa was a gorgon, a chthonic female monster; gazing upon her would turn onlookers to stone. She was beheaded by the hero Perseus, who thereafter used her head as a weapon until giving it to the goddess Athena to place on her Aegis....
 owe their knowledge to the 1981 film Clash of the Titans."

Clash of the Titans was released on June 12, 1981 (Raiders of the Lost Ark
Raiders of the Lost Ark

Raiders of the Lost Ark is a action film-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg, produced by George Lucas and starring Harrison Ford....
 was also released on the same date). The movie was a box office hit, grossing $41 million domestically alone, on a $15 million budget. It was the 11th highest grossing film of the year.

Plot

King Acrisius
Acrisius

Acrisius was a Greek mythology king of Argos, and a son of Abas, son of Lynceus and Aglaea , grandson of Lynceus, great-grandson of Danaus. His twin brother was Proetus, with whom he is said to have quarreled even in the womb of his mother....
 of Argos
Argos

Argos is a city in Greece in the Peloponnese near Nafplion, which was its historic harbour, named for Nauplius ....
 expresses anger towards Zeus
Zeus

Zeus in Greek mythology is the king of the gods, the ruler of Mount Olympus and the god of the sky father and List of thunder gods. His symbols are the thunderbolt, eagle, bull , and oak....
 for impregnating his daughter, Princess Danae
Danaë

File:Danae gold shower Louvre CA925.jpgIn Greek mythology, Dana? was a daughter of King Acrisius of Argos and Eurydice of Argos . She was the mother of Perseus by Zeus....
. He then casts Danae and her infant son Perseus
Perseus

Perseus , the legendary founder of Mycenae and of the Mycenae there, was the first of the mythic heroes of Greek mythology whose exploits in defeating various archaic monsters provided the founding myths in the cult of the Twelve Olympians....
 out to sea in a wooden chest. Unknown to everyone, a white bird who witnessed everything was really Poseidon, who informs Zeus of Acrisius' unfaithfulness. Zeus orders Poseidon to release the Kraken
Kraken

Kraken are legendary sea monsters of gargantuan size, said to have dwelt off the coasts of Norway and Iceland. The sheer size and fearsome appearance attributed to the beasts have made them common ocean-dwelling monsters in various fictional works ....
 to destroy Argos by flooding the entire kingdom
Monarchy

A monarchy is a form of government in which supreme power is absolutely or nominally lodged in an individual, who is the head of state, often for Life tenure or until abdication, and "is wholly set apart from all other members of the state." The person who heads a monarchy is called a monarch....
. While Acrisius and his kingdom are left completely devastated, Danae and Perseus are safely brought to the island of Seriphos where they live a happy life and Perseus grows up to manhood.

Calibos - the spoiled son of Thetis
Thetis

Silver-footed Thetis , disposer or "placer" , is encountered in Greek mythology mostly as a sea nymph, one of the fifty Nereids, daughters of the ancient one of the seas with shape-shifting abilities who survives in the historical vestiges of most later Greek myths as Proteus ....
, the goddess of the Sea - was a handsome young man destined to marry Princess Andromeda
Andromeda (mythology)

Andromeda was a woman from Greek mythology who, as divine punishment for her mother's bragging, was chained to a rock as a sacrifice to a sea monster....
, the daughter of Queen Cassiopeia
Cassiopeia (mythology)

The Queen Cassiopeia, wife of King Cepheus, King of Aethiopia of the mythological Phoenician realm of Ethiopia , was beautiful but also arrogant and vain; these latter two characteristics led to her downfall....
 and heir to the rich city of Joppa
Jaffa

File:Jaffa StPeter church.jpgJaffa is an ancient port city believed to be one of the oldest in the world.Jaffa is located south of Tel Aviv, Israel on the Mediterranean Sea....
 and eventually all of Phoenicia
Phoenicia

Phoenicia was an ancient civilization centered in the north of ancient Canaan, with its heartland along the coastal regions of modern day Lebanon, extending to parts of Israel, Syria and the Palestinian territories....
. Zeus entrusted Calibos to care for the Wells of the Moon; Calibos instead hunted, trapped and killed everything that lived there, including Zeus' sacred herd of flying horses, leaving only the stallion Pegasus
Pegasus

In Greek mythology, Pegasus was a winged horse sired by Poseidon, in his role as horse-god, and foaled by the Gorgon Medusa....
 alive. As punishment, Zeus transforms Calibos into a monster and he is shunned and forced to live as an outcast in the swamps and marshes. Thetis
Thetis

Silver-footed Thetis , disposer or "placer" , is encountered in Greek mythology mostly as a sea nymph, one of the fifty Nereids, daughters of the ancient one of the seas with shape-shifting abilities who survives in the historical vestiges of most later Greek myths as Proteus ....
, furious at her son's fate, vows that if Calibos cannot marry Andromeda, then no other man will either.

Equally infuriated by Zeus' total devotion for his own son, Thetis uses her Godly powers to remove Perseus
Perseus

Perseus , the legendary founder of Mycenae and of the Mycenae there, was the first of the mythic heroes of Greek mythology whose exploits in defeating various archaic monsters provided the founding myths in the cult of the Twelve Olympians....
 from his island home on Seriphos to Joppa. Befriended by the scholar and playwright Ammon, Perseus learns of Andromeda and her plight: she cannot marry unless her suitor successfully answers a riddle, which is given to her by Calibos. Any suitor that fails to answer the riddle correctly is burned at the stake. Using a number of gifts given to him by the gods, including the winged horse Pegasus
Pegasus

In Greek mythology, Pegasus was a winged horse sired by Poseidon, in his role as horse-god, and foaled by the Gorgon Medusa....
 and a helmet
Cap of invisibility

In Greek mythology, the Cap of Invisibility is a mysterious helmet or cap that possesses the ability to turn the wearer invisibility. Also known as the Cap of Hades or Helm of Hades The helm was used by numerous figures, including the goddess of wisdom, Athena, the messenger god, Hermes, and the hero, Perseus....
 given to him by Athena
Athena

In Greek mythology, Athena is the shrewd companion of Hero and the goddess of Hero endeavour. She is the virgin patron of Athens, which built the Parthenon to worship her....
 that renders its wearer invisible, he discovers the answer to the riddle. Calibos nearly captures him, but Perseus cuts off his hand with a sword (another divine gift, this one from the goddess Aphrodite
Aphrodite

Aphrodite is the classical Greek mythology goddess of love, sex, and beauty. According to Greek oral poet Hesiod, she was born when Uranus was castrated by his son Cronus....
).

At the next ceremony for a new suitor, Perseus enters, answers the riddle correctly and presents Calibos' severed hand, winning Andromeda's hand in marriage. At the Temple to Thetis, Calibos prays to his mother Thetis to take vengeance on Perseus for cutting off his hand. Thetis tells Calibos that she cannot do that because Perseus is protected by Zeus, but she can take vengeance on Joppa. At the wedding, held in the temple of Thetis, Queen Cassiopeia compares Andromeda's beauty to that of Thetis herself, which angers the goddess. The statue of Thetis collapses and its head comes to life demanding Andromeda as a sacrifice to a sea monster (the Kraken
Kraken

Kraken are legendary sea monsters of gargantuan size, said to have dwelt off the coasts of Norway and Iceland. The sheer size and fearsome appearance attributed to the beasts have made them common ocean-dwelling monsters in various fictional works ....
, a modern addition to the myth; the Greek version had Cetus
Cetus

Cetus is a constellation in the northern sky. Its name refers to Cetus , a sea monster in Greek mythology, although it is often called 'the whale' today....
 as the sea monster) in 30 days, and still a virgin; otherwise, the Kraken will destroy Joppa.

Perseus seeks a way to defeat the Kraken, the last of the Titans
Titan (mythology)

In Greek mythology, the Titans ; were a race of powerful deities that ruled during the legendary golden age. Their role as Elder Gods was overthrown by a race of younger gods, the Twelve Olympians, effected a mythological paradigm shift that the Greeks borrowed from the Ancient Near East....
, who were the race of monsters that pre-dated the gods. When Zeus commands Athena to give Perseus her owl, she instead orders Hephaestus
Hephaestus

Hephaestus was a Greek god whose Roman equivalent was Vulcan . He was the god of technology, blacksmiths, craftsmen, artisans, sculpture, metals, metallurgy, Fire and volcanoes....
 to build the mechanical owl Bubo
Bubo (Clash of the Titans)

Bubo was the name of a automaton owl in the 1981 film Clash of the Titans.It was a gift of Zeus made by Hephaestus for Perseus since Athena would not cede her companion bird....
 as an aid for Perseus. Bubo leads Perseus to the Stygian Witches, three blind women who disclose that the only hope of survival in combat against the Kraken
Kraken

Kraken are legendary sea monsters of gargantuan size, said to have dwelt off the coasts of Norway and Iceland. The sheer size and fearsome appearance attributed to the beasts have made them common ocean-dwelling monsters in various fictional works ....
 is by using the head of another monster, Medusa
Medusa

In Greek mythology, Medusa was a gorgon, a chthonic female monster; gazing upon her would turn onlookers to stone. She was beheaded by the hero Perseus, who thereafter used her head as a weapon until giving it to the goddess Athena to place on her Aegis....
 the Gorgon
Gorgon

In Greek mythology, the Gorgon was a vicious monster with sharp fangs. She was a protective deity from early religious concepts. Her power was so strong that one attempting to look upon her, would be turned to stone, therefore, such images were put upon items from temples to wine kraters for protection....
. Medusa was once a beautiful woman, but because she dared to make love with Poseidon in Athena's temple, she was transformed by Athena into a horrible monster. Meeting Medusa's gaze will turn any living creature to stone, including the Kraken. She makes her home on the Isle of the Dead, which lies across the River Styx, at the very edge of the Underworld. Perseus travels there and kills her, removing her head, though he must contend with Calibos (who has replaced his lost hand with a trident-like blade) along the way - whom he finally kills with Aphrodite's sword.

Just as Andromeda is about to be sacrificed to the Kraken, Perseus appears astride Pegasus and turns the Last Titan to stone with Medusa's head, which is then cast into the ocean where it can do no more damage. Perseus frees Andromeda and they live happily together. The hero
Perseus (constellation)

Perseus is a constellation in the northern sky, named after the Greek hero Perseus. It was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 1st century astronomer Ptolemy, and remains one of the 88 modern constellations defined by the International Astronomical Union....
 and heroine
Andromeda (constellation)

Andromeda is a constellation in the northern sky. It is named after Andromeda , the princess of a mythological kingdom Ethiopia in Greek mythology....
 become constellations
Constellations

Constellations is a quarterly peer-reviewed journal of critical theory and democratic theory. It is edited by Nadia Urbinati and Andrew Arato and published at the New School for Social Research....
 at the decree of Zeus, who does the same for Pegasus
Pegasus (constellation)

Pegasus is a constellation in the northern sky, named after the winged horse Pegasus in Greek mythology. It was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 1st century astronomer Ptolemy, and remains one of the 88 modern constellations....
 and Cassiopeia
Cassiopeia (constellation)

Cassiopeia is a constellation in the northern sky. In Greek mythology it was considered to represent the vain queen Cassiopeia , who boasted about her unrivaled beauty....
.

Cast

  • Harry Hamlin
    Harry Hamlin

    'Harry Robinson Hamlin' is an United States film and television actor, known for his role as Perseus in the 1981 fantasy film Clash of the Titans, and as Michael Kuzak in the acclaimed legal drama series L.A....
     - Perseus
    Perseus

    Perseus , the legendary founder of Mycenae and of the Mycenae there, was the first of the mythic heroes of Greek mythology whose exploits in defeating various archaic monsters provided the founding myths in the cult of the Twelve Olympians....
  • Maggie Smith
    Maggie Smith

    Dame Margaret Natalie Smith, Order of the British Empire , better known as Maggie Smith, is a pre-eminent English film, Stage , and television actor who made her stage debut in 1952 and is still performing after 56 years....
     - Thetis
    Thetis

    Silver-footed Thetis , disposer or "placer" , is encountered in Greek mythology mostly as a sea nymph, one of the fifty Nereids, daughters of the ancient one of the seas with shape-shifting abilities who survives in the historical vestiges of most later Greek myths as Proteus ....
  • Claire Bloom
    Claire Bloom

    Claire Bloom is an England film and stage actress....
     - Hera
    Hera

    In the Twelve Olympians of classical Greek Mythology, Hera or Here was the wife and older sister of Zeus. Her chief function was as goddess of women and marriage....
  • Ursula Andress
    Ursula Andress

    'Ursula Andress' is a Golden Globe award-winning Switzerland actor and a major sex symbol of the 1960s. She is best known for her roles as Bond girl: Honey Ryder in Dr....
     - Aphrodite
    Aphrodite

    Aphrodite is the classical Greek mythology goddess of love, sex, and beauty. According to Greek oral poet Hesiod, she was born when Uranus was castrated by his son Cronus....
  • Judi Bowker
    Judi Bowker

    Judi Bowker is a Great Britain television and cinema actress. Her roles include Andromeda in the film Clash of the Titans and Saint Clare in Franco Zeffirelli's Brother Sun, Sister Moon ....
     - Andromeda
    Andromeda (mythology)

    Andromeda was a woman from Greek mythology who, as divine punishment for her mother's bragging, was chained to a rock as a sacrifice to a sea monster....
  • Burgess Meredith
    Burgess Meredith

    Oliver Burgess Meredith , known professionally as Burgess Meredith, was a versatile two-time Academy Award-nominated United States actor. He was known for portraying Rocky Balboa's trainer Mickey Goldmill in the Rocky films and Penguin in the television series Batman , amongst many other roles....
     - Ammon
  • Sian Phillips
    Siân Phillips

    Si?n Phillips, Order of the British Empire is a Welsh people actress....
     - Cassiopeia
    Cassiopeia (mythology)

    The Queen Cassiopeia, wife of King Cepheus, King of Aethiopia of the mythological Phoenician realm of Ethiopia , was beautiful but also arrogant and vain; these latter two characteristics led to her downfall....
  • Laurence Olivier
    Laurence Olivier

    Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier, Order of Merit was an English people Stage actor, Theatre director, and Theatrical producer. He is one of the most famous and revered actors of the 20th century, along with his contemporaries John Gielgud, Peggy Ashcroft and Ralph Richardson....
     - Zeus
    Zeus

    Zeus in Greek mythology is the king of the gods, the ruler of Mount Olympus and the god of the sky father and List of thunder gods. His symbols are the thunderbolt, eagle, bull , and oak....
  • Jack Gwillim
    Jack Gwillim

    Jack Gwillim was a prolific England character actor.Born in Canterbury, England, he served in the Royal Navy for over twenty years, attaining the rank of Commander....
     - Poseidon
    Poseidon

    In Greek mythology, Poseidon was the god of the sea and, as "Earth-Shaker," of earthquakes. The name of the god Nethuns in Etruscan mythology was adopted in Latin for Neptune in Roman mythology: both were sea gods analogous to Poseidon....
  • Neil McCarthy
    Neil McCarthy

    Neil McCarthy was a United Kingdom actor known for his dramatic physical appearance. He was a gifted linguist and pianist, and originally trained as a teacher....
     - Calibos


Remake

A remake directed by Louis Leterrier
Louis Leterrier

Louis Leterrier is a French film director whose most notable films include The Transporter and Transporter 2, starring Jason Statham, as well as Danny the Dog , a Thriller starring Jet Li and Morgan Freeman....
 and written by Lawrence Kasdan
Lawrence Kasdan

Lawrence Kasdan is an American Film Film producer, film director and screenwriter. Raised in Morgantown, West Virginia, West Virginia, where he graduated from Morgantown High School in 1966, he went on to attend the University of Michigan as an education major....
 is due for release on March 26, 2010. Ray Harryhausen
Ray Harryhausen

Ray Harryhausen is an United States film producer and, most notably, a special effects creator most famous for his brand of stop-motion model animation....
 is involved, and Sam Worthington
Sam Worthington

Samuel "Sam" Worthington is an award-winning Australian actor.Worthington won a scholarship to the John Curtin School of Performings Arts in Fremantle, Western Australia, and then studied acting at the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Sydney....
 is in talks to star. Leterrier noted Clash of the Titans inspired the setting for the climax of his previous film The Incredible Hulk
The Incredible Hulk (film)

The Incredible Hulk is a 2008 in film superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character the Hulk . It is directed by Louis Leterrier and stars Edward Norton as Dr....
 – a burnt down courtroom with temple-like columns – and has compared modern superheroes to Greek mythology
Greek mythology

Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the Ancient Greece concerning their List of Greek mythological figures#Immortals and Greek hero cult, Cosmology#Metaphysical cosmology, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices....
. He denied reports that the film will resemble 300
300 (film)

300 is a 2007 in film film adaptation of the graphic novel 300 by Frank Miller , and is a fictionalized retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae....
. Shooting will take place in London, Ethiopia
Ethiopia

Ethiopia , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country situated in the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia is bordered by Eritrea to the north, Sudan to the west, Kenya to the south, Somalia to the east and Djibouti to the northeast....
 and Iceland
Iceland

Iceland, officially the Republic of Iceland , is an island country located in the North Atlantic Ocean between mainland Europe and Greenland....
. Filming in May and June 2009 will take place at the Canary Islands
Canary Islands

The Canary Islands are a Spain archipelago which, in turn, forms one of the Spanish Autonomous Communities and an Outermost Region of the European Union....
, where Tenerife
Tenerife

Tenerife, a Spain island, is the largest of the seven Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa. Tenerife has an area of 2034.38 square kilometers, and 886,033 inhabitants, which make it the most populated island of the Canary Islands and Spain....
 and Lanzarote
Lanzarote

Lanzarote, a Spain island, is the easternmost of the Canary Islands, in the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 125 km off the coast of Africa and 1,000 km from the Iberian Peninsula....
 were scouted. The budget is $80 million.

The project began development in 2002 under producer Adam Schroeder
Adam Schroeder

Adam Schroeder is a Hollywood, Los Angeles, California film producer....
 and writers John Glenn and Travis Wright, who wanted to drop the element of the gods playing chess. Producer Basil Iwanyk revived the project in 2006 with a rewrite by Travis Beacham
Travis Beacham

Travis Beacham is an United States screenwriter. He studied screenwriting at the North Carolina School of the Arts....
, a fan of the original. Kasdan and director Stephen Norrington
Stephen Norrington

Stephen Norrington is a film director whose credits include Death Machine and the comic book adaptations Blade and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen ....
 signed on in 2007. But Norrington was unsure about his direction for the project, because he did not grow up with the original. Leterrier, who did, contacted Norrington through their shared agent about replacing him by June 2008. Once Leterrier was hired, writers Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi were brought in to rework the script for him.

See also

  • List of stop-motion films
    List of stop-motion films

    Summary SummaryThis is a list of stop motion films from around the world organised in order of release date; theatrical releases as well as television movie and direct-to-video movies....


External links

  • Martinez, Mike A. "" (extended film analysis) Millon Monkey Theater. May 12, 2008.