Gods and Goddesses, Krakens, Medusas, and Pegasusses! If you slept through it in during your Greek Mythology classes, Clash of the Titans has it! Only this time it’s COOL!

If your childhood memory bank is overloaded with visions of swashbuckling skeletons, mammoth squids, or lumbering dinosaurs, odds are you grew up appreciating the work of Ray Harryhausen. Effects impresario behind such fantastic adventures as One Million Years B.C., Jason and the Argonauts, and The Golden Voyage of Sinbad, Ray Harryhausen has proven to be one of the most influential moviemakers in the history of the medium. His last (and arguably greatest) feats came as part of the 1981 adventure flick Clash of the Titans, one of the only Hollywood productions to ever tackle the prickly subject of Greek Mythology. Seeing as I saw this movie waaaaay back in ’81 and sat there spellbound by the sights before me, I approached the DVD with equal parts anticipation and dread. I was looking forward to seeing the movie again, but…what if it’s all corny and sucky now? What if my semi-educated adult brain wouldn’t be able to enjoy the ‘gee-whiz’ spectacle of an effects-laden swords-and-sandals spectacle? I needn’t have worried, because Clash of the Titans – despite more than a few goofball scenes and exchanges of loopy dialogue – is as rousing and charming as ever.

It’s easy to be cynical in this day of CGI alchemy, but there’s something really enjoyable about the masterful use of ‘practical’ special effects. Those who thought Harryhausen’s work in the past was colorful, Clash of the Titans sees the artist delivering nearly a dozen eye-popping creations. From the deeply creepy Medusa to the wet ‘n massive Kraken, and all the creepy-crawlies in between (aside from that damn annoying metal owl, whom I’ve always disliked), Harryhausen and his crew left no mythological beastie unturned. The plot is a relatively typical A to B to C quest flick, with a few delicious moments offered courtesy of the Greek Gods, who (much like the audience) delight in watching the adventures of dashing young Perseus and his myriad escapes. Bottom line: Perse is looking for his girl, Andromeda. Along the way, he acquires an impressive arsenal of weaponry, a lot of bizarre creatures show up, and most of the faceless sidekicks die enjoyably screaming deaths. You know…quest stuff! If you’re not yet too old to enjoy a good old-fashioned adventure epic with a decidedly colorful tone and majestic presentation, try giving Clash of the Titans a revisit. It may not be LORD OF THE RINGS or Ben Hur, but it’s probably the most entertaining version of Greek Myth ever brought to the silver screen.

Widescreen anamorphic presentation; audio is delivered in Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround (or French 2.0 Mono), while subtitles are available in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, Bahasa, Thai, and Korean!

Though the special features are a bit skimpy, at least they both include input from Ray Harryhausen! A Conversation with Ray Harryhausen lasts about twelve minutes, and it has the legendary FX genius (briefly) discussing various aspects of the movie, including casting, creatures, the music, and the mythological inspirations. Map of Myths and Monsters takes you to a map where you can choose your favorite Clash creature. Once again, Harryhausen pops in to offer some background info on each of the creations. Also included is the original theatrical trailer (and some rather pointless cast/crew bios). A cult flick of this stature could surely have used a few more goodies, but this trio of extras proves a lot more satisfying than a bare-bones treatment!

It’s only a matter of time before another Hollywood studio gets the idea to attack the realm of Greek Mythology, but Clash of the Titans will still hold a place in the heart of anyone who’s old enough to have seen it in the theaters. Yes, I’m that old.