Director: Desmond Davis
Screenplay: Beverley Cross
Based on the Greek myth of: Perseus
Starring: Harry Hamlin, Judi Bowker, Burgess Meredith, Maggie Smith, Siân Phillips, Claire Bloom, Ursula Andress, Laurence Olivier, Pat Roach, Susan Fleetwood, Tim Pigott-Smith, Neil McCarthy, Vida Taylor, Jack Gwillim, Donald Houston, Flora Robson, Anna Manahan, Freda Jackson
Country: United States and United Kingdom
Running Time: 118 min
Year: 1981
BBFC Certificate: 12
In a career spanning around four decades, stop motion animator Ray Harryhausen brought to life an army of memorable creatures and characters. His career progressed from work on the Puppetoons series in 1939 and early short films in the early 1940s through working under his mentor, King Kong (1933) legend Willis H. O’Brien, to ultimately creating the stop motion models for the likes of The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958) and its two sequels, as well as Jason and the Argonauts (1963).
His creations like skeleton warriors, giant statue Talos, a Cyclops, six-armed goddess Kali and the hydra wowed audiences and meant the films he crafted effects for are most remembered as being Harryhausen’s films, even though he didn’t direct them. His effects leave a lasting legacy and, with his business partner Charles Schneer as co-producer for many of the movies, the films were Harryhausen productions through and through, even if his name wasn’t the final one on the opening titles.
His final film, Clash of the Titans, features some of his best work, including one of his crowning achievements in his stop motion Medusa (my personal favourite of his creations alongside the skeleton army in Jason and the Argonauts) in a fitting finale to a glittering career.
Directed by Desmond Davis from a screenplay by Beverley Cross, the film is based on the Greek myth of Perseus. It follows Perseus (Harry Hamlin), whose mother is Danaë (Vida Taylor), cast to sea in a wooden chest with her infant son by her jealous father King Acrisius of Argos (Donald Houston). Perseus’s father is the god Zeus (Laurence Olivier), who kills King Acrisius and commands Poseidon (Jack Gwillim) to unleash the giant sea monster the Kraken to destroy Argos.
Fast forward and the myth of Perseus and his mother being thrown out to sea by her father and the destruction of Argos is already the stuff of legend. The adult Perseus, supported by, among others, elderly poet Ammon (Burgess Meredith), the flying horse Pegasus, whom our hero tames, and cute clockwork owl Bubo, embarks on a perilous quest with his wife-to-be, the Princess Andromeda (Judi Bowker), to save her from being sacrificed to the Kraken.
The quest is set in motion by the treacherous goddess Thetis (Maggie Smith) in revenge for the treatment of her son Calibos (Neil McCarthy), who has been exiled and transformed into a deformed monster for numerous crimes. Before this he was betrothed to Andromeda, hence Thetis enacting the revenge plot involving the princess.
Along the way Perseus, armed with gifts from the gods, a magical sword and shield and a helmet that can make its wearer invisible, must track down the only weapon powerful enough to stop the Kraken, the head of Medusa, whose gaze turns all to stone.
For me the only place to start when reviewing a Harryhausen production is his creations, and in Clash, he delivers some of his most intricate and detailed work. Harryhausen brings a number of creations to the screen for the film including the satyr-like Calibos, a giant vulture, a two-headed dog, giant scorpions and the aforementioned Kraken, Medusa and the mechanical owl Bubo.
Medusa is the obvious one to start with. Harryhausen not only animated her but painstakingly animated the snakes that make up her hair. She’s a truly terrifying creation and her scene is the standout in the film, incredibly creepy and tense, the tension built up through shadow-play before we see the full horror of the creation and she turns some of Perseus’s allies to stone.
Calibos (a mix of stop motion animation for movement and live action with McCarthy in make-up) is also scary, as is the vulture, the brief appearance of the two-headed dog Dioskilos and the scorpions. The Kraken that opens and closes the film is also fabulous and the destruction of Argos certainly provides a strong start to the film. Bubo is also a very likeable creature, talking in beeps, and is very brave, reminding me very much of R2-D2, who had won the hearts of fans in the first Star Wars film just a few years prior.
The actors who perform alongside the Harryhausen creations all play their part. Hamlin embodies Perseus really well, throwing himself in to the role to try to make it as authentic to the myth as he could, and he grounds the film among the fantasy of the creatures. Judi Bowker also gives a really good performance as Andromeda and has excellent chemistry with Hamlin. Andromeda joins the quest with Perseus and drives the plot forward, very much being an empowered woman who isn’t following her husband-to-be but is equally driving forward the quest to save her life.
The gods and other inhabitants of the world are brought to life by some great stars of the big and small screen, headlined by Laurence Olivier as Zeus. Burgess Meredith is a good companion and guide for Perseus as Ammon and look out for the likes of Maggie Smith as Thetis, the evil mother of Calibos, Ursula Andress as Aphrodite, Claire Bloom as Hera, and former wrestler Pat Roach as Hephaestus.
As well as the aforementioned Medusa battle, destruction of Argos and finale with the Kraken, other standout sequences include the eerie scenes involving the vulture and the blind Stygian Witches, and the bloody and brutal battles with Dioskilos and with Calibos and two scorpions.
All of the live action and stop motion elements come together well in a film that’s beautifully shot by Academy Award winner Ted Moore, rousingly scored by Laurence Rosenthal, and features some fitting performances and some magical effects. It is also well directed by Davis, from the script by Cross that manages to make sense of the quite complicated set-up and whisks us along.
Harryhausen’s creations are the standout of any film he was involved in, but Clash, much like Jason and the Argonauts, the Sinbad films and First Men in the Moon (1964), are much more than just showcases for his special effects, thanks to all of the other elements coming together beautifully.
Clash of the Titans is an incredibly entertaining fantasy epic, a wonderful fusion of live action and outstanding Ray Harryhausen stop-motion creations. It’s a rousing quest filled with standout moments, some of which are among the best in Harryhausen’s career, including the incredibly tense and scary Medusa sequence, and is a fitting finale to Harryhausen’s stellar career.
Film: 
Clash of the Titans is released on separate limited edition 4K UHD and Blu-ray by Arrow Video on 16th November 2026. I reviewed the 4K edition. The new 4K restoration from Arrow Films is generally excellent. There is plenty of fine detail, the colours pop and there’s a level of clarity I’ve never seen on television or previous home video iterations. I saw the unrestored version of the film on a huge screen in Bristol earlier in 2026 and mentioned to a friend how it was crying out for a restoration. I was thrilled when Arrow announced their restoration and it hasn’t disappointed overall. The Mount Olympus sequences that open and close the film are shot more softly, for the ethereal feel, and aren’t as wow-inducing as other scenes and some of the sequences with optical effects are also, understandably, a bit softer, like the seagull that flies over the opening titles. Sequences set in Greece itself are excellent and the scenes with Harryhausen’s effects are carefully restored to make them look as good as I’ve ever seen them. The early appearance of a vulture and Medusa, in particular, look more breathtaking than ever before. It is a very pleasing presentation and a huge, huge step up on previous releases. The audio is also fantastic, Laurence Rosenthal’s score rousing and effects of the creatures and Bubo sounding wonderful too.
Two-disc 4K Ultra HD limited edition contents:
Brand new 4K restoration from the original 35mm negative by Arrow Films
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Richey Beckett
Double-sided foldout poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Richey Beckett
Collectors’ perfect-bound booklet containing new writing by critics Charlie Brigden, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, David Moses, Martyn Pedler and Icy Sedgwick plus select archival material
Disc One – Feature and Extras (4K Ultra HD Blu-ray):
4K (2160p) Ultra HD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
Restored original lossless stereo and new Dolby Atmos audio options
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Ray Harryhausen at the BFI, an archival audio interview conducted after a screening of Clash of the Titans in 1981
Ray Harryhausen & Charles Schneer at the BFI, an archival audio interview with Harryhausen and his long-time producer Charles Schneer
Disc Two – Extras (Blu-ray):
Courage & Imagination: Ray Harryhausen’s Mythic Adventure, a brand new feature-length documentary by David Cairns and Fiona Watson celebrating Clash of the Titans and the work of Ray Harryhausen, with contributions from Joe Dante, John Landis, Randall William Cook and Vanessa Harryhausen
A Conversation with Ray Harryhausen, an archival featurette in which Harryhausen discusses the film
Myths and Monsters, a series of archival featurettes in which Harryhausen discusses the main creatures of Clash of the Titans: Calibos, Pegasus, Bubo, the scorpions, Medusa, the Kraken and Dioskilos
Theatrical trailers
Image galleries
Disc one features two excellent audio recordings of interviews from the BFI, which play like audio commentaries over the film. Harryhausen is on fine form, covering plenty of ground from across his career in both of them, and is joined by the equally brilliant talker Charles Schneer, his long-time producer in the latter. The former dates from 1981 and the other from 1970. Both are important historical artefacts and very worthwhile inclusions for fans of Harryhausen and his work.
Disc two is a Blu-ray for both editions and contains the best extra, a new feature length documentary by David Cairns and Fiona Watson celebrating Clash of the Titans and the work of Ray Harryhausen. Called Courage & Imagination: Ray Harryhausen’s Mythic Adventure, it runs for just shy of one hour and 50 minutes. It includes warm interviews and appreciations with the likes of Harryhausen’s daughter Vanessa, Connor Heaney from The Ray and Diana Harryhausen Foundation, special effects artist Randall William Cook and filmmakers and fans Joe Dante and John Landis. If you’re familiar with Cairns and Watson’s style from other extras, you’ll be in familiar territory here. Their pieces have a way with words and share their appreciation for Harryhausen – complete with their recollections of seeing his creations for the first time – before introducing some of the talking heads who wax lyrically about the man and the film and those who worked in front of and behind the camera. The documentary also provides a fascinating overview of the conception and making of Clash of the Titans including informative background about how the special effects sequences were filmed. Plenty of clips from throughout Harryhausen’s career are included and the result is an affectionate, informative and loving celebration of Harryhausen. It is a brilliant documentary and worth the price of admission alone.
The vintage extras section contains A Conversation with Ray Harryhausen, an archival featurette in which the special effects pioneer discusses the film. Running for 12 minutes and dating from the original DVD release. It is a good interview with Harryhausen, who was always a pleasure to hear. He’s passionate about his work, shares how he got into it and his inspirations and reflections on some of his creations and films.
The vintage section also includes the Myths and Monsters series of archival featurettes, seven in total that can be played individually and cover Calibos, Pegasus, Bubo, the scorpions, Medusa, the Kraken and Dioskilos. Each are around one minute long, with Medusa’s almost two minutes long, and feature a few comments from Harryhausen taken from the longer archival ‘conversation with’. Collectively they provide some insight into the characters and how they were brought to the screen.
The teaser trailer is typically early 1980s and a real gem that sells the film on its legend and as an epic with stills for the first half before interspersing these with a few brief clips from the film. It runs for just under two minutes
The theatrical trailer is of a similar length, but this time is full of clips from the film showcasing some of the creations and standout sequences. Interestingly the teaser sells the film on its stars and ‘introduces’ Harry Hamlin, but the latter puts Hamlin front and centre in the list of actors.
The image galleries section includes six galleries and is full of interesting material. Included are around 20 costume designs, three behind the scenes images, a high-definition scan of the original pressbook over eight images, 13 lobby cards and posters, over 130 colour stills and promotional images and 70 black and white stills and promo shots.
I was not provided with the booklet to comment on but it looks packed with five new essays and archival material. Arrow has been packing more and more worthwhile text into its booklets recently and this looks to be the same, so will hopefully be of the label’s usual high quality.
In closing, Arrow have produced a fabulous release for Ray Harryhausen’s final film, Clash of the Titans. The new 4K restoration by Arrow is generally excellent and breathes new life into the film – it’s easily the best I’ve ever seen it look. The package is just as strong with a wealth of archival material and an absolutely brilliant new documentary which is part appreciation of Harryhausen and his work and part making of Clash of the Titans that runs for almost two hours. It’s a wonderful release all round.
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