Rating: ***
Special Effects: Ray Harryhausen
Cast: Harry Hamlin, Burgess Meredith, Maggie Smith, Judi Bowker,
Laurence Olivier, cameo by Ursula Andress
Another effects laden fantasy piece from stop-motion master Ray Harryhausen. The story surrounds Perseus's (Harry Hamlin) quest to win the hand of the lovely Andromeda (Judi Bowker) with the aid of some magical armor and the winged horse, Pegasus. Greek mythology gets a little mangled, but it's all in good fun, and apart from some janky-looking bluescreen work, Harryhausen's effects look great. In particular, the battle with a snake-haired Medusa is spectacular and represents some of Ray's finest work. Unfortunately, despite being a fun and imaginative fantasy adventure, the film looks and feels outdated for the 80s, and Hamlin's dull and lifeless performance constantly drags the film down.
Sadly, this would be Ray Harryhausen's final film, as his particular brand of stop-motion animation, miniatures, and optical effects were falling out of favor with audiences who wanted to see more modern techniques. Harryhausen was a master craftsman of fantasy who was more interested in infusing his creations with heart and soul, rather than strive for photorealism. One of the great things about Ray's work was that his characters were often the real stars, which made you really appreciate his craft and the amount of skill, effort, precision, and love that he put into it. His films have a quaint and old-fashioned charm and innocence to them, free from world-weary cynicism and modern day angst. Like Willis O'Brien before him, Ray's work inspired a whole generation of filmmakers and effects artists that followed him.