Clash of the Titans

Year of Release:  1981

Director: Desmond Davis

Screenplay:  Beverley Cross

Starring:  Harry Hamlin, Laurence Olivier, Judi Bowker, Maggie Smith, Burgess Meredith, Ursula Andress

Running Time:  118 minutes

Genre:  Fantasy

In Ancient Greece, Perseus (Hamlin), son of Zeus (Olivier), King of the Gods, must battle against. multitude of mythological monsters in his quest to rescue the Princess Andromeda (Bowker) from the dreaded Kraken.

This film is loosely based on the Greek myth of Perseus, and showcases special effects maestro Ray Harryhausen's stop motion creatures, which include, among others,  a two headed hellhound, the snake-haired Gorgon Medusa, giant scorpions, cursed monster Calibos, winged horse Pegasus, the giant sea-monster known as the Kraken (borrowed from Norse mythology) and a friendly mechanical owl called Bubo.  This is a hugely enjoyable fantasy adventure, which is thoroughly old-fashioned.  Pouty Jim Morrison look-alike Harry Hamlin is kind of bland but effective enough in the lead, while Judi Bowker isn't really given much to do as Andromeda.  As often happens with fantasy films, a supporting cast of acclaimed heavyweight actors gives the procedures some gravitas.  The story moves along at a good pace and is packed with incident, meaning it never gets dull.  Some modern viewers may roll their eyes at how dated the film looks now, particularly the special effects, which in all honesty were seen as dated when the film was released, but there is an innocent, naive charm to the whole thing.  The creature effects are still striking, and each creature is distinctive and has something like a personality.  The film has an appeal that the charmless 2010 remake lacks entirely.  This is fully escapist entertainment.

Release the Kraken:  Clash of the Titans
  

 

Rocky II

Year of Release:  1979
Director:  Sylvester Stallone
Screenplay:  Sylvester Stallone
Starring:  Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, Burgess Meredith 
Running Time:  119 minutes
Genre:  Drama, sports

Sequels are sometimes seen as shameless attempts to grab more cash from the fans of an already successful film, and while plenty are like that, there are many sequels which are as good, if not better, than the original. Rocky II is certainly as good as it's predecessor, and in some ways it is better.  It picks up straight from where the first film ends, with boxers Rocky Balboa (Stallone) and Apollo Creed (Weathers) recovering from their championship fight.  Despite having technically won the fight, Apollo has lost face due to how close the match was, and is determined to have a rematch with Rocky to salvage his pride.  However, Rocky has retired from boxing, and having married his girlfriend Adrian (Shire), and with a large payday from the fight, newfound fame and sponsorship and endorsement deals, the future is looking pretty rosy.  However, Rocky is not very good with money, and soon fritters it all away, and his fame and endorsement deals soon dry up.  With a growing family to support, Apollo's insistent demands for a rematch become hard to ignore.

The film retains all the things that fans of the first film enjoyed, including the triumphant training montage and climatic boxing match, which is bigger and better this time round.  It also retains the gritty, working class feel of the first film, even if it lacks some of it's edge.  Stallone is good as ever as Rocky, the tough bruiser with a gentle heart, Talia Shire is good, if underused as Rocky's new wife Adrian, and Burgess Meredith is great as Mickey, the broken down old pug who trains Rocky.  Carl Weathers is good as ever as Apollo Creed, and it's a pity that the film doesn't have more of him.  The character has an edge that he didn't have in the first film, now that he has something to prove.  While the film has it's soap opera elements, it has a lot of heart and humour.  We care what happens to these people.  It also works as a sequel, because it continues and expands on the story of the first film.

Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) and Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) duke it out in Rocky II