Clash of the Titans released June 12, 1981
Clash of the Titans is an American 1981 fantasy-adventure film involving the Greco-Roman hero Perseus. It was released on June 12, 1981 and was a box office hit, grossing $41.1 million domestically, on a $16 million budget. It was the 11th highest grossing film of the year.A novelization of the film by Alan Dean Foster was published in 1981.
Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures released a remake of the film in 3-D on April 2, 2010.
Trivia:
The original script called for Perseus to cut off Medusa’s head by throwing his shield at her. Harry Hamlin convinced the producers to let him use his sword, as that was how it happened according to Greek Mythology.
The Kraken was not the name of a titan in Greek mythology, but a sea monster from Scandinavian mythology.
Neil McCarthy only played Calibos in head shots and half-body shots. All full body shots of Calibos were played by a stop-motion model.
This big budget 1981 release became the last feature film for which Ray Harryhausen created the special effects. It was also the only one in which he had assistants.
The last film for Charles H. Schneer.
Maggie Smith, who plays Thetis, was married to screenwriter Beverley Cross.
The last film of both Flora Robson and Donald Houston.
Screenwriter Beverley Cross was a student of mythology and he developed a storyline centering on Perseus and Andromeda which linked together a number of myths. He took the idea to producers Charles H. Schneer and Ray Harryhausen. The story was modified to add more creatures. Cross’s wife, actress Maggie Smith, appeared in the film as Thetis.
Originally filmed in 1979.
According to mythology after Medusa’s head was severed from her neck, two offspring sprang forth: the winged horse Pegasus and the giant Chrysaor.
According to mythology there was Cerberus, the THREE-headed dog but no Dioskilos with two. They asked Ray Harryhausen why he didn’t use a three-headed dog, and he said it takes too much time to animate the extra head.
Initially Calibos had no dialogue and was a purely stop motion character. After a rewrite to the script dialogue was added and the role was given to Neil McCarthy.
