Five years after his classic arabian fantasy 7th voyage of Sinbad, Ray Harryhausen tried his hand at greek mythology with similarly impressive results.
The story is interesting enough. Concerning Jason's voyage to claim the mystical golden fleece from the far side of the world and use its power to free his homeland from an evil ruler and his cruel offspring.
With the aid of his heavenly benefactor, the queen of the olympian gods, Hera, Jason assembles the greatest warriors of ancient greek society to capture the prize.
The downside of 'Jason' is the fact that the human stars of the film are far less engaging than those dipicted in Sinbad. In fact, the main actors are rather stilted. Todd Armstrong as Jason for example is as wooden as a sagging birch tree. But who cares. Harryhausen's stop motion wizardy is even more stunning than in Sinbad.
Among the more intridging visual whammys are a seven headed hydra. A small army of skeleton warriors. A two hundred foot tall titan warrior made of bronze. And a pair of winged demon harpies.
Like 'Sinbad', 'Jason' somehow failed to be noticed at oscar time. Its astounding special effects weren't even nominated. Meanwhile the effects oscar that year went to the rather pedestrian Cleopatra. Apparently, Ray Harryhausen's monsters are no match match for the shapely charms of Elizabeth Taylor. As the a great man once said......"It was beauty that killed the beast."
The story is interesting enough. Concerning Jason's voyage to claim the mystical golden fleece from the far side of the world and use its power to free his homeland from an evil ruler and his cruel offspring.
With the aid of his heavenly benefactor, the queen of the olympian gods, Hera, Jason assembles the greatest warriors of ancient greek society to capture the prize.
The downside of 'Jason' is the fact that the human stars of the film are far less engaging than those dipicted in Sinbad. In fact, the main actors are rather stilted. Todd Armstrong as Jason for example is as wooden as a sagging birch tree. But who cares. Harryhausen's stop motion wizardy is even more stunning than in Sinbad.
Among the more intridging visual whammys are a seven headed hydra. A small army of skeleton warriors. A two hundred foot tall titan warrior made of bronze. And a pair of winged demon harpies.
Like 'Sinbad', 'Jason' somehow failed to be noticed at oscar time. Its astounding special effects weren't even nominated. Meanwhile the effects oscar that year went to the rather pedestrian Cleopatra. Apparently, Ray Harryhausen's monsters are no match match for the shapely charms of Elizabeth Taylor. As the a great man once said......"It was beauty that killed the beast."