History Film / ClashOfTheTitans1981

* MisplacedWildlife: The snake that shows up is a boa constrictor. Boa constrictors live in the Americas -- they would have definitely not been found in Ancient Greece. Medusa's rattling tail could be considered a deity-invoked MixAndMatchCritters example, as rattlesnakes are likewise New World reptiles.

A demigod son of Zeus (Creator/LaurenceOlivier), as an infant Perseus is saved from execution (along with his mother Danae (Creator/VidaTaylor)) by the cruel King Acrisius of Argos (Creator/DonaldHouston) thanks to the ruler of Olympus's intervention. Upon reaching maturity, Perseus is set on the path to his destiny when the goddess of the seas, Thetis (Creator/MaggieSmith) -- bitter over Zeus turning ''her'' demigod son Calibos (Creator/NeilMcCarthy) into a humanoid monster for his crimes -- transports him to the city of Joppa, which she has cursed: Anyone who wishes to woo the beautiful Princess Andromeda (Creator/JudiBowker), former fiancée of Calibos and daughter of Queen Cassiopeia (Creator/SianPhillips), must answer a riddle that changes with each day lest they be put to death. Perseus, armed with a magical sword and armor, sets out to solve the latest riddle, which requires him to capture and tame the last of the winged horses, Pegasus... but lifting the curse on Joppa turns out to be just the beginning of his adventures, because Calibos and his mother aren't going to give up their quests for vengeance easily...

* AdaptationalVillainy: In the film, King Acrisius threw his daughter and grandson into the sea out of pure spite and outrage Danae had dared to become pregnant. In the original myth, Arcisius was a lot more sympathetic; after being told by an oracle he would be killed by his grandson, Acrisius locked Danae in a tower to try and prevent this: when Zeus impregnated her regardless, Acrisius threw his daughter and her newborn baby into the sea in a locked chest because he felt it was the only way he could save himself from the prophecy without provoking Zeus by killing his offspring, leaving their fate in the hands of Poseidon. Tragically, [[YouCantFightFate Acrisius's efforts were in vain]]; years later, while attending an athletics competition, Acrisius died when Perseus, who was competing, threw a discus that inadvertantly struck his grandfather in the crowd.

* ContraltoOfDanger: Thetis adopts a minor one when she speaks through her marble statue.

* EvilSoundsDeep: Though he only has about ten lines at the most, Calibos speaks in an anguished baritone that sells him as a TragicMonster.

* OverprotectiveDad: The film's explanation for why Acrisius "grew jealous and kept (Danae) guarded from the eyes of men, locked behind iron doors" (in the original myth, this was partly due to a prophecy that his grandson would kill him, but YouCantFightFate).

* WeddingSmashers: During Perseus and Andromeda's wedding, Thetis stops the ceremony by causing an earthquake and giving an ultimatum about the Kraken's attack.

* WhipOfDominance: Calibos's favorite weapon is a whip, and he's very handy with it, capturing Pegasus and nearly strangling Perseus.
* WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds: Calibos can be perceived sympathetic and at least worthy of pity, especially because we are only [[OffstageVillainy informed of his cruelty]] before the transformation. Indeed, Perseus says that's why he spared his life, in spite of all he had put Andromeda and the city through. But Calibos comes back on a RoaringRampageOfRevenge anyway.

* WhipItGood: Calibos's favorite weapon is a whip, and he's very handy with it, capturing Pegasus and nearly strangling Perseus.

** There was only one Pegasus, not a herd, who sprang forth from Medusa's neck after she was killed. (Indeed, "Pegasus" actually means "he who sprang".) Pegasus was also not ridden by Perseus, but an unrelated hero named Bellerophon.

* BigGood: Zeus. Like in the myth, he provides Hercules with the weapons needed to fulfill his destiny and restores Perseus's strength to give him a fighting chance against the Kraken. It's also suggested in his final monologue that the real reason for siring Perseus was part of a larger plan to wean humanity off of their dependence on the Gods by providing them with an example of what true heroism was capable of.

A demigod son of Zeus (Creator/LaurenceOlivier), as an infant Perseus is saved from execution (along with his mother Danae (Creator/VidaTaylor)) by the cruel King Acrisius of Argos (Creator/DonaldHouston) thanks to the ruler of Olympus's intervention. Upon reaching maturity, Perseus is set on the path to his destiny when the goddess of the seas, Thetis (Creator/MaggieSmith) -- bitter over Zeus turning ''her'' demigod son Calibos (Creator/NeilMcCarthy) into a humanoid monster for his crimes -- transports him to the city of Joppa, which she has cursed: Anyone who wishes to woo the beautiful Princess Andromeda (Creator/JudiBowker), former fiance of Calibos, must answer a riddle that changes with each day lest they be put to death. Perseus, armed with a magical sword and armor, sets out to solve the latest riddle, which requires him to capture and tame the last of the winged horses, Pegasus... but lifting the curse on Joppa turns out to be just the beginning of his adventures, because Calibos and his mother aren't going to give up their quests for vengeance easily...

* StayInTheKitchen: "Too perilous (a journey) for a princess." To which Andromeda responds [[YouGotSpunk with all due spunk]], "You are not my lord and husband. Not yet!" and comes along on the trip to the Stygian Witches anyway. Perseus later ''does'' ditch her for her own safety when he finds out he has to fight Medusa.

** Calibos was once a handsome young demigod until hunted Pegasus' species to near extinction (among other offenses). As punishment, Zeus turned him into a ferocious man-beast.

* ''Film/ClashOfTheTitans1981''

* MisplacedWildlife: The snake that shows up is a boa constrictor. Boa constrictors live in the Americas -- they would have definitely not been found in Ancient Greece.

''Clash of the Titans'' is the 1981 film adaptation of the [[Myth/ClassicalMythology Greek myth]] of Perseus (played by Creator/HarryHamlin). Its main attraction is an array of StopMotion animated monsters created by Creator/RayHarryhausen, who retired from filmmaking shortly after it was released, although the supporting cast is shored up with an array of name performers, most prominently Creator/LaurenceOlivier as Zeus.

[[caption-width-right:350:''Destroy Argos! And to make certain no stone stands, that no creature crawls. I command you to let loose the last of the Titans. Let loose the Kraken! '' - Zeus]]

* MinorlyMentionedMythsAndMonsters: Before 1981 Medusa and the Gorgons were obscure monsters in Greek mythology. ''After'' this film they appeared everywhere, often in the form of half snake people seen here which isn't accurate to the myth.

** Perseus also has a dwindling ''inventory''. He loses his helmet during his first fight with Calibos, and has to sacrifice his shield to defeat Medusa. His sword is left behind after his final fight with Calibos.

* EveryoneHasStandards: Thetis calls out Calibos' SoreLoser behavior, pointing out that he's asking for revenge not justice.

* BalefulPolymorph: Calibos, who is turned into a beastman by Zeus as a punishment.

* FedToTheBeast: Jealous of Andromeda's beauty, Thetis demands her to be sacrificed to the Krake, else Joppa will be destroyed. Perseus goes on quest to defeat the Kraken to prevent this from occuring.

%%* CuteOwl: Bubo, despite being fully mechanical.
%%* DamselInDistress: Andromeda, in the climax.

** Perseus also has a dwindling ''inventory''. He loses his helmet during his first fight with Calibos, and has to sacrifice his shield to defeat Medusa.

%%* GrandpaGod: Zeus.

* TravelingAtTheSpeedOfPlot: Perseus's journey back to Joppa on Pegasus as Andromeda's sacrifice is being carried out.

* CanonForeigner: Calibos is an original character created specifically for the film, loosely inspired by [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phineus Phineus.]]

* LargeHam: Burgess Meredith is clearly having a blast as Ammon. Justified in that the man is a playwright and actor and even admits to Perseus he likes to act up being a ghost to keep looters from the theater.

* LoopholeAbuse: When Calibos begs mother Thetis to punish Perseus, Thetis says she can't do anything because of Zeus's command. However, when Cassiopeia calls Andromeda more beautiful than the goddess, Thetis is able to use this open blasphemy as the excuse to condemn Andromeda after all to strike Perseus.

''Clash of the Titans'' is the 1981 film adaptation of the [[Myth/ClassicalMythology Greek myth]] of Perseus (played by Creator/HarryHamlin). Its main attraction is an array of StopMotion animated monsters created by Creator/RayHarryhausen, who retired from filmmaking shortly after ''Clash'' was released, although the supporting cast is shored up with an array of name performers, most prominently Creator/LaurenceOlivier as Zeus.

A demigod son of Zeus, as an infant Perseus is saved from execution (along with his mother Danae) by the cruel King Acrisius of Argos thanks to the ruler of Olympus's intervention. Upon reaching maturity, Perseus is set on the path to his destiny when the goddess of the seas, Thetis -- bitter over Zeus turning ''her'' demigod son Calibos into a humanoid monster for his crimes -- transports him to the city of Joppa, which she has cursed: Anyone who wishes to woo the beautiful Princess Andromeda, former fiance of Calibos, must answer a riddle that changes with each day lest they be put to death. Perseus, armed with a magical sword and armor, sets out to solve the latest riddle, which requires him to capture and tame the last of the winged horses, Pegasus...but lifting the curse on Joppa turns out to be just the beginning of his adventures, because Calibos and his mother aren't going to give up their quests for vengeance easily...

* AesopCollateralDamage: The goddess Thetis demands the sacrifice of Andromeda after Queen Cassopeia boasts that she is more beautiful than the goddess.

* BeautyEqualsGoodness: Andromeda is beautiful, and she's as innocent as it gets.
* BecauseDestinySaysSo: "Find and fulfill your destiny."

* ChainedToARock: Andromeda is chained to a rock to be sacrificed to the Kraken.

* CuteOwl: Bubo, despite being fully mechanical.
* DamselInDistress: Andromeda, in the climax.

* DwindlingParty: All the soldiers escorting Perseus on his mission to the Stygian Witches and Medusa end up dead.

* EverythingsBetterWithSparkles: Hello, Olympus!

* FedToTheBeast: Andromeda.

-->'''Thetis:''' If my son is not to marry her, then no man will.... As my Calibos suffers, so will Andromeda.

* NippleAndDimed: Averted. Danae and Andromeda show some T&A [[WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids even though the film is rated PG!]][[note]]In the U.S., the PG-13 rating was only three years away from being created[[/note]][[note]]Both scenes, especially Danae's, are non-sexual. Danae is breast-feeding the baby Perseus, and Andromeda's butt is only seen from behind as she gets out of a bath.[[/note]]

* NonHumanSidekick: Bubo.

* RedShirt: Any soldier who goes with Perseus on his quest.

* SnakePeople: Medusa.

%%* SupernaturalAid: Perseus's helmet, sword, shield, and Bubo.

* WalkingShirtlessScene: Harry Hamlin as Perseus.

* NippleAndDimed: Averted. Danae and Andromeda show some T&A [[WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids even though the film is rated PG!]][[note]]In the U.S., the PG-13 rating was only three years away from being created[[/note]]

* ScreamingWoman: Completely averted. Andromeda may be the [[DistressedDamsel damsel in distress,]] but she faces both Calibos and the Kraken itself with stoic indignation, and tries her best to keep up with Perseus when he goes off on his quest to save her (until he leaves her behind, very much against her wishes, when he learns he's going to have to face Medusa). She is a strong person and definitely ''not'' a screamer.

** The Kraken is from Myth/NorseMythology and was never suggested to be humanoid. The original monster slain by Perseus from Greek mythology was Cetus.