7th Voyage of Sinbad

First of the Ray Harryhausen Sinbad films The Seventh Voyage is a great deal of fun.

Blown off course, Sinbad and his crew end up on Colossa, an island full of monsters. They run into the magician Sokurah who is being chased by a cyclops. Fleeing back to their ship they leave Sokurah‘s magic lamp behind. Desperate to get it back he attempts to entice Sinbad to return. When that fails he ends up shrinking a princess thus forcing Sinbad to return him to the island so that she can be restored to full size. After a mutiny filled voyage they return to Colossa where they must fight for their lives.

A grand adventure of the sort they don’t make any more this is a monster lovers delight, Cyclops, snake monsters, dragons, rocs and a living skeleton all figure into the insanity. Its Harryhausen working near the top of his game and it’s a blast and a half.

Does it make pefect sense? Oh hell no, but it moves so fast you won’t care.

Pure unadulterated joy of the movie monster kind and highly recommended.

Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1974)

The Golden Voyage of Sinbad ruined me. It is a nigh perfect film that some 44 years since first seeing it I’m still discovering things in.

The plot has Sinbad battling the evil Koura to discover the hidden mystery behind some golden amulets that fit together. Taveling to a far off land Sinbad and his crew have to face great dangers

The cast is great with Tom Baker perfect as the Koura. If Doctor Who hadn’t come along I would always think of him in this role. Its perfect evil- he is a man who is so sure of his win that he is willing to give bits of his soul away piece by piece.

John Philip Law has never been better. Disappearing into the role he takes one of the best written fantasy scripts and gives it depth. He is a hero who will do the right thing- who is out for adventure (he gets nothing in the end except the girl) and stand tall doing it. He never gives up. His character has become a guiding force in my life.

And surprisingly Kurt Christian as Haroun shines. Initally a drunk lazy sone of a merchant he is forcibly put on the ship and tries to escape but when danger comes he is always the first one to act, killing Kali or shooting the arrow that rescues them when buried. He claims being fearful but always steps up. It’s a wonderfully shaded character and Christian is unfairly left out of discussions.

And of course there are the monsters, from homunculus, to figure head, to Kali to the gods of the end the film is a visual delight.

This is just great filmmaking from top to bottom. I can’t recommend it enough.