Spotlight

Spotlight Date: 27-December-09
Spoiler Rating: Low

The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958)

I am a latecomer to the Ray Harryhausen fan club. Like most people, I had seen one of his movies or parts of his movies somewhere along the way, but I never stopped to admire what he did until now. The timing makes a certain amount of sense, what with Fantastic Mr. Fox and Avatar reminding movie lovers of the impact of animation and the ongoing evolution of special effects.

Harryhausen is not the credited writer or director of The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, but the guy who made its colossal Cyclops, two-headed birds, and swashbuckling skeleton come to life. He is a groundbreaking stop-motion animator who has had an enormous influence on other filmmakers. To think that before watching this movie I did not know where one of the most famous scenes in Star Wars came from! Yet here is the moment to which Lucas paid homage, right alongside wonderful monsters, dazzling costumes, and exotic backdrops (plus a cast of actors who aren't nearly as cheesy as you might expect). Harryhausen knew how to transport audiences to fantastic lands filled with danger and wonder, and he did it with his own hands. No pixels in sight.

You do not need an interest in cinematic craft or special effects, however, to appreciate The 7th Voyage of Sinbad. (If you want to learn more, check out rayharryhausen.com.) This is simply good escapism. The sailor Sinbad (Kerwin Mathews) shows why he is the stuff of legend in a series of adventures that begin when he rescues a shifty-eyed magician (Torin Thatcher) from an island inhabited by one-eyed behemoths. As the magician mourns leaving his genie lamp behind, Sinbad sails home to marry the princess he adores (Kathryn Grant) and catch a little R 'n' R. But the magician tricks him into returning to the high seas. Then the hero must contend with foolish or mutinous crewmen, treasure-hoarding Cyclops, a pissed-off roc, and the possible ruination of his love life before arriving at a showdown with the magician, who has a dragon and sword-wielding skeleton at his command. Backed by a stirring soundtrack, these sights still have the power to impress. The 7th Voyage of Sinbad is testimony to a Hollywood giant and great fun for anyone who enjoys a journey of make-believe.

Copyright © 2009 The Jujube (M. I. Kim). All rights reserved.