Some movie experiences you have as a child stay with you forever – seeing Star Wars on the big screen; watching Ferris Bueller’s Day Off on your first date; and having Regarding Henry play in background while your girlfriend cries about the fact that you have broken up and this time it is for good.  Well, Clash of the Titans holds a special place in my heart.  This was one of the first movies that my parents let me go to by myself while they went to watch something else; what made it even better was that my dad gave me money to buy my own concessions – of course I got into trouble for spending way too much and eating too much junk, but it was worth it.  I was blown away by what I saw on the screen and could not wait to see it again.  With it being 1981, I knew it would be years before I would get to see it on TV, my only option.  Imagine my joy when I found it on DVD and was able to relive a story based on Greek mythology once again.

Saturday found me celebrating Pi Day (3/14) with friends over at Lisa’s house.  I brought over some DVDs and this was deemed to be nerdy enough to be played.  Of course, I was the only one who had seen it in the theaters since it was before most were born that were present.

The story is about Perseus, played by a then-unknown Harry Hamlin, who is the mortal son of Zeus.  He finds his destiny intersecting with that of Andromeda, who is in need of rescuing.  What follows is a story woven with scenes of Hades, Medusa, and the mighty Kraken.  As a nod to the “Star Wars” crowd, one of the gifts from the gods is a mechanical owl that looks like a miniature C-3PO, but not as whiny.  The effects were extremely obvious given today’s capabilities, but it is a brilliant showcase for Ray Harryhausen’s abilities with stop-motion creations.

The DVD only had the trailer as an extra, which is a shame – I hope they give this one special treatment sometime soon.

My advice:  check it out one afternoon – you might believe that a horse can fly…