Simply A Masterpiece

Did you people see the same film I saw?

Am i the only one who thinks........Average?

If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.

For me this film will forever be wrapped around with childhood memories and nostalgia, as it is one of the earliest films I remember seeing, and has remained a favourite ever since. I consider it one of the two best films to feature Ray Harryhausen's stop-motion creatures, the other being Clash of the Titans (the original, not the dire remake!).Anyone not impressed by the animation in this film, including a stop-motion baboon who is a main character throughout and gives an exceptionally nuanced and emotionally moving performance, is most likely an ignorant millennial with no knowledge or respect for film history, animation techniques, or the concept of evolving technology, and has spent their entire life being spoon-fed CGI that, while immensely impressive, has rendered modern audiences incapable of suspending disbelief, applying their own imagination (because they have none), or comprehending the sheer artistry and technical genius of old-time movie-makers like Harryhausen!Rant over.As the last of the three Sinbad films released by Columbia Pictures it is my favourite, being altogether more varied, adventurous, imaginative, and well-rounded. It also features the best creatures. Having said all that, it is also the only one that I've watched repeatedly - I can barely remember the others - so it's hard not to be biased. But the other two don't have John Wayne's son playing Sinbad. Nor do they have Tyrone Power's daughter playing the blonde female. Nor do they have Patrick Troughton as the beardy wizard. Nor do they feature Jane Seymour with corn rows and no clothes!It would be fair to say that the skinny-dipping scene with Jane Seymour and Taryn Power (plus a giant troglodyte) left a lasting impression on my young mind, for which I will always be grateful.Overall, despite being undeniably dated by today's standards, I consider Eye of the Tiger to be one of the finest fantasy films ever made.

Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger was something I loved as a child. From a 18 year old perspective, it doesn't enthrall me as much, but it still entertains me, even with its flaws. The screenplay is pretty weak and cheesy, the pacing rather uneven not helped by the fact the film is a tad overlong and Patrick Wayne a dashing if bland Sinbad, but there is still a lot to enjoy. For one thing, the special effects are absolutely incredible especially the chess-playing baboon and the ferocious sabre-tooth tiger and the scenery is breathtaking. Add a nice story, decent direction and a rousing score and you have an entertaining enough adventure. A few acting mentions wouldn't go amiss though. Jane Seymour is fabulously sexy as the Princess Farrah, the late Patrick Troughton is a deliciously enigmatic Melanthious and Margaret Whiting is very icy and chilling as cruel villainess Zenobia. Overall, entertaining and enjoyable, with flaws yes but I recommend it. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Patrick Wayne ( son of John ) was a busy little guy in 1977. Not content with fighting dinosaurs and volcano worshippers in 'The People That Time Forgot', he also starred in Ray Harryhausen's third and final 'Sinbad' epic. Now, for those of us of a certain age, the name Ray Harryhausen conjures up powerful memories. Whenever one of his films opened in '70's Britain, it was as though manna had fallen from Heaven: 'Clapperboard' ( an I.T.V. children's programme about movies ) devoted a two-part special to its making ( featuring interviews with everyone including the tea boy ), clips found their way onto 'Screen Test', 'Blue Peter', and, if you were lucky, 'The Krypton Factor', and bubble gum cards containing action scenes went on sale in sweet shops. There'd be a paperback book ( the one for this film was by John Ryder Hall ) and a poster magazine. Then you'd trot along to the local picture house to get in line to buy popcorn and see the thing ( praying the best seat in the house would not be taken ).The plots were identical - Sinbad and his crew ( with a pretty girl thrown in for good measure ) are on a dangerous quest to find some mythical artifact which gives its owner eternal life or magic powers or whatever. But an evil wizard would try to beat them to it, and conjure up all manner of grotesque monsters to slow them down. Of course good would triumph over evil at the end. So it is written.'Tiger' opens with a coronation going badly wrong. Just before young prince Kassan ( Damien Thomas ) is crowned Caliph of Bagdad, he is unexpectedly changed by magic into a baboon. Being an ape can seriously impair one's ability to be a Monarch ( though its never proved much of a hindrance in Britain ), so his comely sister, Farah ( Jane Seymour ) turns to Sinbad for help. He sets sail for the home of benign magician Melanthius ( Patrick Troughton ). There must be a good hairdresser amongst the crew, as everyone's crowning glories looks permanently fresh and clean. Along the way they pick up Dione ( Taryn Power, sister of Tyrone ). Zenobia ( Margaret Whiting ) the evil witch who changed the prince in the first place, gives chase in a barge rowed by a minotaur-like creature ( Peter Mayhew ) with a clockwork heart. What about the monsters? Well there's a giant walrus, a big wasp, a troglodyte, a sabre-toothed tiger, and some weird looking skeletal things who fight Sinbad near the start of the picture. And we've got Jane Seymour and Taryn Power skinny dipping for good measure. All you want from a movie.While not the best 'Sinbad' ( 1974's 'The Golden Voyage Of Sinbad' scoops that honour ) by a long chalk, this is still good fun, beautifully photographed by Ted Moore and nicely scored by Roy Budd. It drags in parts, most notably the scene where Zenobia changes into a seagull to eavesdrop on her enemies. As 'Zenobia', Whiting chews the scenery nicely. I wish her character's fate had been resolved though, and dear Pat Troughton's wizard anticipates his later role in 'The Box Of Delights' television series.'Tiger' opened to a mixed critical response, but us kids loved every absurd word of it. No more 'Sinbad' pictures were made surprisingly. Ray went on to make 'Clash Of The Titans' ( recently remade for no apparently discernible reason ) in 1981 before retiring. While his stop motion animations ( or 'Dynarama' as they were grandly called ) may seem dated to modern eyes, to those of us who were there at the time they remain as thrilling as ever. His monsters look as though they were the creation of a genius. Which they were.Directed by Sam Wanamaker ( Zoe's dad ).

If you ever wondered what movies you should be watching in high resolution technology this one should be on top pf the list. You want to see the details on the bronze minotaur (called Minaton here) the intricate patterns on the thousands of fabrics, and precious jewels, the different eye lash-layers on "evil" queen Zenobia and the expanse of ultra blue seas.The third of Ray Harryhausen's Sinbad films has apparently gotten a bad rap over the years, which I can not understand. It may be for Beverly Cross' script and some of the performances, notably Patrick Wayne as Sinbad, which I happen to think is totally fine and entertaining, but may not be perceived as such for those searching for dramatic acting. This rap should be disregarded as it is not only largely unfair, but inadequate in noting the entertaining values of this movie. No doubt it could have been better, but as an exciting adventure it is more than good, thanks to a strong cast and Ray Harryhausen's excellent animation.The story is about Kassim, the caliph of Baghdad, who mysteriously disappears at the very moment of his coronation. Sinbad, arriving in Baghdad both to sell his merchandise cargo, and also to see again his love interest, the caliph's sister played by a luscious, very young Jane Seymour. He is drawn into a trap, by Rafi, a dark handsome prince played by Kurt Christian set in a magnificent tent, which includes belly-dancing entertainment. His mother, the evil dowager queen Zenobia, played Margaret Whiting, who is more than familiar with the black arts is behind this plan and all others, as we know just by looking at him, that Rafi has no brains or sense of direction. Barely escaping an attack by three sword-wielding fire skeletal creatures, Sinbad finds Kassim's sister and a baboon, which is actually prince Kassim, as transformed by the magic of queen Zenobia so her own son could be caliph. At this very point we should wonder if this 'evil' woman is not actually just career oriented. In New York she would have been directing a real estate emporium or huge corporate conglomerate, maybe both, where Rafi could have just looked good in the publicity ads as she ruled ruthlessly; yet in time she would have done the charity balls, she would have even sponsored some cultural causes, eventually she would have been perceived as a pillar of society. It's all a matter of perception and historical placement, above all Location, location, location!In order to break Zenobia's spell on Kassim, Sinbad enlists an adequately wise and aged wizard, Master Malanthius and his sexy daughter, the hyper blond, hypnotized-looking Dione (Taryn Power), who also has some of the most vapid dialog in the movie. They meet in the ancient city of Petra, where the wizard lives, and the scene of arrival, and seeing the city through a rock is totally rewarding as a reason to see the whole film, it is so well done and awesome. All have to set sail for Hyperborea, a land at the North Pole magically immune to the polar region's snows. However, Zenobia and Rafi are following. Zenobia had actually had a confrontation scene by Sinbad's ship when she arrived in a feathered and veiled litter and argued with the silly vizier who was trying to look his best in a day-wear saffron and gold ensemble that was striking for the pheasant feathered adornment of his turban that looked like the whole bird was alive, and in heat. Zenobia has decided to enlist help too. She will be aided by a mechanical beast, a bull-headed robot created by Zenobia, and animated with a golden heart, baptized with the name Minaton, close enough to the ancient Minotaur of the labyrinth story. Although great looking as an accessory he is just an elaborate rowing machine in their metalized ship that looks more like an early submarine. The first thing they do is crush the spies that the vizier had set to watching their moves, against a rock as they start on the pursuit, an appropriately delightful moment of evil indulgence.The best part of the movie is Zenobia's transformation into a seagull so she can leave her ship and spy on Sinbad in his. She takes a potion and has a series of very erotic spasms in her elaborate bedchamber, and suddenly she is the bird. Her flight is not as lucky, once arrived, she transforms into a miniature version of herself and is unfortunately discovered by the baboon, who wrecks her plan, only after much difficulty she manages to change back to the seagull and escape, but there is not enough potion left when she turns into herself: She is left with a huge foot of a seagull attached to her leg instead of her human foot, and will stomp her way through the rest of the film.This film features quite a bit of character animation by Harryhausen. The baboon Kassim looks totally real playing chess and most of all in his dramatic scene when he sees himself in a mirror, and despairs over his change. Trog, a prehistoric giant who "is as frightened of us as we of him," as Malanthius sweetly remarks, is a direct ancestor of Shrek, and looks frightening yet endearing. Kassim and Dione manage to befriend Trog, and when Kassim is finally liberated of Zenobia's spell, we feel genuine regret as Trog is killed by Zenobia, again transformed, this time as Smilodon the tiger of the snows. This battle is unusually gruesome, and absurd, yet an exciting delight to watch as both her and Sinbad are endangered by falling ice spears.The happy ending in the coronation of Kassim as caliph allows us to admire in detail the Jewelled splendor of his court, the plasticized Formica of the rings, the unique, early zircons and other stones are all mystifying, specially when thrown together with pearls and feathers.