FAQ

Clash of the Titans is loosely based on the myth of the legendary Greek hero Perseus. The script was written by English playwright and screenwriter Beverely Cross. A novelization of the movie by American author Alan Dean Foster was released in 1981, and a remake of the film, also entitled Clash of the Titans (2010), was released in 2010, followed by the release of a a sequel, Wrath of the Titans (2012), in 2012.

In Greek mythology, Perseus was the illegitimate son of the great god Zeus and the princess Danae of Argos. Danae's father, King Akrisios, having been told by an oracle that Danae's son would grow up to kill him, had Danae and Perseus cast to sea in a wooden arc. They were rescued, of course, and when Perseus grew up, he went on a quest to slay the Medusa. Along the way, he saves the princess Andromeda, who is chained to a rock and about to become the dinner of a giant sea monster called Cetus. In the end, Perseus reclaims the kingdom of Argos and inadvertently slays King Akrisios.

The movie alters the mythological story, making Akrisios a king who becomes jealous that his daughter was seduced by Zeus -- he felt his honor had been insulted -- and has Argos destroyed by a different sea monster, the Kraken and Akrisios killed by Zeus himself, who crushes the small statue of the mad king in his hand on Mount Olympus.

In Greek mythology, the Titans were 12 children of the earth goddess Gaia and the sky god Uranus. They ruled the earth before they were overthrown by the Olympian gods.

The Kraken is a legendary Scandinavian sea monster, so huge and horrifying that it could capsize ships and eat the crew. It's thought that the legend of the Kraken may be based on the many-armed giant squid or possibly a colossal octopus. The Kraken does not appear in Greek mythology and was borrowed for this movie. See here for a photo of the movie's version of the Kraken.

The Olympian gods featured are Zeus (Laurence Olivier), Hera (Claire Bloom), Aphrodite (Ursula Andress), Athena (Susan Fleetwood), Poseidon (Jack Gwillim), and Hephaestus (Pat Roach). Other real figures from Greek mythology include the the Gorgon Medusa, the winged horse Pegasus, Charon the ferryman on the River Styx, and the nereid Thetis (Maggie Smith). Mortals from Greek myth include the demigod Perseus (Harry Hamlin), his mortal mother Danae (Vida Taylor), her father King Acrisius (Donald Houston), the princess Andromeda (Judi Bowker), and Andromeda's mother Queen Cassiopeia.

Although several Greek gods, legendary heroes, and mythological creatures are featured, some have been made up specifically for the movie, such as the horned beast Calibos and Bubo the mechanical owl. Still others have been changed or renamed, e.g., the two-headed dog Dioskilos (originally the three-headed dog Cerberus) and the Stygian witches (originally the Graeae sisters). Many details from the original myths have also been changed to suit the film's storyline. For example, the Pegasus of myth sprang from the severed neck of the Medusa whereas in the movie Pegasus already exists beforehand so that it can help Perseus. In the myth, Perseus doesn't meet Andromeda until after he completes his quest; in the movie, he meets her, falls in love with her, and she becomes the reason for his quest. Perseus sets out to kill the Medusa in the myth in order to save his mother Danae from being forced to marry King Polydectes of Seriphos; his quest in the movie is entered into in order to save Andromeda from becoming dinner for the Kraken.

In the movie, Calibos slaughtered Zeus' entire flock of winged horses, except for Pegasus. Calibos does not appear in the Greek myth.

Andromeda asks: In my mind's eye, I see three circles joined in priceless graceful harmony. Two follow the moon, one is graceful as a crown...two from the sea five fathoms down, one from the earth deep under the ground, the whole a mark of high renown. Tell me what can it be? Perseus answers: "The answer is a ring, two perfect moons and a circle of gold, the ring of the lord of the marsh, the pearl ring of Calibos." Perseus then whips out the hand of Calibos, still wearing the ring and concludes: "The ring, a gift from the goddess Thetis."

It's not explained in the movie but the novelization Alan Dean Foster offered up a clue: Medusa coats the tips of her arrows with her own blood, which, like the Stygian Witches say, is a deadly poison. In the novel, there's a short moment where Medusa slashes her own forearm and dips the arrow tip in her blood. The blood is such a powerful toxin that it makes the entire pool of water boil.

However, it is also possible that the pool simply contained some sort of corrosive fluid.

Perseus beheads the snake-haired Medusa in the manner of the Greek myth-without looking at her by using his shield as a mirror. He places her head in a bag, On the way back to Joppa, Calibos releases their horses as Perseus and his soldiers sleep and stabs the bag containing Medusa's head. Some blood drips onto the ground and turns into scorpions that quickly grow to giant size. Calibos then kills Thallo (), and Perseus is forced to fight the scorpions alone while also being attacked by Calibos until he manages to toss his sword through Calibos' abdomen. Perseus sends Bubo to find Pegasus, whom Calibos has encaged. Bubo scares away the guards and the vulture by dive bombing them, then releases Pegasus. Meanwhile, Andromeda has returned to Joppa and is being prepared for her dinner date with the Kraken. She is led to the seashore and chained to a rock. Just as the Kraken is about to pluck Andromeda from the rock, Perseus and Pegasus fly past. Perseus attempts to open the bag and force the Kraken to look upon the head of the Medusa, but the Kraken knocks Perseus, Pegasus, and the bag into the water. As Perseus swims to Andromeda, Bubo fetches the bag, and Perseus opens it. The Kraken can't help put look upon Medusa's face and is turned into stone. Perseus then tosses Medusa's head into the sea. Amid the cheers of the Joppans, Perseus releases Andromeda, and they are once again married. To commemorate Perseus' courage, Zeus places Perseus, Andromeda, Pegasus and Cassiopeia in the stars as constellations.