The Fantastic Films of Ray Harryhausen - Legendary Monster Series (Jason and the Argonauts / The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad / The Golden Voyage of Sinbad / Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger / The 3 Worlds

Rating:
Summary: Classic Matinee Fantasy from the FX Master
Review: When Special Effects pioneer Ray Harryhausen received his lifetime acheivement Oscar, Tom Hanks said that anyone who was a boy of 10 in the 1960's will tell you that "Jason and The Argonauts" is one of the greatest movies ever made.

Jason is here, with the living giant bronze statue, the vicious harpies, and of course the many-headed Hydra and its "children." Terrific stop-motion fun for all ages. And without the aid of (yawn) computers, you just have to wonder, "How did he do that?"

Also in this bundle is Gulliver (see if you can spot June Thorburn, the grandmother from Absolutely Fabulous, in an early role), 7th Voyage of Sinbad ('50's-era innocence with the first dueling skeleton on film, not to mention the future Mrs. Bing Crosby), and Golden Voyage of Sinbad (Dance of death with six-armed goddess Kali and Tom Baker of Dr. Who fame).

Eye of the Tiger, on the other hand, is of "so bad its good"/MST3000 caliber--with the Duke's son, Patrick Wayne as So-bad--I mean, Sinbad--and chanteuse Margaret Whiting in her first (and last) dramatic role as the evil sorceress. And yes, that's Dr. Quinn/Jane Seymour wondering how she'll ever live this one down as a buxom princess with a baboon for a brother. I'm not kidding.

An extra treat with this set are the scores for Jason, 7th Voyage, and Gulliver by legendary screen composer Bernard Herrmann (Citizen Kane, Psycho). Juicy stuff.

Anybody who likes good old-fashioned matinee fantasy will want to own these treats.