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Author Topic: 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD
Laksmi Breathwaite
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 771
From: Las Vegas
Registered: Nov 2010


 - posted March 17, 2012 05:18 PM      Profile for Laksmi Breathwaite     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
The 7th Voyage of Sinbad
Sailing to Baghdad after a narrow escape from the monster island of Colossa, the wedding plans of legendary hero Sinbad (Kerwin Mathews) and Princess Parisa (Kathryn Grant) are spoiled by the scheming sorcerer Sokurah (Torin Thatcher). In return for his previous help with the cyclops on Colossa, Sokurah demands that Sinbad retrieve a lamp he lost on the island. When Sinbad refuses, the conjurer shrinks Parisa, forcing the sailor and his crew back to the high seas in order to save her.
Sinbad (Kerwin Mathews) is leading his crew and his ship into unknown waters, and they are sceptical that they will ever reach land and more importantly food. But to their surprise Sinbad has been right and the sea grows shallower as they draw closer to an island. As it is nighttime, it is decided that they will wait till morning to go ashore, and the next day the crew finds all the food they could possibly want - along with some huge tracks in the sand. And then comes the cry of "help!" from a figure in black robes fleeing from a cave and the towering Cyclops that pursues him...

The 7th Voyage of Sinbad could well be the perfect Ray Harryhausen movie, even if, for many, it is eclipsed by his later Jason and the Argonauts. But taking that into account, there are still a wonderful variety of monsters and special effects here that guarantee a solid series of thrills with Mathews' handsome and clean-cut hero the finest of the effects master's Sinbads, and perhaps his finest protagonist as well. Scripted by Ken Kolb from Harryhausen's story outline, this film enchanted many who saw it as children, and memories of it are still strong in their minds.

That fellow in black is none other than a magician called Sokurah (the forcefully menacing Torin Thatcher is very well cast), who has stolen the Cyclops' lamp. Why does he want a lamp that has put him in such peril? That's because there is a genie inside and if you know the appropriate rhyme then he will grant your every wish. The genie is not of the Rex Ingram type, although the previous decade's Thief of Bagdad appears to have been an influence on this film, but a little boy (Richard Eyer) who wishes only for his freedom. Not that Sokurah is going to allow him that, as what he wants is even more power than he already has.

The genie helps Sinbad and his crew escape, but the Cyclops manages to reclaim the lamp, prompting the magician to demand that they return. Not before we go back to Bagdad, says Sinbad, as he is about to be married to the beautiful Princess Parisa (Kathryn Grant, as well known for being Bing Crosby's wife as she was for this) who hails from a neighbouring country. The wicked Sokurah sneakily gives Sinbad a reason to take him back to the island when he secretly shrinks the Princess in her sleep (achieved with a superbly simple effect of showing her arm and hand diminishing as they lie on her bed). He then tells Sinbad that they need a fragment of a Roc's egg to let him create the potion that will restore her.

So it is that our hero sets sail once more (with the Princess in a little box), taking as his crew a group of ne'erdowells from the local prison, the only ones willing to embark on such a dangerous mission. What this film is notable for is how bad a time Sinbad gets, which is good dramatic sense because it makes his adventure seem all the more perilous: obviously he is not going to perish, but those around him certainly do, and 7th Voyage is pretty violent in places. But it's Harryhausen's animation that is the star of the show, with not only the Cyclops (who roasts a sailor on a spit in one scene!) but the double-headed Roc attack, a snake woman and a fire-breathing dragon all brought to marvellous life under his direction. There is also a living skeleton, a foreshadowing of the most famous sequence from Jason and the Argonauts. It's the monsters who really bring the personality, but this is great fun nevertheless. Music by Bernard Herrmann. I have loved this movie since I was a kid and have a beautiful 600" reel in Super 8mm of this movie. I hope you enjoy all the screen shots of the print I have. So enjoy the stop motion masterpiece we all know and should love.  -  -  -
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" Faster then a speeding bullet, more powerful then a Locomotive "."Look up in the sky it's a bird it's a plane it's SUPERMAN"

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Janice Glesser
Film Goddess

Posts: 3468
From: Sunnyvale, CA USA
Registered: Sep 2011


 - posted March 17, 2012 11:27 PM      Profile for Janice Glesser     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Laksmi...I remember this movie very well. I remember sitting in the small movie theater near my house in San Francisco and watching this over and over again at the Saturday matinee. My dad had to hunt me down pull me out of the theatre after almost 6 hours [Smile]

I never see this version on TV...it was always my favorite. The cyclops scenes really scared me and I liked that little boy who played the genie, Richard Eyer.

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Janice

"I'm having a very good day!"
Richard Dreyfuss - Let It Ride (1989).

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Douglas Meltzer
Moderator

Posts: 4554
From: New York, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003


 - posted March 18, 2012 10:56 AM      Profile for Douglas Meltzer   Email Douglas Meltzer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Thanks Laksmi. Owning the 4x200' silent version was a real thrill as a kid. I was amazed when I got parts 3 & 4 in color. It was so amazing to watch.

These were the first films I ever spliced!

Doug

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I think there's room for just one more film.....

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Brad Kimball
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1171
From: Highland Mills, NY USA
Registered: Jun 2003


 - posted March 18, 2012 10:23 PM      Profile for Brad Kimball   Email Brad Kimball   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
By far the best of the series. My favorite, as well. Bing's widow was one beautiful woman back then.

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Laksmi Breathwaite
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 771
From: Las Vegas
Registered: Nov 2010


 - posted March 19, 2012 01:11 AM      Profile for Laksmi Breathwaite     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Oh yeah Bing Crosby's Wife Katherine Grant. Wow Thanks for the reminder and she was a girl I had a crush on and she had two very nice attributes [Eek!]

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" Faster then a speeding bullet, more powerful then a Locomotive "."Look up in the sky it's a bird it's a plane it's SUPERMAN"

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