THE FILM & WATER PODCAST
Episode 34: THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD
Rob Kelly welcomes back returning guest Andy Kapellusch to moon over one of their favorite movies, Ray Harryhausen's THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD!
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Love Andy’s enthusiasm, as usual. And yeah, the actors and all that – obviously I’m interested in the Doctor Who connection – but I’m all about Harryhausen’s stuff in these films – Jason and the Argonauts and all that too, shine even when the film itself drags its feet). Love looking at these things, and remain a fan of stop-motion today (I just saw Laika’s new trailer and Kubo and the Two Strings looks AWESOME!)
I second the Rob’s recommendation on the original King Kong’s commentary track. (And watch the movie without it too, it’s so great. I couldn’t believe it was made when it was made, or HOW a times.)
Spoiler for Andy: There are only 3 good Apes movies: The original, and the two recent ones.
You had me at Caroline Munro. As a Hammer guy, I am aware of her charms. For a part she really shines in, check out Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter. I recently rewatched this one, and she’s great in it. And of course…she looks great! I know Hammer had another actress in mind for the Vampirella film that was in pre-production but sadly never made, but Munro was born to play it. Not sure if the dates jibe for her to influence Talia (I saw that 13th Dimension piece as well), but she would have been PERFECT as Batman’s “beloved”. Personally, I’d stick with Adam West as Batman, but I’m a purist.
I’m really eager to see this one now. My Harryhausen exposure has been pretty limited, although I have fond memories of the original Clash of the Titans and Jason and the Argonauts. I’ll definitely be on the lookout. Unfortunately, not for the VHS, as my last VCR died. Sorry Andy!
Chris
Captain Kronos was an awesome late-era Hammer film, and one heavily burgled for the Japanese Vampire Hunter D.
Harryhausen is great adventure and I still remember been scared to death when Kerwin mathew fights the skeleton in The 7th Voyage of Sinbad. I watched all of the Harryhausen Sinbad’s and this is my favorite.
A fun listen as usual. I’m realizing how limited my own experience is with Sinbad in films. I’ve only seen one Sinbad film, the 1947 one with Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. And while I did enjoy it in my youth, I’m coming to realize through what I hear and see elsewhere that it’s easily the least fantastical Sinbad story to ever be put to film. Not a single fantasy creature in sight. Still a solid swashbuckler though.
The Harryhausen films are the epitome of Adventure films, with a capital A. Harryhausen knew how to put together a tale, in the traditional sense, especially since he usually went to mythology and folklore for his subjects. i first encountered his work in The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad, with Kerwin Mathews. In that film, Sinbad fights a skeleton warrior, on a decayed staircase, which scared the crap out of me, as a kid. I was jonesing to see this, as a kid; but didn’t get to until it hit tv. It was fantastic, with the best villain in any of the Sinbad films; and, probably, the best Sinbad. John Phillip Law could be extremely wooden in a lot of his films (especially Barbarella); but, not here. He also looks the most Arabic of all of the Sinbads. I laughed when you said “Trust in Allah; but, tie up your camel.” That is the title of my IMDB review for the film!
This is the perfect template for an adventure film. You have a capable hero, with a bit of a reputation, a truly evil and powerful villain, to offset the hero, a ticking clock, a beautiful and mysterious woman, some comic relief, monsters, exotic locales, danger, and vibrant battles. It spills over with imagination.
Like I said, John Phillip Law was often not the greatest actor; but, he is really having fun here and it comes across in the performance. He plays a square-jawed hero well. I can’t quite see him as Batman, in the 70s; but, he could have done some comic stuff (aside from the Euro comic films he did, like Diabolik and Barbarella).
Caroline Munro is a tremendous beauty and a decent actress, though she’s done more than her share of bad films (Star Crash, for example). She is also the sexy journalist with the glasses, in Adam Ant’s “Goody Two-Shoes” video, a favorite of mine from the early days of MTV. Guys do make passes at girls who wear glasses, especially when they look like Caroline Munro. As Chris said above, check her out in Captain Kronos: The Vampire Hunter
Tom Baker is especially good. Prior to this, he had done a turn as Rasputin and he could do villains. As you said, this led to Doctor Who, which is the first of two connections between Sinbad and the Time Lord. Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger features Patrick Troughton, the second Doctor, as a Greek scholar and mage, Melanthius, opposite Patrick Wayne, as a very American Sinbad. Troughton, Jane Seymour and the villainous help elevate that film after little Duke presents a blander Sinbad (though he tries).
I have the entire set of the Harryhausen films, with the Sinbads, Jason & the Argonauts, and Mysterious Island. All are classics.
As Chris notes, it would be impossible for Caroline Munro to be the inspiration for Talia; however, she might have been a visual influence on Talia in Batman: Son of the Demon, with Jerry Bingham. The Arabian attire was pretty standard and not too dissimilar to Barbara Eden in I Dream of Jeanie, much like Sinbad’s turban.
If you want more grand advventure, on a lower scale budget, I also recommend The Land That time Forgot, with Doug McClure. It’s the best of the Burroughs-based films he did, and quite compelling, with a script that was at least partially written by fantasy writer Michael Moorcock (he had a co-writer; but, their script was heavily re-written and Moorcock doesn’t speak highly of the experience) It is a great Lost World film, even if some of the dinosaur effects are laughable. One could only imagine how good it could have been with Jurassic Park-level CGI. I would also throw out Disney’s Island at The Top of the World. It’s a bit stiff, largely due to David Hartman; but, it’s a decent little Verne-esque adventure. Disney was pretty uneven, at that point; but, they tried to do well with this. They just didn’t have the budget, at this point.
Another great show!! Always fun to hear Andy on an episode. I’ve never actually seen this movie, in fact I’ve only see a couple Ray Harryhausen films (Clash of the Titans, obviously). However, you make this sound so tremendously fun, I want to run right out and see it! Might have to watch it with the kids. I like the description of “Adventure movie with a capital A”. Great sales pitch!
I’d forgotten that this was Tom Baker’s breakthrough performance! Now I really need to see it. And just googled Caroline Munro… well, you know what I’d say. 🙂
Keep up the great work!
She’s not hot Shag; she’s volcanic!!!!
By the by, Rob: how can someone named Kelly not do an episode about The Quiet Man, for St Patrick’s Day?
Sure’n t’is a shameful thing!
Erin go bragh!
and Maureen O’Hara is Hot
Great episode. I’m a huge Harryhausen guy. One thing you know about his gladiator/mythology flicks, there will always be a gorgeous woman. Caroline Munro is at the top of that list. Insanity.
Sinbad is a ton of fun. But I have to say I prefer Jason and the Argonauts, probably just because I saw it first as a kid and it imprinted on my mind.
I wouldn’t mind hearing episodes on all the biggies on Harryhausens filmography. Jason. Clash. And another fave of mine, 20million miles to Earth.
Yet another “Back Door Pilot” to add a podcast to the F&W Net. The Caroline Munro FanCast. Hopefully there will be a page on the web site full of pictures of the parts of the movie you guys would be talking about.
The first time I saw Caroline Munro was in the Lamb’s Navy Rum adverts, I bet they sold a few bottles! Great show, I don’t think ever ever seen this film, though I remember it being out when I was a kid. Mission!
My father is a huge Harryhausen fan; as such, my brother and I are also huge Harryhausen fans. Golden Voyage did not get as much play as 7th Voyage, Jason and the Argonauts, 20 Million Miles To Earth, and It Came From Beneath The Sea (along with personal favorite Earth Vs The Flying Saucers), but it’s a great and grand adventure. I’m very eager to hear what you guys think of it.
I have had this movie on the brain lately, to wit, my wallpaper on my tablet is the Centaur and Griffin facing off! http://media.sinematurk.com/film/c/77/9480c3fda295/cent%20griff.jpg
But in my thinking about the film, I have kind of stuck on the idea of the Griffin as the “guardian of good,” and extrapolating that to other fantasy sources. Specifially, in the CCG Magic: The Gathering, griffins are almost always White, and they tend to be heroic, good creatures. I have to think that this has to be due to the Griffin’s role in Golden Voyage. As a griffin fanboy, I’m a big fan of its role here, unfortunate outcome not withstanding!
Hi rob!
It seems that I’m always behind in listening to your great film podcast. I was so excited to listen to your coverage of the Golden Voyage of Sinbad and Ruth and I put it on to listen to this morning but when it ended I saw that a new episode had just dropped this morning, so I’m a week behind yet again. I don’t know how you do it, but you are able to record episodes faster than I can listen to them. It must be magic … but are you a good wizard or an evil wizard?!?
I was 8 when the Golden Voyage of Sinbad hit movie screens. I was already a Sinbad fan from watching earlier movies like Sinbad the Sailor and the 7th Voyage of Sinbad, reading the stories at the local library, and even watching the Saturday morning cartoon Sinbad Jr. I’ve remained a fan of the character my whole life reading many comic adaptations and watching the 1996-98 TV series and the 2012 TV series.
Thankfully my parents considered me old enough and I was able to see this movie at the local cinema when it was new. Being filled with all of the things I love in a good adventure film, it definitely didn’t disappoint and it’s a movie I’ve rewatched many times over the years.
I was right there at the theater again to see Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger just a few years later. Andy, since you are such a fan of this film, I was very surprised you hadn’t sought out the follow-up film. I hope you have already remedied that situation Andy 🙂
I’ve been a fan of most every Ray Harryhausen film my whole life and have a couple of wonderful books about him and I have the excellent DVD box set of several of his films that was released a few years ago.
The Carolina Theatre which is located near us shows many film festivals thoroughout the year and a few years ago they featured a Ray Harryhausen weekend showing several of his films back-to-back with interviews with him being shown between each film. It was a magical weekend and Ruth and I spent many hours sitting there engrossed in his films and the interviews. I remember a particaulr scene where he was talking about getting an important phone call in the middle of working on the multi-headed hydra model and when he got off the call he couldn’t remember where he was in the sequence of moves he needed to make that day!
Thanks again for a great show covering another of my all-time favorite films.
And yes … in my quest to meet all of my heroes and heroines, I have met Caroline Munro 😉
Take care!
Darrin