The DVD video transfer is from a clean 35mm print and looks terrific in the 16:9 widescreen mode. The sumptuous London Symphony scoring sets a tasteful mood and effectively augments the story. I do have one gripe, however. The music track on this DVD has too much treble and the music is too loud, competing with the dialog. Whoever remixes these soundtracks should be instructed that the music is not supposed to upstage the acting.

Apart from the sound mix, I honestly can't find much to fault with the film. This ages-old epic of gods and men, good vs. evil, and fantastic ordeals braved in the name of love, is treated with respect, both in script and acting, while remaining fun. Titans is an enchanting movie. It evokes a certain sense of magic which films like Star Wars seem to have sacrificed in the name of urbane sophistication and high-tech realism. This DVD is a fine choice for those who like a touch of charm with their escapism; a gem to be enjoyed again and again, by young and old, for it truly celebrates the child within.

8 of 8 found the following review helpful:


Definitely Better Than The 2010 Version  Jul 12, 2010 By L. Wong
Preferences between the 1981 and 2010 versions appear to generally be based upon the generational differences. The majority of the younger viewers (30 and younger) swear that the 2010 version is worlds better than the 1981 version yet most of the older viewers stand by Ray Harryhausen's last production. Mind boggling? Not really.

It's not difficult to see why. The latest version is typical of current special effects-based action movies. The pacing is fast, there are loud explosive noises for everything short of a fart and dizzying graphics to distract you from concentrating on a screenplay that suffers from major discontinuities and inappropriate costumes (since when did Zeus wear armor rather than a robe?). Interestingly, another reviewer pointed out that the plot was unimportant anyway because audiences really pay to see the newer and much better special effects. Really??!!! I always thought that if you wanted to see special effects on par with the new Clash of The Titans without thinking about a plot you could just play an XBOX or PS3 game through your home theater in the comfort of your own home. In fact, I'm shocked that more people haven't noticed that the new Medusa moves and looks like an artificial game character that moves like the '82 Centipede at the old arcades.

Don't get me wrong. The movement of the new monsters are definitely smoother and more convincingly natural overall than the old stop-motion animated monsters. But the motion is still a little smoother than you'd expect from reality and when you'd expect something to vary its speed, it's usually just one speed throughout its full range of motion. Also, Medusa in the new version doesn't look realistic enough to touch. On the other hand, the new scorpions look totally realistic. Unfortunately, like the Medusa, harpies, and other creatures, the new monsters move at such a dizzying pace that the action unnecessarily loses its realism (typical of movies that use visual effects as crutches).

The old Ray Harryhausen effects are definitely primitive for current day standards for their somewhat jerky motion. But you will immediately notice that it's sufficient for the purpose of the movie, which is ultimately to tell you a story that actually makes sense even if it doesn't follow Greek mythology to a T. The 1981 Clash of The Titans will appeal to older viewers because they grew up watching movies with pacing that is not rushed for the sake of exciting them because of a lack of story logic (Why did Zeus decide to destroy Argos then give fighting tips to Perseus to save its people???)

On the subject of picture detail. It's true that the original '81 lacks the detailed punch of most newer movies but to make the most of this movie (or any other), you cannot rely on the default factory settings of whatever display you are using. If you properly adjust the picture controls of your TV to its proper settings using a calibration DVD or Blu Ray disc, you'll get a decent quality picture from the Blu Ray version as well as the regular DVD version. This also means turn off your anti-motion blur circuit if you have an LCD or LED backlit LCD to avoid watching movies with a home video look, make sure your contrast and black levels are set correctly. If you've done all this, then you're good to go. If you're using a plasma set, then you don't even need to worry about color, tint, and black level shifts when you sit away from a seat at a dead center position.

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