Blu-ray Movie Reviews

Clash of the Titans (Blu-ray)

David Vaughn  |  Mar 9, 2010

Adapted from the Greek myth of Perseus (Harry Hamlin) and his struggles to save the Princess Andromeda (Judi Bowker) from death at the hands of the Kraken. Aided by his father Zeus (Laurence Olivier), the Gods bestow on him a series of gifts; a sword, a shield, a helmet that renders him invisible, and a golden owl to guide him on his quest.

It's been nearly 30 years since I've watched this and time hasn't been its friend. The special effects from Ray Harryhausen are laughable by today's standards, but in his day he was considered the master. Furthermore, the script is rather dull and some of the action could have been tightened-up in the editing room, although the actors do their best to liven things up. Warner is releases a modern version of the tale to theaters next month and I'm hoping it has more pizzazz.

Video Highlights

  • VC-1/1080p encode on a BD-50 disc
  • Decent color saturation
  • Inconsistent quality from scene-to-scene
  • Lowlight scenes very noisy with poor shadow detail
  • Occasional print damage
  • Daytime scenes look very good

Audio Highlights

  • DTS-HD MA 2.0 soundtrack
  • Limited dynamics
  • Very bright and tinny
  • Occasional unintelligible dialog

Bonus Materials

  • "A conversation with Ray Harryhousen"
  • "Map of Myths and Monsters"
  • Digipak includes production information and actor biographies
  • Free ticket for Clash of the Titans (2010)

As a youth I didn't care much for this picture and my opinion hasn't changed as an adult and the lackluster Blu-ray presentation didn't help matters. Caveat emptor.

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Release Date: March 2, 2010
Studio: Warner

Movie: 5/10
Picture: 5/10
Sound: 5/10

Review System

Source
Oppo BDP-83 Blu-ray player

Display
JVC DLA-RS1 projector
Stewart FireHawk screen (76.5" wide, 16:9)

Electronics
Onkyo Pro PR-SC885 pre/pro
Anthem PVA-7 power amplifier
Panamax M5400PM power conditioner

Speakers
M&K S-150s (L, C, R)
M&K SS-150s (LS, RS, SBL, SBR)
SVS PC-Ultra subwoofer

Cables
Monoprice HDMI cables (source to pre/pro)
Best Deal analog-audio cables
PureLink HDC Fiber Optic HDMI Cable System (15 meters) from pre/pro to projector

Acoustical treatments from GIK Acoustics

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