Rewind Classic Movies

This week, GB and AJ head back to 1981 for Clash of the Titans, the final feature film from legendary stop-motion pioneer Ray Harryhausen.
With Laurence Olivier, Maggie Smith, Burgess Meredith and Ursula Andress (sort of) delivering grand, Shakespearean dialogue about gods, destiny, honour and death, while giant scorpions, Medusa, a mechanical owl and a bloody great sea monster wander around in the background, this is a fantasy film unlike anything else.
AJ watches Clash of the Titans for the first time, while GB revisits one of his childhood favourites. We talk about Harryhausen's incredible career and the end of an era for this style of fantasy filmmaking, as well as the occasionally janky effects that already looked old-fashioned when the film was released in 1981.
We discuss the incredible Medusa sequence, one of the film's most memorable and genuinely tense scenes, the creepy skeletal ferryman, the witches, giant scorpions, Calibos, Bubo the owl and, of course, the legendary command to...
RELEASE THE KRAKEN!
There's also the small matter of Greek mythology, Cornwall pretending to be ancient Greece, Laurence Olivier apparently forgetting his lines, Arnold Schwarzenegger nearly playing Perseus and the original plans for an even darker ending.
But one question continues to bother us.
Why is a film called Clash of the Titans filled with gods, monsters, Gorgons and the Kraken...
...when there aren't actually any Titans?
Has this 1981 fantasy classic aged badly, or is there still something magical about Harryhausen's old-school filmmaking? Can practical effects and imagination overcome some very visible matte lines? And can a film be both incredibly grand and completely ridiculous at the same time?
Join us as we revisit Clash of the Titans and decide where it belongs in our Rewind Classic Movies rankings.

Next week: We Fast Forward to look at the Top 10 Worst Movie Remakes Of All Time, thanks to the inspiration of the Clash's 2010 follow-up.

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1991 was one hell of a year for movies.
In this episode of Fast Forward, GB and AJ count down its ten highest-grossing films - from huge blockbusters and Disney favourites to comedies, thrillers and some films that might surprise you by making the list.
But this isn't just a box-office countdown.
Along the way, we get into childhood memories of discovering spoof movies, debate whether one of the year's most celebrated films is actually overrated, revisit some very memorable performances, and uncover a few surprising connections between the directors and stars behind these movies.
There's also a look at why one particular film became such an important part of the history of Rewind Classic Movies, some unexpected career choices from major Hollywood names, and a discussion about whether the biggest movie of the year was actually the best.
And, naturally, GB and AJ get distracted by several completely unrelated pieces of movie trivia along the way.
Which films made the biggest money in 1991? Which ones have stood the test of time? And which movie would GB and AJ actually put at number one?
You'll have to listen to find out.

Next week: It's the Pick of the Patreons as we let them choose what we Rewind - and it's the 1981 version of Clash of the Titans!

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We’re heading back to Neverland for Steven Spielberg’s Hook (1991) - a film we both loved as kids, but which hits very differently when you watch it as an adult.
Dustin Hoffman gives us one of the great pantomime villains as Captain Hook.
But beneath the flying, pirates and imaginary food fights, Hook is surprisingly packed with darker ideas about growing up, parenthood, work, ageing and losing touch with your imagination.
And then there’s the weird stuff.
We uncover the Michael Jackson Hook musical that almost happened; discover a Star Wars re-write of some dialogue; discuss why Dustin Hoffman and Bob Hoskins apparently played Hook and Smee as a gay couple; and reveal that the original Hook trailer used music from an entirely different movie.
We also get into the Lost Boys, Rufio’s surprisingly dark fate, the film’s bizarre mermaid scene, Robin Williams’ improvisation, the cameos you probably missed, the incredible John Williams soundtrack, and the question we couldn’t quite answer: was it all actually a dream?
Plus: why did Spielberg later say he was disappointed with Hook, why did critics hate a film audiences still love, and does Hook deserve the reputation it has?
So grab your marbles, shout “Bangarang!”, and join us as we return to Neverland.

Next week: We Fast Forward to look at the Top 10 Biggest Movies of 1991 and count down the box office smashes from ten to one. But what number is Hook at?

Get involved:
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What makes a movie underrated? Does it have to be obscure, forgotten, critically dismissed or a box-office failure? Or can a hugely successful film simply deserve a little more love?
In this special episode of Rewind Classic Movies (due to AJ being trapped on a shipping container. The scheduled Rewind of Hook should hopefully arrive next week), GB digs into films recommended by the Rewind Patreon community - movies that our listeners think deserve to be watched, rewatched or simply remembered.
And the definition of “underrated” gets pretty broad.
We’ve got Steve Martin, John Malkovich and nuclear war. And a whole lot Moore.
Along the way, we ask what “underrated” actually means - and whether a film really needs to be forgotten, unsuccessful or critically maligned to qualify.
Because sometimes a film is simply one that someone loves enough to say:
“You know what? I really love this one.”
And that might be recommendation enough.
Huge thanks to our Patreon community for supplying the recommendations and helping make this episode happen.

Next week on the main Rewind show - a magical adventure to Neverland for our full review of Hook (1991).

Get involved:
⭐️ Leave us a review on your podcast platform - it really helps the show grow! (If you need help: https://rewindclassicmovies.com/how-to-leave-a-podcast-review/)
📩 Email: rewindclassicmovies@gmail.com
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Find us in other places:
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From unforgettable masterminds to terrifying monsters, cinema has given us no shortage of villains who have stayed with audiences long after the credits rolled.
But what separates a truly great movie villain from simply a bad person? Is it intelligence, charisma, menace, or something much harder to define?
In this episode of Fast Forward, we follow up our discussion of Batman (1989) by counting down our personal Top 10 greatest movie villains.
Along the way we explore the characters who fascinated us, frightened us, made us laugh, and in some cases completely stole the films they appeared in.
As always, the conversation takes plenty of unexpected turns, with family picks making the list, honourable mentions causing almost as much debate as the main countdown, and a surprising discussion about whether one famous "villain" is really a villain at all.
There are stories from behind the scenes, reflections on legendary performances, and plenty of passionate disagreement along the way.
We also reveal a couple of personal milestones as Season 2 approaches its conclusion, making this an especially memorable episode for both of us.
And before we wrap up, we reveal where Rewind Classic Movies is heading next ...

Next week on the main Rewind show - a magical adventure to Neverland for our full review of Hook (1991).

Get involved:
⭐️ Leave us a review on your podcast platform - it really helps the show grow! (If you need help: https://rewindclassicmovies.com/how-to-leave-a-podcast-review/)
📩 Email: rewindclassicmovies@gmail.com
🎟️ Want bonus content & early access? Join our Patreon! (https://patreon.com/RewindClassicMovies)

Find us in other places:
Apple Podcasts: ► https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1788081065?mt=2
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