When I think of what got me into films of the fantastic, the Sinbad series is right up there with Star Wars and Planet of the Apes as movies that really turned me on to special effects and new realms of possibility. I have always been drawn to creatures and monsters and a major contributing factor to this interest is the fantastic imagination of Ray Harryhausen and his pioneering work in stop-motion animation. Even today, I am still amazed at the creature effects that Harryhausen brought to the world of cinema and I still love the fact that Sinbad and his crew of rogues are never phased by the monsters that they must face no matter how frightening. The creatures that challenged Sinbad and his crew have etched a permanent place in my mind and have also been a major contributing factor to why it has taken me so long to warm up to CGI. I guess I am a purist at heart.

In this first instalment of the Sinbad movies, Kerwin Mathews stars as the title character. This is a good, old fashioned fantasy adventure complete with an evil wizard, a genie, and a number of monsters. The film begins with Sinbad rescuing a magician named Sokurah (Torin Thatcher) from a cyclops. In the commotion, Sokurah loses his magical lamp that houses a genie named Barani. Upon returning to civilization, Sokurah tries to convince Sinbad to take him back to the island but Sinbad is not interested. It is only when Sinbad's fiancee (Kathryn Grant) is reduced to the size of a mouse that he is convinced to embark on a new adventure to the land of the cyclops as that is the only way his woman can be restored to normal. During the journey, Sinbad and his crew must contend with sirens, a two-headed bird, a dragon, a swordfighting skeleton, and a rematch with the one-eyed giant.

Although Sinbad had previously appeared in other movies, it was Mathews who first embodied the monster-fighting adventurer that we have come to associate with the character. With his good looks, confidence, and skill with a sword, Sinbad is known by most of us as a daring ship captain who has no fear of danger. Mathews is great in this role and leads the cast in the challenge of performing against creatures that aren't really there and making the action look convincing. This is essential as the amazing creatures that are painstakingly put into the frame would not work if not for the realism provided by the cast, the excitement provided by the music, and the background provided by the cinematographer. All of these elements come together in a magical way that revolutionized the way that monsters were portrayed on the screen. Harryhausen was able to take the techniques originated by Willis O'Brien in the classic King Kong and bring them to a new level that would appeal to a new generation. Thank goodness because had it not been for these elements coming together as well as they did in this and the other fantasy movies from Harryhausen, the creature effects we have come to know and love may not have existed and effects legends like Rick Baker and Stan Winston may never have been inspired to influence a new wave of intricate practical effects.

In today's world of CGI, it may be difficult for some to appreciate just how amazing these movies were to us as kids. The thrill of seeing a cyclops hurtling a rock at a ship or seeing a servant girl turned into a snake were full of wonder and like nothing that had been seen before. Even twenty-five years later, when I was growing up and all of the great make-up artists were rising to prominence, I was still blown away by the realism and imagination of Harryhausen's effects. In fact, I still am. I can only hope that today's generation can understand the dedication that went into making these movies was for the love of the genre rather than the love for the dollar bill. Mathews appeared in some other fantasy movies including Jack the Giant Killer and Gulliver's Travels before leaving the film business in the 1970's. Kathryn Grant's short film career did not take off as she married crooner Bing Crosby and became a homemaker. Torin Thatcher was a commanding presence as the evil Sokurah and he enjoyed a long career as a character actor. Director Nathan Juran also did 20 Million Miles to Earth (another Harryhausen classic) and Attack of the 50 Foot Woman. (Josh Pasnak, 10/6/13)

Directed By: Nathan Juran.
Written By: Kenneth Kolb.

Starring: Kerwin Mathews, Kathryn Grant, Torin Thatcher, Richard Eyer.