Columbia. Director Gordon Hessler; Producer Charles H. Schneer, Ray Harryhausen; Screenplay Brian Clemens; Camera Ted Moore; Editor Roy Watts; Music Miklos Rozsa; Art Director John Stoll
John Phillip Law
Caroline Munro
Tom Baker
Douglas Wilmer
Martin Shaw
Gregoire Aslan
An Arabian Nightish saga told with some briskness and opulence for the childish eye, yet ultimately falling short of implied promise as an adventure spree.
As with producer Charles H. Schneer's Jason and the Argonauts, Ray Harryhausen encores as coproducer and special effects collaborator. Among his creations: an animated ship's figurehead, a grotesque centaur, a many-armed religious idol and swordplay adversary, and a couple of small bat-like creatures performing intelligence duty for the black artsy heavy of the piece. Good enough conjuring tricks to impress the kids.
Neither story nor running time are belabored under Gordon Hessler's capable direction. And the play-acting is up to snuff for this kind of throwback, in which John Phillip Law impersonates Sinbad with appealing understatement.
(Color) Available on VHS, DVD. Extract of a review from 1974. Running time: 105 MIN.
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