A Bad Hair Day for Olympus

Well, you know how it is –a rainy afternoon with not much to do (plenty to do, actually, but would rather not do it) and an hour at the pictures beckons…

Clash of the Titans is a another predictable (perhaps a little too predictable) Hollywood/British remake of that title. Not having witnessed the 1981 Larry Olivier wonder, and aware that Greek myths have rarely made the grade in any Tinseltown production, we nevertheless made our way somewhat open-mindedly to the Broadway Cinematheque. The BC is a great treasure in Hong Kong. As cinema complexes go it’s none-too fancy, but the two shops (bookshop and cafe, the other DVDs and mags) always adds spice and interest to the day, no matter what's on.

Sam Worthington, as the hero Perseus, has recently popped up here and there, mostly as a convincing but inveterate scowler (think of his howling angst-ridden half-Terminator and paraplegic blue Avatar outings). He recently performed in a domestic Australian setting of Macbeth in Melbourne which, by all accounts, was truly one to miss. Based on those performances alone I think I would rather welcome back Russell Crowe, the tender-happy-chappy he must truly be. Put it this way, I preferred him scowling rather than the cringe-worthy half-smile forced at the very end. I didn't really care for his performance and didn't care for Perseus -we knew all along, don't we, that there's never any real danger that the demi-god wouldn't scrape by somehow.

 Liam Neeson needs no introduction, but he clearly put his four pence-worth into the proceedings as a Zeus much troubled by naughty human insouciance: apparently they have stopped worshipping him and have begun tearing down his statues. 

He allows his brother Hades (Ralph Fiennes) to wreak wevengeful havoc by weleasing the kwakken on the next solar eclipse –that’s just eight days away, oh no! This wonderful theme could have been much developed, if the writers had had the courage to discuss even briefly Man vs God.

I must say that the most watchful character is Fiennes, who seems to relish any role in anything he does, his appearances a little over-theatrical, but hey, this ain’t no historical docu-drama!

A word or two about the myths. We often today use the word incorrectly, akin to ‘lying’. Myths in the ancient world, like the story of Perseus, were common and well-known. As the secret love child of a lustful Zeus, Perseus was famous for killing Medusa and defeating the Kraken. But his was really a moral story connected with hubris, accepting one’s fate and overcoming adversity. Rather than being held aloof from human affairs, the Greek gods epitomised human foibles. It is true they were set up as set examples of role models, but they also fought, had sordid love affairs, chased, raped and murdered (with both/either sexes). They demanded a certain respect and decorum and an almost over-religious piety in their devotees which they duly received and reciprocated the worshipful relationship with their boons and astonishing answers to prayer the like of which would amaze attendees at Lourdes. For example, the biggest shrine to the healing god Asclepius in Epidaurus, contained hundreds of little wooden legs, arms, eyes –thankful offerings of just about any part of the body given by those healed at the shrine. Myths may be just stories about the gods, but the Greeks took it all very seriously and were clearly as devoted as any Roman Catholic or Muslim today.

Of course, the real Titans were the sons of Gaia and Uranus who themselves were overthrown by the youngsters on Mount Olympus. These stories stagger out of the Bronze Age, imbued with an archaic mysticism hard for us today to comprehend. War in Heaven? Patricide and cannibalism? Now THESE are great stories which should be in motion pictures!

There is one little appearance of the mechanical owl, Bubo, which apparently appears in the 1981 film. A gift from Athena it leads Perseus towards the Stygian Witches. However, in this version Perseus  merely picks it up on his way to begin his quest and is simply told to 'leave it', perhaps the only nod to the aforementioned film.

Clash of the Titans is not a serious movie, but it tries to be in its’ own meta-world. I think I might have enjoyed the 3D aspect more if I was 10, but the most impressive aspect were the Chinese subtitles -which really stuck out!

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After which, and as a complete contrast, I popped in a cab and made my way to the Cultural Centre for a rehearsal of Handel's Messiah (due for performance on Thursday Night). The Hong Kong Welsh Male Voice Choir are holding sway for the first half and then many are staying to help out with the Oratorio in the second. Tickets still available, etc, etc.

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After which, and as another complete contrast, I thence proceeded to Ned Kelly's in Ashley Road, Tsim Sha Tsui whereupon to chew fat with said choristers whilst listening to the excellent live trad jazz on offer there. Poor Brenda, awaiting in a public bar in Sai Kung for me to finish, swing past, pick up and whisk her off home, when mein host Mike Brown (larger the life proprietor) insisted we have another: an offer impossible to refuse. We return for Round #2 on Thursday...

Comments

[Richard Peters]

My suspicions that the Gorgon lived in Ffestiniog are confirmed! As for the Owl, you're thinking of the Iron Chicken: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfsMZKwqw3w

[Lesley Croft]

I loved the shininess of Liam Neeson's suit. I thought the owl was left over from The Clangers! Do you think it was filmed in a slate quarry in Wales?