Clash of the Titans

Deep within a massive soundstage at the UKs Longcross Studios, a powerful force stirs. A crowd has gatheredmen and women of the Greek kingdom of Argosto greet a returning legion of warriors. This band of fighters is led by Perseusthe son of a god with the heart of a man. Today, as cameras roll, giant fans kick in to drive a powerful wind through the courtyard set, sweeping everything out of its path. The enormous pillars, stretching 65 feet into the air, begin to quake. Where is that fearless legion, booms a voice from off-stage. It is the voice of Hades himself. The crowd erupts in chaos and the wind lashes the soldiers off their feet. Perseus alone resists the gods wrath.

There are few sights more epic than the arrival of an Olympian god. Electricity fills the air. This is the set of the upcoming action adventure epic Clash of the Titans, a film that pits Perseusplayed by Sam Worthington fresh off his work in Avataragainst the full array of Greek gods and goddesses, the earth-shattering forces at their fingertips, and all the fierce and mysterious creatures and monsters they control. In the film, mankind is laying claim to his own destiny. But the vengeful gods will not let go of their power so easily. It really does feel like were going to war, says Louis Leterrier, the French director whose work on films like Transporter 2 and The Incredible Hulk have led to this moment. I want this film to be epic, with big wide shots, real locations, sunsets, clouds, mountains, firethats what Im looking for. Letterier relished the chance to bring his cutting edge style to a story with limitless scope and scale. When we started making this movie, we said, Lets make it classical but for a modern audience, he explains. My style is never a steady shotthe camera is always moving, telling the story. Normally, I want to bring something a little bit more actual, to indulge modern moviemaking, with hand-held cameras and SteadiCam.

Shot in Leterriers kamikaze, high-octane style and set for release around the world in both 2D and 3D versions, Clash of the Titans is an action-packed epic that plunges into the world of mortals and gods, with spectacular settings and amazing creatures which have never before been portrayed on this scale. At the epics heart is the intimate struggle of Perseusthe demigod who is the last man standing in the scene we just watched playing outwho takes on the power of all the gods of Greek mythologygods who are only interested in the devotion of mortals and unleash their vengeance when challenged.

The gods provide much of the films massive scope, brought to life by Academy Award-nominated actors Liam Neeson (Schinders List, Taken) and Ralph Fiennes (The English Patient, the Harry Potter films) as Zeus and Hades, respectively. We get the chance to speak to Neeson in a small room tucked away within the Studio complex. Neeson sees that even as the characters are gods, the relationships at the heart of the film are very much human. Mankind is evolving and their spirits and souls are evolving as well as their ego, says the actor. They are thinking they can do it all without the gods. They dont need gods anymore and, of course, well, they actually do. Zeus, he says, created mankind out of love. Maybe out of boredom too and certainly they could be playthings, like his babies, Neeson adds. But babies have to grow and develop their own skills and thought processes. They have to leave home, and if you love your children, they are going to grow up and leave home. That is what you want, in a way. But when mankind stops worshiping the gods, we are pretty pissed, all right, he laughs, and we are getting weaker by the day because the prayers arent coming up any more. You saw how pissed Hades was in that entrance scene. HadesLord of the Underworldis embodied by Neesons longtime friend and fellow actor, Ralph Fiennes. We have a couple of scenes together, Neeson remarks. My very first scene is with Ralph and the other gods and goddesses. There are some very cute goddesses, Neeson adds with a smile.

On a more serious note, Neeson explains that though hes playing a powerful god, he seeks to ground the character in human truth. This is a wonderful film with wonderful characters, and Zeus is a bit of a rogue at times, he says. The script requires that I shout and roar but I am mulling that over because really powerful people dont shout and roar; they speak very, very quietly. They rarely raise their voice, so Id like to play it like that a little bit. But there are a couple of scenes where I have to get pretty angry, especially with Ralph, so it will be interesting to play with that. And I cant wait to cast a lightning bolt! Zeus incurs the wrath of Perseushis half-human sonafter the god has destroyed the human family that raised him. When Zeus kills his family, this becomes like a revenge movie, says Sam Worthington, who also finds time to speak with us between sequences. He wants to kill anyone who hurt his family, like any of us would in that situation. And hes a bit like a boisterous teenager. Along the way, he grows up and realizes what a better kind of revenge can be.

Worthington points out that Perseuslike the characters he played in Avatar and Terminator Salvationis struggling to come to grips with who he is and what he ultimately wants to be in the midst of his journey. It is that type of duality that intrigues me with this kind of character, he says. In movies like this, they are all taking on a bigger bully and that, to me, is a great message. We should stand up to people who want to take us down. Director Letterier was likewise drawn to the films classic theme of a reluctant hero on a quest to accomplish the impossible. It is as though every movie I have made is about an anti-hero, a guy who doesnt want to be a hero, says the director. This guy doesnt accept his destiny and who he really is. He fights it. The gods are selfish and egotistical, using human beings as their playthings. Its no wonder that mankind wants to revolt. It becomes a truly epic struggle, with iconic creatures, heroes and amazing actions sequences.

The company of cast and crew has traveled to locations as perse as Wales and the Canary Islands, particularly the Spanish island of Tenerife, along with aerial filming in Ethiopia and Iceland. Longcross, however, is now Mission Control and, during principal photography, it will host more than 80 separate sets on its sprawling array of soundstages. Deep within this cavernous network of warehouses and hangars, swords and shields are piled high and suits of armor line the walls. Crew members rush between the complexs myriad shelters, lugging pikes, daggers and armfuls of greaves. In the sites darker recesses, artists are at work sculpting strange creatures that loom high over their human attendants.

The films producers, Kevin De La Noy and Basil Iwanyk, join us in a room lined by statuesGreek warriors caught in action, bearing the agonized look of defeat. These statues are Medusas victimsbrave adventurers, of flesh and blood, men who have suffered the misfortune of being pinned by her stony gaze. One of the most memorable creatures in the film is the Medusa. For Leterrier and his team, the serpent-haired horror has taken on more epic proportions. By the time we arrive at Longcross, her scenes are complete, but we can see the titanic set representing her vast, crumbling chamber, with boulders and tumbled columns that loom 100 feet high. According to the producers, Medusa herself rises almost 80 feet in the air when her serpentine body fully extends. Her victims, as we have seen, flank the walls of our interview room.

Medusa is just one of many fantastic creations that interact with the gods and humans in the film. There is also the winged horse Pegasus; the harpies, winged bird-women; and Bubo, the mechanical owl that joins the travelers midway through their quest. The small band of warriors is also besieged by giant scorpions, but these creatureswhat the script terms Scorpiochsstand 40 feet high. Even though weve got a 40-foot scorpion or an 80-foot Medusa, we are putting characters in a position whereby the audience can identify with what they are going through and the enormity of the task, Basil Iwanyk notes. Thats where the visual effects come in. We can have massive interaction between the creatures and the humans, because our creatures can express emotions by digital effects, and therefore you get a much better level of interaction.

The movie is fun and an adventure, but we are taking the relationships among the gods and the humans, and the war among the gods and humans, very seriously, says Kevin De La Noy. Theres a love triangle, a romance in our movie, that didnt exist in the original, for example. The look and the feel is going to be as real as possible while still having giant scorpions, Medusa and Zeus. This is a big fantasy but the characters, the journeys and the emotions are all well developed. The stakes, and the deaths, are taken very seriously. The adventurers also encounter wooden men called the Djinn; the Witches of Nornblind old hags that see the future even if they cannot see much of the present; and Charon, the undead boatman who ferries the dead across the River Styx.

Also stalking the characters is one of the most fearsome creatures in mythologythe Kraken. We know that this creature is more from Norse myths, says De La Noy, but we have to have our own version. Iwanyk adds, The gods have been the rulers and leaders of the world up to this point and humans, while they are entertaining for the gods, are scrabby and cant be left to fend for themselves. Yet now we have it that men, led by Perseus, have said, Hold on a second! We could determine our own destiny, be it good or bad. We could figure things out ourselves. We cant just be subject to the gods precociousness. There is a feeling of anti-authority and rebelliousness. We see that strongly with the Perseus character. It is subtext. You feel that this movie is about youthful anger and revolt. De La Noy adds that Perseuss physical odyssey in the film mirrors his own internal struggle, Perseus is raised as a man by his human father, who raises him as a fisherman. But eventually he learns that he is the son of a god, Zeus. Perseus is a demigod, and the push and pull throughout the course of the story is whether he should embrace his godliness or be a man. He wants to be man. He hates the gods.

Surrounding Worthington is a powerful ensemble of actors, led by critically acclaimed veterans and newcomers alike, including Danish star Mads Mikkelsen as Draco, the captain of the kings bodyguard; British actor Jason Flemyng as Calibos; and acclaimed actor Danny Huston as Poseidon, god of the seas. Quantum of Solace Bond girl Gemma Arterton plays the beguiling Io, Perseuss helper and guide. She has been familiar with the Greek gods and goddesses at the heart of Clash and the Titans for most of her life. When we were kids, my mother would always read us Greek mythology instead of a bedtime story, says the 24-year-old English actress. It sounds really weird but she would tell us about lots of other stories of gods and the heroes. My mum and me and my sister, weve always been into Greek mythology. She considers her character Io to be special both in the source mythology and in the film. She is in a kind of limbo, no longer human, but not one of the gods, says Arterton. She is very wise but still looks young. Her quest is to protect Perseus and guide him in order to free herself and defeat the gods. She is kind of like a guardian angel and is very enigmatic. At the beginning you dont know who she is. Thats what I love about the character; shes very strange. But she and Perseus end up having to work together. They are both demigods. Both are victims of Zeus passions and so they grow together.

Though there is no connection between Perseus and Io in Greek mythology, the film intertwines their tales. Im not sure I would describe it as a romance, says Worthington. When we meet her, we dont really trust her; we dont really know her. There is a bit of a spark but I dont really see it as a romance. They are both demigods who realize that they hold each others fate in their hands. As they embark on their journey, the band of warriors at the heart of Clash of the Titans must deal with challenges and treacherous traps. This necessitated that the cast be fully versed in the stunt demands of the action. With the action, its very physical, Worthington describes. Weve already filmed scenes with Medusa, the Witches of Norn, and the giant scorpions. We did them early because they are exciting to see and also brings solidarity among the core group of the guys. You are with a competitive bunch of boys who like to swing a sword heavier than the next guy! At the start of the production, neither he nor the actors playing his group of warriors knew much about sword-fighting. Actually, with the sword-fighting, none of us knew how to even walk with a sword without looking silly, let alone knowing how to chop off the head of the Medusa, he says with a laugh. And when we were training, I chopped myself every day.

Arterton had to likewise train to wield the weapon her character wears as a belt. It has three blades and she ensnares things with it, the actress describes. I like to think that she only does it through necessity and the rest of the time she uses it to catch her lunch or something. Unlike Perseus and Io, the remainder of the core group of warriors are mortals. The side of Perseus that is from the gods is the vicious side of him, the fury, the part that can wreak havoc, says Worthington. He becomes this almost super-human being, in battle scenes in particular, like when Draco attacks him. Perseus attacks back in absolute fury. He pauses. Draco doesnt like that; he doesnt like that part of Perseus. The god part is a force to be reckoned with and he is trying to keep that bottled. But it spits out every now and again and helps the adventurers on their way.

Playing Draco, captain of the royal guard, is Mads Mikkelsen (Casino Royale). Draco, the actor says, does not enjoy an easy relationship with the demigod. Perseus is going on a mission and the King orders Draco and his men to follow him so that if anything goes wrong, they can make sure that its seen as Perseuss fault, that hes to blame, explains the Danish actor. Thats the character of Draco. He has a little side story that will show up when you see the film but he is a soldier. In fact, hes a pretty good soldier, but he is stuck with a whole legion of soldiers that are retired or very young so the odds arent very good when you see what kinds of creatures we come up against. And then, of course, there is Calibos. Rather than being drawn from Greek mythology, the character of Calibos is a creation of Ray Harryhausen for his 1981 film on which the upcoming Clash of the Titans is based. In the new film, Calibos, played by English actor Jason Flemyng, has a slightly different role to play. In our movie, Calibos starts off as King Croesus, who leads the uprising against the Gods, explains Flemyng, who recently starred in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Zeus, disguising himself as King Croesus, has slept with the Kings wife. The King is pissed off. He puts his wife in a coffin and throws the pregnant wife into the water. When the coffin washes ashore, the baby becomes Perseus. But Zeus is angry with Croesus and turns him into this deformed creature, Calibos.

Flemyng previously worked with Leterrier on Transporter 2, and was thrilled with the opportunity to join him on this film. Its funny, says the London-based actor, when you first glance at the script and you see that Im King Croesus you think, Wow a nice glamorous part for Jason Flemyng. After about four minutes, however, hes struck down by Zeus and becomes this prosthetic nightmare! Indeed, Flemyng had to spend up to four hours in make-up every day to transform into the twisted, gnarled Calibos. With Calibos, to be fair to him, he has a pretty rough ride. Zeus sleeps with his wife, messes with his head, and the zaps him in the head with a lightning bolt. He does get a bit of bad deal.

Clash of the Titans is a re-imagining of Ray Harryhausens 1981 fantasy adventure of the same namea groundbreaking movie in its time, which dipped into Greek mythology and melded together disparate stories and adventures to create a single heroic narrative, brimming with strange and fearsome creatures. For more than 40 years, Harryhausen beguiled the moviegoing public with his fantastic stop-motion creature creations, which haunted the likes of The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, Jason and the Argonauts, One Million Years B.C., The Golden Voyage of Sinbad, among numerous others. His final major workClash of the Titansfeatured his genius in all its glory, employed to breathe life into Harryhausens harpies, giant clattering scorpions, the terrifying Medusa, the majestic Pegasus, quirky mechanical owl Bubo or the mysterious sea creature commonly associated with Norse mythology, the Kraken. All of the filmmakers involved with Clash of the Titans are fans of Harryhausens groundbreaking career and legacy. For the filmmakers, the prospect of mounting an all-new epic of massive scope with todays technology was irresistible. When I was growing up, I remember clearly my father saying to me that there were two movies coming out this one weekend and both were supposed to be great, recalls producer Iwanyk. Which one did I want to see? One was The Clash of the Titans and I chose that. It was the best movie I had ever seen. This story is so ripe, because the Greek myths are everybodys mythology. Its not just about a book that a couple of countries are familiar with.

Reinventing the seminal work of a master visual effects artist like Harryhausen drove Letterier to seek out this iconic filmmaker prior to taking the job. The good thing is he is a big fan of King Kong, the original, and a big fan of the Peter Jackson remake. So, he knew how films could be remade with integrity and honor, the director recalls. For my generation, Clash of the Titans is the movie that remains with us the most. This is the one that was shown all the time, and yet now the technology has evolved. There are times when we are actually shooting it in such a way that we clip the shot so that it looks like stop-motion. Thats a little homage in our film, but really the effects are much grander now.

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Clash of the Titans is released on April 2nd.