“Trust in Allah! … but tie up your camel!” Always! Trust, but verify, right? Join your faithful Grue Crew – Doc Rotten, Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, and Jeff Mohr – as they revel in the wonder of Ray Harryhausen’s creations in The Golden Voyage of Sinbad(1973).
Decades of Horror 1970s
Episode 173 – The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1973)
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Sinbad and the vizier of Marabia, followed by evil magician Koura, seek the three golden tablets that can gain them access to the ancient temple of the Oracle of All Knowledge.
- Director: Gordon Hessler
- Writers: Brian Clemens (screenplay); Ray Harryhausen (story)
- Producers: Ray Harryhausen, Charles H. Schneer
- Music: Miklós Rózsa (as Miklos Rozsa)
- Cinematography: Ted Moore (director of photography)
- Visual effects:
- Ray Harryhausen (creator of special visual effects)
- Roy Field (special photographic effects) (uncredited)
- Vic Margutti (special photographic effects) (uncredited)
- Special effects:
- Antonio Baquero (special effects) (uncredited)
- Manuel Baquero (special effects) (uncredited)
- Selected cast:
- John Phillip Law as Sinbad
- Tom Baker as Prince Koura
- Caroline Munro as Margiana
- Kurt Christian as Haroun
- Martin Shaw as Rachid
- Douglas Wilmer as the Grand Vizier of Marabia
- Takis Emmanuel as Achmed (dubbed by Robert Rietti)
- Grégoire Aslan as Hakim (billed as Gregoire Aslan)
- David Garfield as Abdul (billed as John D. Garfield)
- Aldo Sambrell as Omar
- Robert Shaw as the Oracle of All Knowledge (uncredited)
The Golden Voyage of Sinbad features the stop-motion animation of Ray Harryhausen and Caroline Munro so no one should be surprised that it is Bill’s pick. In fact, Ray Harryhausen is his hero and this is the movie that made him fall in love with moviemaking. He’s poured over the Kali scene frame-by-frame, over and over. He still can’t believe how cool everything is and how great it looks, loving it then and loving it now.
Jeff also digs The Golden Voyage of Sinbad, calling it his favorite of the Harryhausen adventure movies. It’s a better movie overall in his view and he appreciates Tom Baker’s turn as the film’s villain. Watching The Golden Voyage of Sinbad had reawakened Doc’s love of these movies. The special effects are seamlessly melded into the story, the villain is cool, the creatures are fun, and it is such a good time.
The Golden Voyage of Sinbad is currently available to stream from Tubi and various PPV sources. It’s also available on Blu-ray as a stand-alone or as part of Ray Harryhausen – The Ultimate 7 Film Collection, both from ViaVision Entertainment/Madman/Columbia Pictures.
Also, check out our other Decades of Horror episodes on Ray Harryhausen films:
- THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS (1953) – Episode 69 – Decades Of Horror: The Classic Era
- THE VALLEY OF GWANGI (1969) – Episode 116 – Decades Of Horror: The Classic Era
- CLASH OF THE TITANS (1981) – Episode 210 – Decades Of Horror 1980s
Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1970s is part of the Decades of Horror two-week rotation with The Classic Era and the 1980s. In two weeks, the next episode in their very flexible schedule, chosen by Chad, will be The Visitor (1979), starring Glenn Ford, John Huston, Lance Henriksen, Shelley Winters, Mel Ferrer, and Sam Peckinpah.
We want to hear from you – the coolest, grooviest fans: comment on the site or email the Decades of Horror 1970s podcast hosts at feedback@gruesomemagazine.com.
Jeff has written for Horrornews.net and SQ Horror Magazine. He currently writes for Gruesome Magazine and is a co-host of the Decades of Horror podcasts - The Classic Era, 1970s, and 1980s - and the Gruesome Magazine Podcast.
