The Griffin

Creator: Ray Harryhausen

Film: The Golden Voyage of Sinbad 1973

Griffin Video Clip

Having being caught in battle with the one-eyed centaur at the fountain of Destiny, Sinbad and his crew have their attention momentarily distracted by a strange roar emanating from a nearby cave entrance. Margiana turns to look as the Griffin, half Eagle, half lion that emerges elegantly from the mouth of the cave whereby it pauses before moving on. The Griffin represents the force of good as opposed to the centaur’s representation of the force of evil.The two creatures circle each other in front of the magicfountain before lunging into a deadly fierce battle. The fight continues and it becomes clear that the centaur is beginning to slowly lose the battle with the Griffin. Upon seeing this and as foretold by the Oracle of all knowledge, the scales of balance between good verses evil can be tipped by the deeds of weak and mortal men, Prince Koura slashes the hind leg of the Griffin with his sword thus causing the creature to wane in strength. The cyclopean centaur in a final desperate bid to beat his foe, grasps the creature around its neck thus strangling it until it lays limp and lifeless on the cold floor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Griffin Facts

 

• According to Ray the fight between the Centaur and the Griffin was a very complicated sequence to animate.

 

• The wings of the Griffin presented a major problem because they had to be continually flapping  to achieve dramatic effect and to supposedly allow the creature to retain its balance.

 

Credit: An Animated Life

By Tony Dalton