The Scorpions

Creator: Ray Harryhausen

Film: Clash of the Titans

Scorpions Video

 

 

Scorpions are some very interesting creatures they are hunters and like many animal hunters they hunt at night they have poisonous stings that can probably kill you. In the film they are brought to life by the blood of Medusa's head when Calibos punctures it with his claw hand.

After Perseus has defeated the two headed dog Dioskilos and killed the Gorgon Medusa, he returns at the edge of the river Styx for well needed rest. But there is danger close by in the form of Calibos who has secretly followed him. Calibos punctures the robe with his claw which held the head of the Gorgon Medusa, blood and poison oozes out and mutates some scorpions near by. They mutate into super sized versions of themselves commanded by Calibos. Bubo the owl notices the giant scorpions and tries to warn Perseus and the rest but Calibos with one swing of his whip knocks down Bubo into the river below, the sound of the splashing water wakes up Perseus and the rest. They fight against the scorpions but these creatures were too powerful too fast and all of them except Perseus survive the attack. During the fight Perseus gets his sword knocked out of his hand and is forced to fight with a torch. Thalo manages to kill one of the scorpions and picks up Perseus's sword and throws it to him but Calibos uses his whip which raps around Thalo's neck and drags him and stabs him in the back with his claw hand killing him instantly. Persues kills the last scorpion but Calibos turns his attention to him and begins to whip him but Perseus launches his sword into Calibos which lands in his stomach, Calibos falls to his knees dying at the sounds of thunder and wind.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scorpions Facts

 

 

• To create the illusion that the Scorpions grew rapidly, Mr. Harryhausen animated one model as he zoomed in with the lens.

 

 

• Only one Model was used for the growth sequence, shot at different angles with zoom effect to let it seem that there were three Scorpions.

 

 

• During this sequence the team was delayed with overcast skies and gloomy days, Mr Harryhausen had to use an orange filter in the projector to rebalance the color of the plates when he returned to the studio in England.

 

 

Credit: An Animated Life

By Tony Dalton