The Vulture

Creator: Ray Harryhausen

Film: Clash of the Titans 1981

Vulture Video Clip

The Vulture was a pet of Calibos, he was sent every night to visit princess Andromeda to take her spirit to the marshes so that a new riddle could be handed to her. When the Vulture arrives on one particular night, Perseus using his invisible helmet visits Andromeda and sees how the Vulture takes Andromeda's spirit away. It is in that one moment that Perseus realizes that his destiny lies within the secret that Andromeda carries. Andromeda's spirit is carried away by the vulture in a small cage far away to the realm of Calibos; the marshes, the place where Calibos dwelled. The next evening after the capture and taming of the winged horse Pegasus, Perseus follows the Vulture across the sky and arrives at the marshes. With his invisible helmet he hears the riddle given to Andromeda by Calibos. Later in the film after Perseus has defeated Calibos Bubo is sent to the marshes to free Pegasus who was capture by Calibos' hench-men. Bubo scares the men away and attack the Vulture who flees in fear of the weird mechanical owl.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Vulture Facts

 

• The original script called for a flying Griffin but Mr. Harryhausen had already animated a Griffin in the Golden Voyage of Sinbad so he brought life to this creature.

 

• There were two models of the vulture, one was 10 inches high with a wingspan of just over 20 inches and covered with crow feathers, this one was used for close-ups. The second was about 5 inches high with a wingspan of 10 inches used for long shots.

 

• Ray obtained the feathers from various taxidermists mainly the Hudson Bay Company near the London Embankment.

 

Credit: An Animated Life

By Tony Dalton