I saw this in the cinema in 1981. I still recall the dead silence in the audience during this scene. No munching on popcorn, no slurping on drinks - not a single sound anywhere. Everyone was captivated. Never experienced such intensity with any other film since.

Who else was terrified as a kid watching this.

As a kid, I thought it was cool how Medusa wasn't just a monster, but a crafty foe who could use weapons.

This original version also emphasizes Perseus' heroism because he is obviously terrified, as anyone in their right mind would be and as we in the audience are, so we can identify with him - but he keeps his cool and uses his wits along with his courage.

The jittery stop motions gives her a level of creepiness that CGI just can't do. Talos is another prime example from Argonauts.

This Medusa is just absolutely terrifying, and as monstrous and deadly and you would think she would be. No CGI can recreate or surpass what the model makers did here

This is without a doubt the most creepiest scene in any stop-motion monster movie! The fact that Medusa's always hidden in the shadows and slithers very slowly makes this scene even more creepy and effective in my opinion!

I remember my dad told me we had to watch the Medusa scene via a mirror if we didn't want to turn to stone - and we really believed it. We did this every Boxing Day, when it always aired most years. The funny thing is, I struggle to look at medusa directly.

This scene works so much better than the remake because it's all about tension. The remake just goes all action with no tension.

The original still freaks me out than the remake. Gotta love the classics.

This scene gave me nightmares for a month when I saw it when I was four or five. My mom was furious with my dad for letting me watch it. I remember getting up the next morning after a sleepless night, taking one look at my dad (a black guy who had a crazy 'fro at the time) and, seeing his wild hair and half-awake morning shuffle, screamed "BEDUSA" (I couldn't pronounce her name right) and running to the other side of the house. 😄

As a kid in 1981 watching this in the theater, Clash Of The Titans was on par with Star Wars...An epic adventure. One of my all time favorite films.

I remember this watching as a kid. I was scared as shit the whole time.

I think my favorite part of this scene is the creepy sound that Medusa's rattle makes.

Saw this when I was a kid. The concept of a giant slithering monster in a silent tomb-like temple is simply amazing. The facial expression of Medusa is both terrifying and iconic. Wish her sequence could have been longer. The remake doesn't even come close to the suspense and buildup this has.

I just LOVE the sound of her tail rattling. It’s so eerie in the silence of the temple

I remember as a kid, whenever this movie on, it was like a family event in my household. Simpler times. 😌

Harryhausen was simply genius, film wouldn't be where it is today without him. R.I.P.

The stop-motion Medusa was one of the creepiest and terrifying things I've witnessed as a kid! Well done movie!

Man I used to think this was so scary now......well okay it's still scary as f!

For my money, this is one of the most terrifying sequences in all of Harryhausen's films; a combination of excellent design, music, lighting, editing and suspense. The stop-motion here is superb,, complemented by excellent set design and lighting. Kudos to all those involved, far superior to the 2010 travesty of a remake.

Harryhausen was a genius , ahead of his time. Without him cinema wouldn’t be the same today.

Incredible. Terrified me as a kid. It still holds up. Harryhausen was a genius.

This is definitely the scariest Medusa ever. I love this movie.

The script originally had Perseus Frisbee his shield toward Medusa and cut her head of that way, but Harry Hamlin who played Perseus vetoed the idea and refused to film the scene unless they changed it to having him behead her with a sword, as that is how the legend states she was killed!

Medusa was my nightmare boogeyman as a kid even before I saw this. The idea of a monster who could kill you with her evil ugliness just scared the crap out of me. I knew this movie existed but for a long time my parents wouldn't let me watch it because they knew it would freak me out. I finally saw it on TV and with the buildup to this scene, the tension, the way it uses shadows etc. it was like the director completely understood my fear and was speaking directly to it. It was terrifying, but also satisfying, to have my childhood fear so completely validated. I was like, Clash of the Titans, you get me. I was seven. God, I love this movie.

Ray Harryhausen, the master.

I remember watching this movie when I was a kid. This was my favorite scene ^^

Watch this scene in full and you'll get the atmosphere of fear, anxiety, anticipation and every emotion that a battle with the gorgon Medusa is supposed to bring out of you! All the CGI, super special effects and extra-ness of the remake don't at all compare with the wonderful atmospheric intensity the original film had in every scene! This Medusa scared the living daylights out of me as a kid, as she should have!

Thank you for this upload. It's one of those nostalgic days for sure

I have the most fond and vivd memories watching this as a child with my mum. I'm 31 now so that was a life time ago 😂

This scene use to scare me like Hell when I was a kid. Older movie is 100x's better than the new movie

RIP, sir. You were a legend in animation. No one can touch your Medusa. Sheer brilliance. Thank you.

"Find... and fulfill your destiny" I still feel that swell of courage!

Never get tired of watching this!, giving her the rattlesnake tail was a genius touch by Ray Harryhausen, just brilliant!

Atmosphere, investment in the characters, a horrifying monster, suspense, and steady pacing building up to a triumphant Perseus holding Medusa's severed head! God bless you, Mr. Harryhausen. RIP

The remake and its stupid sequel have already been forgotten. This movie lives on.

I like how Ray Harryhausen made Medusa a warrior to make her more dangerous. Even if you avoid her gaze, she'll put an arrow in your ass.

Man, I love Ray Harryhausen's work. Truly breathtaking.

Always thought that was a really well-done scene. Pretty chilling. It had the feeling of the remote underworld, the ruins of the temple, then the dark inside with the fire light. The stop motion Medusa was good, and it had some SUSPENSE. It was more than just action on top of action.

Wow! I haven't seen this movie in ages but, haven't forgot about how terrifying Medusa was. It's also pretty badass that her severed head can also be used as a weapon

I’m 17 and watched this when I was around 7 this scene is the only part of the movie I remember and ive been searching for it for 10 years. Now I’m finally here

The imperfect movements are actually what make this so much more scary than today's perfections

Something about this Claymation or whatever they call it scares me more than the latest horror films out there. I remember watching this as a kid and it certainly left me with an impression. Another great example of this is Terminator (1984) where at the end of the movie you see something similar. Again, scarred me for life!

It scared the shit out of me when I was a kid !

This was my favorite scene in the whole movie. The lighting in this scene and the music was great.

Just came back from seeing the Ray Harryhausen exhibit in Edinburgh over the weekend. It was so awesome to see the models used in this movie- especially Medusa. So iconic.

Ray Harryhausen was a wonderful man for bringing so much magic to the silver screen. The stop-motion models he used left a lasting impression on me, a feat which few CGI films of modern times have matched. RIP.

Man, I remember seeing this for the first time with my aunt and cousin at their house when I was about seven and how much this used to TERRIFY me. Medusa looks like an evil mermaid.

This is one the best examples of how a proper score can create tension in a scene.

This is still my favorite Greek Mythology Movie ever-An absolute masterpiece that the remake can't match. And to be fair, I can understand why the original Medusa put a fear in a lot of young people back then and maybe still has that fear of this lingering. Creepy, frightening and just hideous is what you can describe the 1981 Version of Medusa. But for me, this is seriously my favorite part of the Clash of the Titans that I can watch over and over. Frightening in a good way for me to imagine Perseus ever to be in this situation. Awesome adventure and an awesome adventure for me dating back when I was a kid when I first saw this. Ray Harryhausen(legendary movie creator of modeled monsters)brought Medusa to life for this movie 👍

The original was better on how they build her up during the movie (how she got turned into a monster,her powers etc.).Then in her lair there is a very long quiet scene where they are looking for her through the dark hallways of her temple,seeing stone statues of her prior victims.Which builds up the suspense levels,so when that first soldier gets hit with an arrow to the back,it actually scares you.

Perseus could have made a cool statue in the bay...but no. He had to leave the Medusa on too long which ruined ,cracked and destroyed the Kraken. Such a sad story of abuse of power.

The one thing I absolutely love about this is that their clothes don’t turn to stone too like most portrayals

Dated as it is, look at the care and attention to detail. The framing and musical score is perfect plus we have Harryhausen's amazing effects.

This used to scare the shit out of me damn lol

Ray Harryhausen, stop motion animation. Real artistry. All done with small clay models, not the CGI crap they do today. There are tons of Harryhausen scenes here on KZfaq.

Best scene in the film. Scared me as a child and is still super creepy. Love it.

I introduced my kids to this scene, and they were just as terrified as I was when I was their age.

This use to scare the living hell out of me when I was younger, This is my favorite movie scene of all time and favorite Movie!!! this shows you how sad it is today with all the CG effects we have now, it still doesn't scare me like this clay Monster from back THEN!!!

Ray Harryhausen and his creatures will always be a true legends!

You can feel the tension and anxiety from this scene. The music and the dark atmosphere are everything. Even from Perseus himself. He was sweating like shit when he has to swing his sword for the kill. Even after he defeated Medusa, he still have to catch his breath and composure. The remake was more like Perseus showing his rage and unnecessary screams. There's too much flames and no darkness to bring the vibe. There was no tension nor anxiety unlike the original.

This scene has it all---the tension and music are riviting. And something about how Zeus says "find and fulfill your destiny".....classic movie! Thanks for the upload.

I like many other people remember watching this as a child and throughout the entire movie I absolutely loved it. This scene in particular I thought was very memorable to me because it was a moment that actually has you biting fingernails and on the edge of your seat. As a kid when Medusa comes crawling out into view hunting Perseus I was actually terrified by her, especially when she turns the one unlucky dude into stone. To this day I still love this movie and I do give credit to the remake but I will always respect the original.

Stop motion just adds an unnatural level of creepiness that really makes these creatures more effective.

what 40 years ago and a better scene than the recent remake.

CGI will never be better than Ray’s best. This and the Kali scene from Sinbad. Plus the skeleton scene for Jason and the argonauts and so forth. The jerkiness of stop motion makes the monsters so much more eerie. Just beautiful work!

One of Harryhausen’s greatest triumphs

Unforgettable. The proof that the most advsnced CGI can't reach that leevel of emotions.

I have to ask, *how the hell did Harryhausen animate this?!* I know he’s basically the god of stop motion, but her hair, all the other movement, this layman is in total awe.

Cinematic genius. The suspense and tension built in this scene here is spot on. The cut, the music. It’s perfect.

Great memories of being scared shitless watching this scene as a little kid. I was afraid I would turn to stone if I looked at Medusa lol. That rattle sound freaked me out as well

Incredible animation. Ray Harryhausen was a genius. CGI has nothing on the painstaking creativity of his films.

Pretty amazing. And true art never really gets old. This great work by Ray Harryhausen can be greatly appreciated for many years to come.

I feel so sorry for Medusa. She was raped by Poseidon, then Athena blamed her for being raped, then was turned into a monster. She was then banished into some island, and then Athena gave Perseus the means to slay Medusa. One thing for certain. Medusa didn't do anything to deserve such treatment.

A huge thank you to the late Mr. Ray Harryhausen. He's the godfather of modern cgi cinematography!

Much better than the 2010 remake in EVERY way.

Mom and I watched this wonderful movie. ! sweet memory with mom.

I was ten years old when I first saw this at a drive-in theater. My older brother took my brother and me. Forty years later, it's still one of my favorites. I just finished watching it on DVD. Judi Bowker was so beautiful as Andromeda. She was one of my first crushes.

These scene is so much better then what remake did.

One of the best scenes in cinematic film history.

This was one of my favorite movies as a kid. So many good memories with my daddy🥰

Holy crap this brings back memories. I watched this, Jason and the Argonauts and Jack the Giant Killer on loop as a kid. This was the best. 😬😍

0:50 I guess you could say that fella got... (puts on sunglasses) ... STONED! YEEEAAAH!

This gave me nightmares as a child lol

"Fine and fulfill your destiny". Great and inspiring words for a kid or adult in those days. Unlike movies today, which offer far less along with their lesser substance.

Fun fact: Perseus was originally meant to cut Medusa's head off by throwing his shield like a frisbee. However, Harry Hamlin thought the idea was too silly and insisted on using his sword instead. He even threatened to quit the movie if that wasn't changed.

I have watched this with my mother anytime her tail would rattle I would get shivers up and down my spine, I absolutely adore this movie!

This scene was absolutely brilliant especially Harry's performance. Emotionally, physically, psychologically..

That medusa was so freaky it scared me as a kid. Stop motion really was effective back then.

This scene is very iconic well made and on my opinion is better than the 2010 version

I suspect what made these Harryhausen monsters so effective was the uncanny valley effect inherent in the stop-motion animation. It would explain why so many people find them a lot scarier than these modern CG efforts.

It's so interesting reading other peoples thoughts on this scene. Good to know that you're not alone feeling superscared watching this as a kid :)

This just works SO well. I've just seen the remake and it's so 'modern' CGI to death, all polished and 100mph, Medussa is almost hot in the new one, here its horror and desperation from the off, slow movements, darkness, corners and tension. I remember this film so well as a kid, I was like 9yrs old and this scene and others gave me a tough night's sleep. I feel blessed to have had movies like this growing up, Just as George Lucas knew his space fantasy so Ray knew his craft in animation. I bless them both for my childhood escapism, .

Ein beeindruckender Film. Obwohl er alt ist, ein wahres Kunstwerk!

I remember seeing this for the first time when I was 6; Clash of the Titans (the original version) was one of my childhood films and this scene still gives me the creeps whenever I say it. I think it's a testament to Ray Harryhausen and his creative team that the effects in these films still stand up to scrutiny today. When people look back on the Medusa and how she was portrayed on film, it will be this film that is remembered, not the crappy remake.

Man, the stop-motion is just another level. 😍 It's a masterpiece in comparison to the 2010 remake.

Brilliant scene. Genuinely petrifying. The only film ever to have given me nightmares, and Medusa was the culprit. It wasn’t even her fault that she was so terrifying. Petty and jealous Greek goddesses.

This movie never gets old 👍🤘

I dont recommend watching this when youre 6 years old which I did.