Monday 11 May 2015

Monster Monday #2 - Talos, the Bronze Giant


Sorry this didn't go up first thing, we had internet issues yesterday thanks to some works going on outside in the street. All is back to normal now, thank heavens :). Welcome to week 2 of Monster Mondays here on Tasha's Thinkings. Hope you all had a good week.
Monster Mondays posts may be fiction, film reviews, book reviews or me waxing lyrical about a particular monster. Monsters can be paranormal, sci-fi, fantasy or even simply human. So basically, anything monster goes. I also invite anyone who would like to, to join in with their own post. (See end for details).
Talos - The Bronze Giant


Now if there is one set of monsters that affected me greatly as a child it is those created by Ray Harryhausen. His films were a source of wonder and excitement before CGI took over, back when stop motion was the most amazing thing ever! I still love his films and today I'm going to talk about one of my favourite monsters: Talos, the bronze giant from Jason and the Argonauts.

This film always makes me think of Easter, because they always used to put it on TV during the Easter weekend when I was younger. It took me years to see it all the way to the end because we were always being dragged off to some service or other :). However, I always managed to see Talos.

In the story Jason and his crew are guided by Hera to the Island of Bronze to find provisions, however, they are warned not to take anything else. Hercules, however, takes a giant broach pin to use as a javelin and wakes the guardian of the island, the giant Talos, who until that point is no more than a statue. Talos, being made of bronze, is invulnerable to the Argonauts weapons and starts killing them and lifting their ship up like a toy as they try to escape.

His only vulnerability is the circular plate on his heel, which, when opened by Jason releases steam and molten bronze, Talos' ichor. He then dies in a very dramatic fashion, which I have linked to below, thank you Youtube.


When I was small Talos terrified me - he was hide behind cushions scary. These days I feel kind of sorry for him, after all, he was only reacting to someone stealing from him.

Thank you for dropping by.

Have you seen Jason and the Argonauts? Did any of the monsters in it used to frighten you? How would you take on a bronze giant like Talos if faced with one these days?


Monster Mondays #2 Links 

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16 comments:

  1. I know what you mean about feeling sorry for Talos - he didn't ask a bunch of humans to come stealing from him. And Ray Harryhausen's work has a special place in my heart, since we grew up with the likes of Jason and the Argonauts and Clash of the Titans.

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    1. School holidays - I will always think of school holidays :)

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  2. I haven't seen that movie. I bet it would be fun to watch.

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    1. It's definitely a classic- my fav is Clash of the Titans (1981), but Jason comes a close second along with the Sinbad movies.

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  3. This is awesome!

    I did something like this just for October a while back.
    http://theotherside.timsbrannan.com/2012/10/monster-monday-round-up.html

    I will gladly participate! I think I have something too.

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  4. Oh, I remember him from when I watched Jason and the Argonauts YEARS ago!

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    1. Wasn't he awesome? ;) I haven't watched JatA for ages, I really must find it again. It used to be on Amazon Prime Instant Video, but it's been taken off *pout*.

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  5. Monster Mondays is a great idea! If only I knew more monsters.

    I never saw Jason and the Argonauts.

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    1. Thank you :). If you get a chance, it's a very entertaining movie. Dated, but still entertaining.

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  6. This puts me in the mood to watch clash of the titans with Harry Hamlin. That has some awesome kraken stop motion sequences.

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    1. That's my fav movie with stop motion. Not sure where they got the Kraken idea from because it's not supposed to look like that at all, but he's awesome nonetheless :)

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  7. Harryhausen really did a great job bringing this monster to life. Excellent movie.

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    1. I totally agree. I remember being utterly awed by Harryhausen's work when I was small and I'm still impressed, even if CGI can produce something more lifelike these days.

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  8. Watched Jason and the Argonauts so many times that I suspect I missed church ;-) For me Ray Harryhausen effects were essential to fantastical movies that enthralled me.

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    1. I think I finally saw it all the way through when my sister and I were old enough to be left home alone - hence not having to be dragged everywhere with the parental units :). I remember watching the monsters in awe.

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