In this second Sinbad film, “The Golden Voyage of Sinbad,” John Phillip Law replaces Kerwin Mathews in the titular role of the legendary mariner for the first one, 1958’s “The 7th Voyage of Sinbad.” This sequel feels a bit grander (it’s also a little longer than “7th Voyage”) and the locales, score, and pace seem to be ratcheted up.
This adventure begins with Sinbad and his crew sailing on the high seas. They encounter a mysterious flying creature known as a homunculus, carrying a glimmering object. One of the sailors shoots at the creature with a bow and arrow, which causes the object to fall from its claws and onto the deck of the vessel.
Epic Sea Voyage
Sinbad wakes up to find that the ship has been enveloped by a powerful storm. When he and his crew finally emerge from it, they realize they’ve been lost at sea, that is, until they come across a picturesque coastal town called Marabia. After making landfall, Sinbad meets the black-clad man from his dreams, a dastardly magician named Koura (Tom Baker).
Our hero narrowly avoids being taken out since Koura wants the fragment Sinbad has and the latter escapes into town where he meets its leader, the Grand Vizier of Marabia (Douglas Wilmer). The vizier wears a golden mask to hide his tragically scorched face.
The vizier shows Sinbad that he also has a fragment, and if they can find the third and final piece, they may be able to learn where a mystical place known as Lemuria is located. As legend has it, Lemuria contains treasures beyond compare. But when they discover that Koura has been using his homunculus to spy on them and learns of their plans, they realize they’re in a race against time to get to the third fragment before the magician does.
Before setting off on their grand adventure, Sinbad also meets the slave girl Margiana (Caroline Munro), whom he liberates from captivity. She also turns out to be the woman from his earlier dreams and, since he suspects she may be part of a larger prophecy, takes her with him.
One of the things that sets this second Sinbad film apart from the first one is the design of the main villain, Koura. This was pre-Dr. Who Tom Baker who infused the magician with a certain type of angst that burns up scenes whenever he’s on-screen. Part of Koura’s uniqueness is that he ages every time he uses his dark arts, so you can see him gradually age throughout the film.
Harryhausen’s Creatures
And special effects legend Ray Harryhausen returns to delight all with the incredible stop-motion animation he invented known as “Dynamation.” This time his creations are even more spectacular. It’s evident that in the decade and a half since the first film, Harryhausen has had more time to perfect his craft.
Some of the standout creatures featured range from the small homunculus up to a massive six-armed statue (the statue pulls out swords no less) and a one-eyed centaur. Some modern audiences may roll their eyes at the effects but for their day and age, they were amazing. They also look and seem more substantial, as opposed to the sometimes vapid vibe of CGI effects.
“The Golden Voyage of Sinbad” is a very entertaining fantasy escapade filled with lavish sets, compelling characters, unique special effects, and even tidbits of dry humor for good measure.
