The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad - So much old school fun

It may be a bit odd to say that a film made in 1958 can stand up against today's blockbusters, but I can't help feeling that if you showed 'The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad' to any modern youngster before they were indoctrinated with big budget computer-generated effects and superheroes flying round New York fighting aliens, then they're appreciate the magic in this timeless tale.

The one thing I always enjoy about films made before the nineties (roughly) was that they got on with things right away.  We're immediately introduced to the dashing hero, Sinbad, and his princess bride-to-be as they travel home to be married.  However, during a brief pit-stop on an uncharted island they pick up a creepy magician who's on the run from the giant cyclops locals.

Now, it's fair to say that the magician is the 'villain of the film' and most of the threats in the film come from him (when Sinbad and his crew aren't on the run from giant stop-motion monsters).  However, rather than have the villain only appear every now and again, or simply at the end of the film for a climactic duel, the magician actually accompanies Sinbad every step of the way on his quest to save the princess.  Personally, I really enjoyed this dynamic of the 'good' and the 'evil' being forced to coexist throughout the story and even have to work together when necessary.  I thought it brought something you really don't see very often in cinema.

Of course, no matter how good the human actors are (and they are very good!), many of us come for the monsters.  And they don't disappoint.  You have everything from dragons and cyclops to weird green dancing snake women and giant two-headed birds.  Yes, I know if you compare them to something like 'Avatar' the old special effects don't hold up and you can tell what's been overlaid post production with help of a blue screen.  But this film is such a delight for all the family I can't see man but the fiercest of cynics really holding these shortcomings against the enjoyment you can get from this film.

Films that are 'for all the family' are rare and this one should be appreciated as not only a product of its time, but also one that can stand the tests of time and the computer generated competition.

8/10 The Force is definitely strong with this one