I Watch Films: The Seventh Voyage Of Sinbad

 

The Seventh Voyage Of Sinbad

Sinbad the Sailor (Kerwin Mathews) is heading home to Baghdad, carrying the princess Parisa of Chandra (Kathryn Grant). They shall be wed to cement an alliance between their nations as Sinbad is the heir of the Caliph. They are also deeply in love.

Stopping on the island of Colossa they are attacked by a cyclops. Sokurah the magician (Torin Thatcher) uses a magic lamp to summon a genie to stop it; they escape but Sokurah has to leave the lamp behind and Sinbad will not turn back. They arrive in Baghdad where Sokurah attempts to get the Caliph to order an expedition to Colossa for him, but they are too busy with the wedding.

They have Sokurah perform at the pre-wedding feast to welcome the Sultan of Chandra, Parisa’s father. He turns Parisa’s maid into a dancing snake-woman. They ask him to tell fortunes; he tries to avoid it but when they insist he foretells war between Baghdad and Chandra. How to avoid it? Take him back to Colossa. The Caliph refuses, banishing him.

That night he secretly shrinks Parisa, infuriating the Sultan who declares war. When Sinbad catches up with him and asks for help he says that the potion to restore her to size requires the egg shell of the Roc – which nests on Colossa. Now they agree to take him back, Parisa in a tiny box, and they also build a giant crossbow to Sokurah’s plan, all sailing back to Colossa.

They head back there for an adventure with stop motion monsters, betrayal, a couple of clever bits with the shrunken Parisa and the secret of the genie (here played by a child actor). Sinbad’s crew cause trouble by being hungry and greedy. It’s all fun if a little dated.

Watch This: Exciting fantasy adventure with some good ideas
Don’t Watch This: The stop motion effects are a little dated, the characters rather flat