The Harryhausen brand hardly reeks of sex and violence, but Clash Of The Titans proved he was willing to test some big-screen boundaries. In September 1978 Andor Films Limited submitted the screenplay for approval by the British Board of Film Classification. “We make our pictures for world audiences and have always been able to secure a general audience certificate,” they wrote in an accompanying letter.
James Ferman of the BBFC replied on 2 October, saying, “As the script stands, I cannot see that the film will receive aU certificate, and in fact certain scenes would appear to be unacceptable for the A category [the equivalent of today’s PG], although of course treatment is all important in this type of film.” Ferman’s objections included shots of a burning man, the decapitation of Medusa, the spilt Gorgon’s blood which became a “writhing, squirming pool of blood-bloated maggots” and Andromeda’s nudity. Even “the description of Calibos” was problematic.