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Medusa
Directed by	Chris Columbus
Written by	Rick Riordan
Screenplay by	Craig Titley
Starring	Uma Thurman
Cinematography	Stephen Goldblatt
Running time	119 minutes
Countries	United Kingdom, United States
Language	English
Budget	$95 million

Medusa
How Medusa is portrayed in Greek Mythology
Folk tale
Name	Medusa
Also known as	Medusa, youngest of the Gorgon sisters
Aarne–Thompson grouping	Riddle-tales
Mythology	Greek Mythology
Country	Greece

This article is about how cinematography, film adaptations and shows which are based on old folk tales or mythology, often change creatures to fit the storyline/screenplay.

In the movie 'Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief', Medusa's character is portrayed differently and inaccurately to original mythology. Uma Thurman's Medusa in the film has a different background story as to how she was cursed and a different relationship with Poseidon who was played by Kevin McKidd. Her appearance in the movie has also been altered to fit the modern time in which the film was set in rather than being shown in a more monstrous form with clothing from the ancient Greek times.

Medusa's Character in the Percy Jackson film adaptation

In the film adaptation Medusa poses as aunty Em who owns a shop called "Aunty Em's Garden Gnome Emporium", the shop is actually Medusa's lair where she creates her statues. Unlike mythological stories, Medusa's statues in the film are unable to to undo the petrification which is why she breaks them without hesitation when trying to stop Percy. In Medusa's dialogue she states that Athena was the "woman who cursed me(her)" which is factually correct to Greek mythology. In the film it is stated that Medusa "used to date" Percy's father which is inaccurate to mythological stories about their relation. However different sources have contrasting interpretations such as a simple requited seduction to sexual assault whereas the film interpretation of Medusa's backstory with Percy's father was that they were previously in a relationship.

Medusa's dialogue

Although Medusa's appearance in the movie was short, her dialogue was enough to inform the audience of her role in the film.

"Well this is a fabulous surprise, it's so heartening to have such young visitors. We get so lonely here. Don't we? That's why I create my statues. They're my only company...daughter of Athena"

"You have such beautiful hair. I once had hair like that. I was courted...desired by many suitors. But that all changed...because of your mother-the woman who cursed me. Who turned me...into this!"

"They say the eyes are windows to the soul. I hope you find my eyes...attractive. So rude, not looking people in the eyes. Come on...sneak a peak."

"You make a wonderful addition to my collection. We'll be friends forever. Do you mind?"

"Sooner or later, you willopen those eyes. The temptation to look at me is too hard to resist."

"Who's that? Another demigod. I can sense you."

"Son of Poseidon. I used to date your daddy."

"I hear you have the lightning bolt. May I see it? Let me see your eyes I hear they're bluer than the Circassian sea. Open them, or my hungry babies will have to open them for you. But it would be such a pity to destroy such a young and handsome face."

"Stay with me, Percy. All you have to do is look."

"Son of Posidon!"

Different sources of Medusa's story in comparison to the film adaptation

The Wikipedia article about Medusa states that she was "originally a beautiful maiden" who was seduced by Poseidon and "had sex with her in Athena's temple". The act of seduction and sex in Athena's sacred temple resulted in Athena cursing Medusa into a "monstrous form" with "horrible snakes" in place of her hair.

A Greek mythology website states that Poseidon "couldn't resist the temptation and impregnated Medusa in a temple of Athena" as she was the only one of the Gorgon sisters who was born with admirable looks. This resulted in Athena transforming Medusa's "enchanting hair into a coil of serpents".

Some sources which tell the story of Medusa are not as censored, and instead focus on a more horrifying take of the mythology that proposes Medusa was sexually assaulted by Poseidon.

On the Vice News page it is stated that Medusa's "beauty caught the eye of the sea god Poseidon, who proceeded to rape her in the sacred temple of Athena. Furious at the desecration of her temple, Athena transformed Medusa into a monster with the deadly capacity to turn whoever looked upon her face to stone.".

Medusa's mythological story told by Ovid was that she was "born a beautiful mortal and changed into a monster by Athena.". Ovid told the story from a perspective that Medusa was actually "raped by Poseidon in Athena’s temple so she was punished by Athena and given her hideous appearance.".

The adaptation of Medusa in the "Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief" film states that her backstory with Poseidon was a romantic relationship rather than an affair, seduction or sexual assault. This is proven by the dialogue where Medusa expresses that she "used to date" Percy's father until Annabeth Chase's mother (Athena) "cursed" Medusa and changed her looks so that she was no longer "courted" by other men.

Medusa's appearance in the film adaptation

When she is first seen in the film, in Medusa’s lair, she is wearing a long black gothic gown that portrays her as a villain. The actress Uma Thurman interpreting the role of Medusa is presented in the film with snakes on her head, which imitates the old Greek Mythology folk tale but is not shown with her natural beautiful hair from before she was cursed by Athena. The team on the movie set brought in real snakes to help her imagine what it was like to have them on her head and help her with the acting and trying to make it as believable as possible without diverting to the classic tale. She is also given piercing grey eyes to show the audience her ability to turn people into stone with only her gaze. The make-up used for the character Medusa is very natural and does not use any abnormal make up effects, to try and look the most similar to how Medusa is described in old mythology.

The Gorgon Medusa

Medusa's appearance in different sources

Medusa's appearance after being cursed

Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief - The Book

In the book Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, Medusa is described to be wearing "a long black gown, and her face is a shimmering pale circle under her black veil. In disguise, her body looks normal, but once she takes the disguise off, she reveals she has green snakes instead of hair." . In the book Medusa is able to utilise her snake hair as a "weapon" which is also shown in the movie however in the novel she has the ability to turn her hands into "talons" which help her hunt down victims.

Medusa in Ancient Greek Art

During the Ancient Greek times, in forms of art Medusa was "depicted as a monster; she has a round face, wide eyes, a beard, and a gaping mouth with an extended tongue and gnashing, sharp teeth. Medusa remains a popular image on later architectural components, but her form is more specifically human and female."

Medusa in Disney Cinematography (Hercules) Medusa in the Disney movie Hercules undergoes the transformation from beautiful to ugly and in the animation she has pale green coloured skin with fangs and a purple gown. This differentiates to Percy Jackson’s Medusa in the colour of the gown, the skin, but also the make up, where in Hercules she is wearing a dark purple shade that matches her clothes. However, there is still the similarity of the snakes on the head which is key to Medusa’s looks.

Changing views on Medusa's appearance

Generally speaking, earlier poets depicted Medusa as a monster from birth, alongside her immortal sisters, but later writers say she began as a beautiful maiden but was turned into a monster by Athena or Minerva. Author Sibylle Baumbach described Medusa as a “multimodal image of intoxication, petrifaction, and luring attractiveness," citing her seductive contemporary representation, as well as her dimensionality, as the reason for her longevity

Medusa by Carol Ann Duffy for example, brings similar ideas from the interpretation Medusa has been given based on her looks. The poem goes as follows:

A suspicion, a doubt, a jealousy grew in my mind, which turned the hairs on my head to filthy snakes as though my thoughts hissed and spat on my scalp.

My bride’s breath soured, stank in the grey bags of my lungs. I’m foul mouthed now, foul tongued, yellow fanged. There are bullet tears in my eyes. Are you terrified?

From Greek Mythology to contemporary society, Medusa's appearance does not vary significantly. In the poem she has snakes on her head and has fangs just like in Disney's Hercules movie. There are also other descriptions of her looks through the use of literary techniques that have been argued to have different meanings by different critics. One example is the idea that the ability to turn people into stone through the gaze is a metaphor for jealousy. In this context, the literal curse of the stone gaze is the same but the interpretations vary in gender and era this folk tale is discussed in.