The Smilodon is an extinct prehistoric creature which featured in the 1977 mythological fantasy film Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger. It was brought to life using the visual effects talent of stop-motion animation pioneer Ray Harryhausen.
Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger[]
In a long-abandoned Hyperborean temple the Smilodon rested, frozen in a block of ice. When the evil sorceress Zenobia saw her son die at the hands of Sinbad and his party, she freed the beast and took control of its body, attacking the group in a fury of vengeance. Luckily for the men, a friendly Troglodyte leapt to their defence, although the plucky caveman ultimately proved no match for the feral cat. Eventually, however, Sinbad was able to slay the Smilodon and Zenobia by using the fallen Minoton's spear.
Behind the Scenes[]
The sabre-toothed cats were a group of prehistoric felines which inhabited the world during the Pleistocene epoch. Scientifically named Smilodon, the creatures inhabited North America at the same time as other extinct animals such as the Woolly Mammoths. Despite being featured in Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger, Smilodon fatalis was not native to Europe or Asia, where the lost land of Hyperborea was traditionally believed to have been situated.
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