"JASON & THE ARGONAUTS"
1963 - QUEST ADVENTURE...PG Rating...COLOR/104 Minutes
DIRECTOR: Don Chaffey
CAST: Todd Armstrong, Gary Raymond, Nancy Kovack, Honor Blackman, Nigel Green
- Jason, the Roman version of Odysseus, (...or is that the other way around?), faces much the same peril. The Gods have struck again! Or is he Perseus, who is also on a quest for fame and fortune! The "borrowing" of Greek heroes and legends, leaves one's mind reeling! Despite this, these ancient legends are great fun. Plato and Homer, and in this case, Apollonius of Rhodes, left us a plethora of wondrous tales, concerning the Olympian Gods & Titans.
Usually, bored Gods & Goddesses make sport of their human charges. Zeus will decide to champion Hercules, or Odysseus, or Jason; and Diana, or Aphrodite will take the side of Perseus, or...I'm sure you get the idea! All of these tales are fables, concerning themselves with the human character, and his (mis)understanding of his place in the universe. These heroic epics are quite fun, and filled with evocative imagery.
During the fifties and sixties, these "sword and sandal" epics were rather popular. Italy, in particular, gave us a veritable cornucopia of "Hercules" films. (Most of which were truly awful! Although quite entertaining when viewed by a sardonic duo of robots on "The Satellite of Love"!)
This film stands out as particularly interesting. Most notable for the special effects, crafted by Ray Harryhausen. This man is responsible for some of the finest action scenes in film history. The scene in this film, with Jason fighting it out with an army of sword-wielding skeletons, is nothing short of amazing! Even with today's computer graphics, I am hard-pressed to find a more dramatic and chilling scene!
Eighteen years later, Harryhausen would be called upon to work his magic on a similiar film. In fact, CLASH OF THE TITANS, makes use of the same plot device found in "JASON...". Zeus and his cronies, once again, play chess with an innocent mortal, and a handsome hero is sent upon a dangerous quest. The film has merit, but despite a much larger budget and better technology; "JASON & THE ARGONAUTS" remains the superior film. There's just something about that skeleton scene...!
SEE ALSO: CLASH OF THE TITANS & THE ODYSSEY
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For more information about Jason's Quest,the Ancient Greek pantheon...AND the Parthenon, see:
THE QUEST FOR THE GOLDEN FLEECE
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