Jason and the Argonauts
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Movie Reviews of Jason and the Argonauts
Movie Review: The fight against the triviality!
Summary: 5 Stars
Mircea Eliade defined the triviality as the absence of physical tension in the human being.If we agree this concept ; then the argonauts represent the fight against the triviality. Notice for instance the greek meaning of Argos: the white ship. And the white color means purification.
The seek of the golden fleece means the search for the triumph of the truth ; since the gold symbolizes spirituality and the fleece innocence ; the circle is completed.
Besides the mission has one last goal: to fight against the dragon and exterminate it ; because the fleece is its prisoner . The dragon symbolizes the perversity ; so if you want to access to the sublimity . you must to kill the dragon.
This movie is a winner. Ray Harryhausen inspired to many film makers , specially a teenager called Steven Spielberg who confessed this confidence to James Lipton in The actor's studio .
The mythical monsters are the magnificient background all along the movie. A film conceived as family entertainment but loaded of smart clues , who teachs us the huge wisdom who lives beneath the underestimated term myth: wrong choice as you know.
Great special effects ; and from all standpoints a cult movie since its release.!
Movie Review: If only they made movies like this today.
Summary: 5 Stars
Jason and the Argonauts was a favourite of mine as a child. Back then, I didn't have the same discriminating tastes and scepticisms towards special effects. Even today I find that special effect work of Ray Harryhausen stands up remarkably well. The classic story of the Golden Fleece is aided greatly by Harrynhausen's monsters, such as the Giant Talos or the horrible Harpies. But nothing beats the final skeleton battle. This sequence remains an astonishing work. It is a seamless battle between humans and special effects skeletons.
The acting is the old-hollywood style, but for the subject matter it is perfect. Heroes seem like Heroes, villains like villains, Hercules like Hercules. The pace is quick and the locations are excellent and always very authentic.
Jason and the Argonauts may not impress everyone. Many of today's kids will merely exclaim "that's so fake looking!". But those with more imagination and a greater appreciation for classic story-telling will dig Jason and the Argonauts.
Also, anyone who is growing tired of the over-used CGI, which often looks too much like a video game, this is a refreshing change.
Movie Review: One of the best "Ancient Greece/Rome" movies ever made!
Summary: 5 Stars
I first saw this movie in 1991, when I was 11 years old. Now, at 21, I can appreciate it even more. The directing, special effects, and dialogue are all top notch. I still love to sit down with popcorn and a six pack of Coke, turn off the lights, and let this movie take me back to the days of Thessaly and Athens!Ray Harryhousen's special effects still enthrall me more than Titanic, Jurassic Park, X-Men, or Star Wars: Episode One. Their excellent! The time and painstaking accuracy that went into those characters was well shown in the realistic way they moved. And remember, this is 1963, decades before CGI and digital filming. Just fantastic.
One part of the movie many fans overlook is the moral aspect, and the psychology. Pelias' "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation, with the goddess Hera, is a perfect example of real life decision-making. When Hercules and Hylas ran from Talos the Titan, we re-learn the consequences of theft. And Jason's honor, courage, faith, and truthfulness are the true badges of a real leader and hero.
Three cheers for "Jason And The Argonauts"! Still one of my all-time favorite movies, and a true classic to boot!
Movie Review: A legendary adventure of monsters and mythology......
Summary: 5 Stars
Before movies used CGI to bring fantasy to life, there was a brilliant, and painstaking medium called "Stop-Motion-Animation", where clay figures were posed and reposed ONE camera frame at a time, bringing life to an endless array of creatures and monsters, and Ray Harryhausen was the king of it all. Jason and the Argonauts is arguably Harryhausen's greatest showcase of his innovative genius. This is the age-old tale of Jason, a fearless sailor and explorer, who is the rightful heir to the throne of Thessaly. To claim his birth-right, Jason must travel to the end of the world, and find the fabled Golden Fleece. A prize guarded by the deadly 7-headed Hydra. Jason's adventure takes him and his Argonauts across the sea, to various lands, where he must overcome such obstacles as fighting a 100 foot bronze statue, outwitting deadly harpies, and a climactic final battle with a grave-risen skeleton army of the fallen 'Children of the Hydra'. Filmed in Rome in 1961, and released in 1963, this is truly a masterpiece of cinematic magic, and a must-have for any fan of mythology, and classic fantasy adventure!!Movie Review: Incredible!
Summary: 5 Stars
Ray Harryhausen has done some brilliant stop-motion effects over the course of his career, and nowhere do they shine as brightly as in this movie. The skeleton battle is unforgettable, but as I was rewatching it recently, it was nice to be reminded how good the Talos and Hydra scenes were as well. The human actors were good, but fated by the gods to be upstaged by Harryhausen's miniatures. The film has a plot with a definite purpose behind it, something uncommon for an effects-driven film. To my eye, the film restoration looked good, especially compared to the unrestored trailer; sound quality seemed good, too (although the xylophones during the Harpy attack seemed an odd scoring choice). The lack of bonus features wasn't a problem for me; the Landis-Harryhausen interview was nice, but I don't really want more. This film stands on its own like few others; a behind-the-scenes featurette or a "how we did it" commentary would ultimately detract from this film's magic.
I can think of few movies I enjoyed as a child that have lived up to their memory when viewed as an adult. This is one of them.