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Jason and the Argonauts
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Additional DVD options | Edition | Discs | Price | New from | Used from |
DVD
July 19, 2010 "Please retry" | — | 1 |
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Genre | Sci-Fi, Fantasy |
Format | Multiple Formats, Letterboxed, Color, NTSC, Closed-captioned |
Contributor | Morningside Worldwide Pictures, Jack Gwillim, Charles Schneer, Gary Raymond, Nancy Kovack, Don Chaffey, Niall MacGinnis, Douglas Wilmer, Laurence Naismith, Honor Blackman, Michael Gwynn, Todd Armstrong See more |
Language | English, French, Spanish |
Runtime | 1 hour and 44 minutes |
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Product Description
Product Description
Fantastic special effects by Ray Harryhausen and exciting mythological adventure make this a film that is fun for everyone. It's the story of Jason (Todd Armstrong), a fearless sailor and explorer, who returns to the kingdom of Thessaly after a 20-year voyage to make his rightful claim to the throne. But to do so, Jason must first find the magical Golden Fleece. He selects a crew and with the help of Hera, Queen of the Gods, sets sail in search of the Fleece. Jason and his crew must overcome incredible obstacles including a 100-foot bronze giant, the venomous Hydraa huge creature with the heads of seven snakes, and a spectacular battle with an army of skeletons.
Amazon.com
Arguably the most intelligently written film to feature the masterful stop-motion animation of Ray Harryhausen, Jason and the Argonauts is a colorful adventure that takes full advantage of Harryhausen's "Dynarama" process. Inspired by the Greek myth, the story begins when the fearless explorer Jason (Todd Armstrong) returns to the kingdom of Thessaly to make his rightful claim to the throne, but the gods proclaim that he must first find the magical Golden Fleece. Consulting Hera, the queen of gods, Jason recruits the brave Argonauts to crew his ship, and they embark on their eventful journey. Along the way they encounter a variety of mythic creatures, including the 100-foot bronze god Talos, the batlike Harpies, the seven-headed reptilian Hydra, and an army of skeletons wielding sword and shield. This last sequence remains one of the finest that Harryhausen ever created, and it's still as thrilling as anything from the age of digital special effects. Harryhausen was the true auteur of his fantasy films, and his brilliant animation evokes a timeless sense of wonder. Jason and the Argonauts is a prime showcase for Harryhausen's talent--a wondrous product of pure imagination and filmmaking ingenuity. --Jeff Shannon
Product details
- Aspect Ratio : 1.33:1, 1.85:1
- Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No
- MPAA rating : G (General Audience)
- Product Dimensions : 7.25 x 5.75 x 0.5 inches; 1.6 ounces
- Item model number : MFR043396002593#VG
- Director : Don Chaffey
- Media Format : Multiple Formats, Letterboxed, Color, NTSC, Closed-captioned
- Run time : 1 hour and 44 minutes
- Release date : July 14, 1998
- Actors : Todd Armstrong, Nancy Kovack, Gary Raymond, Laurence Naismith, Niall MacGinnis
- Dubbed: : Spanish
- Subtitles: : English, French, Spanish
- Producers : Charles Schneer
- Language : French, English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono), Spanish, Unqualified
- Studio : Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
- ASIN : 0767810864
- Number of discs : 2
- Best Sellers Rank: #4,730 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
- #69 in Fantasy DVDs
- #441 in Kids & Family DVDs
- #490 in Action & Adventure DVDs
- Customer Reviews:
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Today, MANY years later, I'm still blown away.
JATA is a Harryhausen classic along with "7th Voyage of Sinbad", two of the most inspiring and entertaining "legend" movies of the 1960's. And what was not to like? Gorgeous color, fantastic cast, great costumes and scenery, a Bernard Herrmann score, plenty of action, monsters, monsters and more monsters -- all by the animation genius who left a legacy of film brilliance for generations to come.
Stop motion animation isn't everyone's cup of tea, I admit. In many ways, it looks like Claymation, and badly done knock offs (usually in dinosaur films) come to mind, lowering its credibility. Yes there are other forms of animation with a very different look (King Kong, for example) but this is Harryhausen STYLE, and the secret is in the details.
In "Sinbad" it was called "Dynamation" - not sure why, other than a marketing gimmick. But it isn't the animation itself (good as it is, and painstaking to produce frame by frame) that you need to look at, it's the character details and the relation between the actors and the animated characters (monsters). This is where the talent shows through. It shines.
You have to remember that the giant Talos was only about 1 or 2 feet tall (I don't know the exact size), and the Hydra, with the full seven heads visible in a couple of places (though I believe only five were animated because of budget-- or was that in the giant Octopus movie?) probably wasn't much bigger than a cat or dog. The actors had to imagine them life size and react to them effectively, which they did for the most part quite well.
It is this classic look and animation that makes JATA an iconic movie. But there is more of value in it.
First of all, we see a movie that is pretty close to the Greek legend. Compare it along these lines to "Clash of the Titans" (the re-make especially) that hobbled Norse and Greek myth together and made up almost everything else. This movie was intellectually much more honest.
We also see something unusual when dealing with Greek myth. We see Gods and Goddesses, remarkably human in their interactions with each other and the humans they deal with -- not the harsh, judgmental and incorrect interpretations we see in some other films. We see them as fantastic yet approachable, perfect stuff for the imagination to ponder and wonder at. That is what they were meant to be.
They're all really quite charming.
Zeus, all powerful yet surprisingly gentle (this is a guy who could fry you in an instant with a thunderbolt) spends quality time with Hera, Queen of the Gods (and his wife). The legends tend to focus on their many arguments and Zeus' infidelities, but here, we see a couple whom we suspect actually do like each other. Refreshing interpretation.
Hera, well, what's not to love? She's beautiful as both a Goddess and the Argo's figurehead. She actually beats out Zeus in air time because of this, and the animated figurehead... those amazing eyes! As a kid, and even now as an adult, those eyes capture me every time! Even though the figurehead is a character, somehow with the motion of the eyelids and the eyes themselves, they are captivating. And of course, we see a side of Hera that the myths often don't show. She could be kindly and loving. Refreshing to see that. Fans of the TV show "Hercules" may think of Hera as a vengeful and tempestuous Goddess, but she had a good side as well. She was a popular Goddess in the ancient times because she was the Goddess of the hearth and home, of family and yes, even (Greek)family values. It's nice to see her good nature here.
Hermes bears close watching to figure him out, purely for entertainment value if nothing else. He appears in the film at the beginning as a seer. We see him again when Jason meets Pelias. Watch him closely as he looks at Jason... something is going on there. We find out what later when he reveals himself for who he really is and takes Jason to Olympus. That scene, well, I have to laugh these days because of course, it looks so much like "Beam me up, Scotty!" But this film pre-dated Star Trek by many years... perhaps it inspired it?
On a bit of a down side...
It's too bad they didn't do more with Hecate. She's a very misunderstood Goddess anyway, and the three dog's heads in her statue don't help much. She has a much more important role in the true myths. And Poseidon, when he holds back the clashing rocks, is a bit too chunky. In the myths and statues of the time, he is portrayed as a very dynamic, athletic and trim figure -- as is Zeus... not sure why they made these guys so stocky this time around.
On the other hand, what is wonderful is the way they handle the interaction between Jason and the Gods on Olympus. He doesn't grovel and snivel in awe and fear. He stands bold and true (which in the Greek religion was expected). And for their part, Zeus and the Gods treat him with respect, even though he is a plaything to them.
Marvelous.
The film is also loaded with some favorite actors!
Michael Gwynn plays Hermes. He was in a number of notable films, including "Village of the Damned" and "Revenge of Frankenstein". Always a treat to see him.
Patrick Troughton plays the blind seer, Phineas. Doctor Who fans should recognize him by his accent if nothing else!
And of course there is the brilliant Nigel Green as Hercules.
Todd Armstrong, who plays Jason, is a relatively unknown actor, and from what I have seen, didn't go much beyond this film. Some reviewers say his performance is wooden, but I would disagree. The script doesn't give him many good lines or play up his emotions well, and that's not his fault. What he does bring to the film are some wonderful facial expressions as he delivers those not-so-inspiring lines. It's a pity his career didn't go much further, I saw real potential in him, and I enjoyed him very much as Jason.
The plot of the film follows the myth pretty closely (considering it is a movie) and it stays true to the moral ambiguity of the legend. That's a positive, because we are seeing Greek myth, not "Greek-Myth-with-American-Values". We see things as the myth tells us. It leaves open questions because that is what the myths do.
How can Jason justify stealing the Golden Fleece when he knows it will ruin a presumably innocent kingdom that is prosperous because of it? Well, in some of the myths, Colchis is a corrupt warrior state that was over ambitious and imperialistic. Zeus was displeased with their abuse of the gift of the Fleece and sent Jason to take it away as a punishment. The movie missed a chance to point this out, unfortunately.
But let's not get into too much thinking or analyzing... this film is about enjoying and fantasy! Just go with it for what it is and revel in the wizardry, the artistry and the --then --cutting edge technology that made it possible to see the imaginings of the ancients come to life on the screen!
Technical Quality:
I got the film as an Amazon video download.
The quality is very good, considering it is a computer file, and as a download the file it is 2.07 GB, so it takes a while to get it onto the computer.
It comes as with the .wmv extension -- playable even on Windows Media Player, but it has strong copy protection. The DRM blocks it from playing in something like GOM or VLC player, so you really need the free Amazon Unbox player. This player lacks many of the features of the more robust players (no contrast brightness or other adjustments-- in fact, no adjustments are possible at all.) I hope Amazon beefs up their player to match the features of these other players.
Of course, you can also watch it "in the cloud" on-line through your Amazon account.
What is great, whether you get it on DVD or as a download, is that you can freeze frame.
That feature is wonderful to help appreciate the fantastic work of the model makers. Try it.
Freeze the frames when Talos is running (or clunking, he's made of metal after all and doesn't have the flexibility of flesh) around. Take a really good look at the coloring, the sculpting, the attention to detail that when into this character.
Do the same with the marvelous Hydra. The detail (down to the scales even) is remarkable.
There is one scene with the Hydra that bears close watching. At one point, the Hydra catches Jason in one of its two tails and swings him around, then puts him down. Obviously for this part they had a "mini Jason" figure, which is ANIMATED! Of course, it's obvious on close scrutiny, but this is not a drawback. When he is put down as a figure, in the next frame, the actor gets up in an almost visually seamless move. That is quality animation!
And of course, the fighting skeletons... you have to love the skeletons! Excellent animation and detail even in a bunch of bones! I mean, a skull that frowns (as these characters do)... now THAT's artistry!
Conclusion:
Overall, for Harryhausen fans, this is in my opinion, one of the TWO BEST Harryhausen films (the other is "7th Voyage of Sinbad") and a worthy addition to a collection of Harryhausen films.
For animators (CGI or otherwise), it is a great study in "how to do it". There's a lesson in practically every frame.
For fans of mythology, it's a lightweight and easy to digest retelling of one of the most enduring tales of the Hero's Quest.
And, like the myth, it stands the test of time. It's re-playable and entertaining every time. Our modern technology just makes it easier to study and understand WHY it is such a fine motion picture.
5 Stars, excellent all around.
As this fantasy epic begins, we see the plight of Jason as an infant, his father slain and kingdom usurped, as so the seemingly fickle Gods have decided. Jason grows up, returns to re-take the land and peoples that are rightfully his, only to be sent on a quest, by the Gods (geez, who died and made them Gods? Oh yeah...they ARE Gods), to recover a golden fleece, one that would bring peace and prosperity to the troubled land. Only problem is the fleece is across the world, to where no one has sailed before. To meet this goal, Jason has the finest ship built, and gathers the greatest athletes Greece has to offer, and sets out on a perilous journey that involves dangerous waters, mighty bronze titans, a deadly, multi-headed Hydra, an army of skeleton warriors (can seven really be considered an army? Maybe more like a task force...), and treachery within his own ranks, among other things (as if that wasn't enough). The quest seems an impossible one, but with Jason's determination, the loyalty of his men (the non-treasonous ones, of course), and even a little help from the Gods themselves, he just may be able to survive and return with the treasure to reclaim what is rightfully his, and bring and end to the tyrant reign that has plagued his lands for the past twenty odd years.
Alright, I will say some of the acting isn't all that great (actress Kovack seems to be on some kind of depressant, as her performance is about as deadpan as I've seen), and some of the non-Harryhausen special effects are extremely noticeable (the matte usage in some scenes stands out a lot more than they probably would have liked), but despite these points, this is really a fun and exciting movie. There are elements of the story missing (the 2000 television CGI-laden version starring Jason London was a bit more inclusive in this respect, but lacked the charm, for me at least, of this one), but the makers of this film did manage to cram a lot into its' 104 minute running time, and the capable direction kept the story moving along at a rousing pace, rarely slowing down, and keeping my interest. I did enjoy the sets (especially those on Mount Olympus, and I have to say, Honor Blackman makes for one sexy Goddess, playing Hera, Zeus' wife...hotchie momma!) and the location shots where wonderful, adding a lot to the story. The Argo (the boat that carried Jason and his crew, hence the term `Argonauts') was suitable, although that figurehead of Hera (she was one of the Gods assisting Jason) freaked me out, especially with the opening an closing of its' eyelids. And I can't review this film without mentioning the work of legendary Hollywood composer Bernard Herrmann (Citizen Kane, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Psycho, Taxi Driver)...well, I mentioned him...but seriously, it's pretty rare to find a composer as `in tune' with the material he's working with as Herrmann (think how different Psycho would be without its' frightening score). The best parts of the film, by far, are the stop-motion effects by Harryhausen. What makes his work so good, in my opinion, is not only his eye for meticulous detail (it would often take months to produce a 3 or 4 minute on screen segment of stop-motion work), but also his ability to create the appropriate movements for the characters he was presenting. An example within the context of the film is Talos, the bronze titan, compared to, say, the winged harpies. The character of Talos moved exactly how you would expect a giant made of bronze to move, rigid, lumbering, and generally slow, compared to the very fluid and animated movements of the winged harpies, or even the multi-headed Hydra creature. It's the supposition of how the creatures would move, infused with the created models that set Harryhausen apart from his peers, and made him a legend in his own time, influencing so many others that came after him. It's pretty rare to see stop-motion work in major films nowadays, as it's been replaced with computer generated images (which is probably cheaper and less time consuming, but can often appear just as unrealistic as lesser stop-motion work).
The picture looks pretty good on this DVD, and is available in both widescreen (1.85:1) and full screen pan and scan formats. The audio, Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono, is relatively clear throughout. Special features include subtitles (English, French, and Spanish), the original theatrical trailer, short production notes inside the case, and a lengthy interview with Ray Harryhausen conducted by John Landis, featuring clips, still photos, and even a prop or two from the films.
Cookieman108
The Blu ray was made in Austrailia. It worked fine in my blu ray player, a sony I bought at a local best buy here in the USA. There was a small dent on the jacket of the blu ray, however the disc was in perfect shape
The sound from the blu ray is average. However, the picture is outstanding-- high definition with vibrant color and detail. There is one glitch I and other reviewers have noticed in this blu ray: In the last action scene of the movie, the skeleton fight, the stop motion images were perfect high def. However, whenever the live actors appeared simultaneously with the stop motion in that scene, the visual quality of the live actors was fair at best and looked more like standard definition than high definition.
This phenomenon only happened during that one scene. Of note, I reviewed an old VHS tape I own of Jason and the Argonauts from 1991 and noticed a similar problem with the skeleton scene. So, it seems this is a pre-existing problem which was present before the blu rays were released.
I am happy with this blu ray.
Top reviews from other countries
Doblaje en castellano original.
やはり、ギリシャの兜でなければ。本編でも良い神の役で出てきた・トリトンを題材にした国民的
アニメ「海のトリトン」でも、その姿で登場していた。しかし、本編でもちょい役なのが残念。
ではあるが、クラウチングスタート予備姿勢の台座から立ち上がり、暴れ始める所はワクワクさせる。
最近は、北欧神話をベースにしたマイティーソー、マッッミケルセン氏出演のタイタンの戦いでも
世相を反映して、神も絶対的存在では無い描き方になっている。
本編は、ヒドラのシーンは、少しモタつくけれども、夢と冒険のファンタジー作品と言える。
また、霊能者の巫女の名の「メディア」は、今の我々が依存している・マスコミやネットの
起源。時に裏切る(情報操作)点も、まさにそのもの(笑)。
特典の、レイハリーハウゼン氏の話も興味深く、ただ『タロスがゴム製で老朽化して
今は残っていない』というのは残念だ。
今のCG作品に飽きた人には、必見。