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I popped in this DVD very wary of how I would feel about an worn childhood popular after years of not seeing it. Well, I was pleasantly surprised that the film is mild a lot of fun. Yes, a lot of the effects (blue camouflage, etc.) are unconvincing and display their age, but geeeez, the movie’s almost 40 years obsolete so what can you question. This was a right stunner in it’s day and Harryhausen’s stop-motion sequences tranquil outshine any unimaginative CGI execute in today’s cookie-cutter movies (unbiased leer at the unpleasant new TV remake with all those cheesy computer effects — there’s no contest!) The skeleton battle is most distinguished, but I have a special fondness for Talos which was the first scene that caught my gape as a young kid on Saturday afternoon TV in the tedious 60’s. Jubilant to seek that “Jason” composed has it’s magic (along with some acceptable campiness) and the DVD is a nice presentation (there are some minute flaws to the print materials and grain in some scenes) . The Harryhausen interview (with John Landis) is keen and the unique trailer is also included on the DVD.
I’ve reviewed quite a few films featuring the work of special effects artist Ray Harryhausen and found reasons to like them all, but Jason and the Argonauts (1963) features some of his most incredible effects, and is considered to be one of the greatest fantasy pictures ever made. Would I say it’s the greatest? No, but in terms of influencing many, including a majority of special effects artists in the business today, this film is a cinematic landmark, and deserves to be treated as such. Produced by long time Harryhausen collaborator Charles Schneer (The Valley of Gwangi, The Golden Voyage of Sinbad, Clash of the Titans) and directed by Don Chaffey (One Million Years B.C., Pete’s Dragon), the film stars Todd Armstrong in his biggest role, but not his tell, as that was dubbed over by Tim Turner, a British actor who did a lot of enlighten over work on film trailers, including the trailer for this film. Also appearing is Nancy Kovack (The Silencers), and a whole bunch of British actors including Gary Raymond (El Cid), Laurence Naismith (The Valley of Gwangi), Niall MacGinnis (Night of the Demon), Jack Gwillim (Patton), Nigel Green (Countess Dracula), and Honor Blackman (Goldfinger), to name a few.
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As this fantasy tale begins, we glance the pickle 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 alarmed land. Only predicament 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 hazardous hotfoot that involves hazardous waters, great 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 fill 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 cramped back from the Gods themselves, he unprejudiced may be able to survive and return with the esteem to reclaim what is rightfully his, and bring and extinguish to the tyrant reign that has plagued his lands for the past twenty irregular years.
Alright, I will say some of the acting isn’t all that gargantuan (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 absorbing movie. There are elements of the fable 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 small running time, and the excellent direction kept the account intelligent along at a rousing trot, rarely slowing down, and keeping my interest. I did relish 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 situation shots where fantastic, adding a lot to the legend. The Argo (the boat that carried Jason and his crew, hence the term `Argonauts’) was friendly, 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 Unruffled, Psycho, Taxi Driver) …well, I mentioned him…but seriously, it’s gorgeous rare to procure a composer as `in tune’ with the material he’s working with as Herrmann (reflect how different Psycho would be without its’ horrid find) . The best parts of the film, by far, are the stop-motion effects by Harryhausen. What makes his work so capable, in my notion, is not only his peep for meticulous detail (it would often recall months to manufacture a 3 or 4 little on mask segment of stop-motion work), but also his ability to manufacture 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 put a question to a giant made of bronze to proceed, rigid, lumbering, and generally wearisome, compared to the very fluid and exciting movements of the winged harpies, or even the multi-headed Hydra creature. It’s the supposition of how the creatures would recede, infused with the created models that spot Harryhausen apart from his peers, and made him a tale in his maintain time, influencing so many others that came after him. It’s glorious rare to notice stop-motion work in major films nowadays, as it’s been replaced with computer generated images (which is probably cheaper and less time spirited, but can often appear fair as unrealistic as lesser stop-motion work) .
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The represent looks elegant valid on this DVD, and is available in both widescreen (1.85:1) and tubby shroud pan and scan formats. The audio, Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono, is relatively sure throughout. Special features include subtitles (English, French, and Spanish), the current theatrical trailer, short production notes inside the case, and a lengthy interview with Ray Harryhausen conducted by John Landis, featuring clips, detached photos, and even a prop or two from the films.
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