Jason and the Argonauts (1963 film)
It was produced by Charles H. Schneer, directed by Don Chaffey, and stars Todd Armstrong, while co-starring Nancy Kovack, Honor Blackman, and Gary Raymond.Shot in Eastman Color, the film was made in collaboration with stop-motion animation visual effects artist Ray Harryhausen and is known for its various legendary creatures, notably the iconic fight scene featuring seven skeleton warriors.The film score was composed by Bernard Herrmann, who had partnered with Harryhausen on The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958), The 3 Worlds of Gulliver (1960) and Mysterious Island (1961).Twenty years later, Jason saves Pelias from drowning in a river, an "accident" orchestrated by Hera, losing his sandal in the process.However, Hercules steals a brooch pin the size of a javelin from a building filled with treasure and surmounted by a gigantic bronze statue of Talos.Jason again turns to Hera, who tells him to open a large plug at the back of Talos's heel to release the giant's ichor.This leaves the brass and percussion to perform the heroic fanfares, and the woodwinds along with additional instruments (such as the harp) to dominate in the more subtle and romantic parts.The website's critical consensus reads, "Don Chaffey's Jason and the Argonauts is an outlandish, transportive piece of nostalgia whose real star is the masterful stop-motion animation work of Ray Harryhausen.[20] Variety magazine wrote: "The $3 million film has a workable scenario and has been directed resourcefully and spiritedly by Don Chaffey, under whose leadership a colorful cast performs with zeal".The disc's special features include two new audio commentaries, one by Peter Jackson and Randall William Cook, and the other by Harryhausen in conversation with his biographer Tony Dalton.[27] The five-issue comic book miniseries Jason and the Argonauts: The Kingdom of Hades (2007) from TidalWave Productions' Ray Harryhausen Signature Series, continued the story.
Howard TerpningDon ChaffeyBeverley CrossThe ArgonauticaApollonius RhodiusCharles H. SchneerTodd ArmstrongNancy KovackHonor BlackmanGary RaymondWilkie CooperMaurice RootesBernard HerrmannColumbia Picturesworking titleindependentfantasyadventure filmEastman Colorstop-motion animationvisual effectsRay Harryhausenlegendary creaturesThe 7th Voyage of SinbadThe 3 Worlds of GulliverMysterious IslandPeliasThessalyKing AristosandaledGolden FleeceHermesMount OlympusColchisGreeceArgonautsHerculesAcastusPhineusharpiesClashing RocksTritonAeëtesHecateskeletonschildren of the Hydra's teethPhalerusCastorTim TurnerLaurence NaismithNiall MacGinnisMichael GwynnDouglas WilmerJack GwillimKing AeëtesJohn CairneyPatrick TroughtonAndrew FauldsNigel GreenJohn CrawfordPolydeucesFerdinando PoggiEupaemusBriseisLynceusStop motionscience fiction filmsThe Day the Earth Stood StillJourney to the Center of the EarthPsychoBruce BroughtonterracottaGreek mythologyAnavrosmythologyQueen EuropaBoreadsApollonius of RhodesAthenaOdysseyOdysseusdragonspartoiAbsyrtusCyzicusLemnosSan Antonio, TexasWichita FallsHonoluluHawaiiFort Worth, Texasreview aggregatorRotten TomatoesMetacriticVarietydouble featuresAcademy Award for Technical Achievement1992 Academy AwardsTom HanksCasablancaCitizen KaneAmerican Film InstituteTop 10 Fantasy Films listEmpireKing KongBlu-rayaudio commentariesPeter JacksonRandall William CookTidalWave ProductionsJason and the Argonauts (2000 miniseries)List of stop-motion filmsList of films featuring HerculesSword-and-sandalGreek mythology in popular cultureBasingstokeHampshireskeletonCretheusPoseidonArgonauticaVirgilFandango MediaWayback MachineTCM Movie DatabaseAFI Catalog of Feature Films