Jason and the Argonauts
The epic story that was destined to stand as a colossus of adventure!
Overview
Jason, a fearless sailor and explorer, returns to his home land of Thessaly after a long voyage to claim his rightful throne. He learns, however, that he must first find the magical Golden Fleece. To do so, he must embark on an epic quest fraught with fantastic monsters and terrible perils.
Backdrop
What makes this movie Worth Watching
As a product of its time, Jason and the Argonauts was influenced by the post-World War II interest in classical mythology and Greek literature. The film can be seen as an example of Hollywood's fascination with ancient civilizations during this period.
- Remarkable stop-motion animation by Ray Harryhausen that still holds up today, creating iconic images of mythical creatures like the Hydra and Talos. The film's epic adventure and timeless storytelling make it a classic must-watch. It showcases excellent practical effects before the era of digital visual effects.
- Outstanding performances by actors such as Todd Armstrong (Jason) and Nancy Kovack (Medea), adding depth to their roles despite the limitations of the period's special effects.
Fun Facts
- Ray Harryhausen reused some of the stop-motion models from previous films, such as the skeletons from 20 Million Miles to Earth (1957) and the Cyclops from The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958).
- The film's iconic Hydra creature, which regenerates multiple heads when one is cut off, was inspired by a similar monster from Greek mythology. However, in the original tale, each head represented a different river or region in Greece.
- Jason and the Argonauts marked the first screen appearance of the character Hercules (played by Gregg Palmer) before his more famous portrayal by Lou Ferrigno in the 1960s television series.
Available Languages
English
US
Title:
"The epic story that was destined to stand as a colossus of adventure!"
Deutsch
DE
Title: Jason und die Argonauten
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Español
ES
Title: Jasón y los argonautas
"La mayor odisea de los siglos."
Italiano
IT
Title: Gli Argonauti
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Français
FR
Title: Jason et les Argonautes
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Português
PT
Title: Jasão e os Argonautas
"Jasão e os Argonautas"
Where to Watch
Cast
Crew
Reviews
I always find with these stop-motion animation films that the wonderful Harryhausen creations always far out-act the human talent! Sadly, here is no different - Todd Armstrong in the title role and Nancy Novak as " Medea" are as wooden as the Argo in this retelling of the ancient Greek myth. It is still, however, an exciting action adventure though, with plenty of episodes to keep it moving along as Jason fights monsters and treachery to seek out the legendary Golden Fleece from the distant land of Colchis. It's got a decent enough, largely British, supporting cast with Honor Blackman standing out as his patron "Hera" and Nigel Green making for a wonderfully over-the-top "Hercules", but the spoils definitely go to Talos, the Harpies and the skeleton battle is fabulous.
**_Swords & Greek Mythology in the Mediterranean_**
Jason (Todd Armstrong), the rightful heir to the throne of Thessaly, Greece, gathers a crew of intrepid sailors to find the magical Golden Fleece, a quest that brings clashes with a 100’ bronze statue, a couple harpies, the venomous Hydra and a squad of sword-wielding skeletons.
“Jason and the Argonauts” (1963) is a sword & sandal flick based on Greek Mythology with Ray Harryhausen’s stop motion special effects, which were state-of-the-art at the time. It’s very similar to "The 7th Voyage of Sinbad" from five years earlier and on par in all-around entertainment.
You can’t beat the scenic Mediterranean locations, the vessel, the costumes and the mystical action sequences. The fight with the skeleton warriors only runs three minutes, at most, but it took Harryhausen four months to produce it.
Unfortunately, this isn’t as compelling, story-wise, as “Ulysses” (1954) and “Mysterious Island” (1961) or future flicks like “Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger” (1977) and “Conan the Barbarian” (1982). Those movies feature a fairly prominent female presence to counteract the sweaty men in loin cloths; this one doesn't. Sure, Nancy Kovack is on hand, but she doesn’t show up until well past the hour mark and not enough is done with her.
The film runs 1 hour, 44 minutes, and was shot on the coasts of southern Italy (Salerno) with studio stuff done in Rome and Shepperton Studios, just west of London.
GRADE: B-
Oscar Awards
Wins
Haven't Won A Oscar
Nominations
Haven't Nominated for Oscar
Media
Trailer
Jason and the Argonauts (1963) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HD 1080p]
Featurette
Ernest Dickerson on JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS