JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS
UK, 1963, 104 minutes, Colour.
Todd Armstrong, Honor Blackman, Niall Mac Ginnis.
Directed by Don Chaffey.
Jason and the Argonauts is one of the best-made Greek mythology adventures. Directed by Don Chaffey and written by Beverley Cross (the Antiquities scholar who was also to write The Clash of the Titans), it is a colourful and vigorous adventure.
The film has amateur leads but a strong British supporting cast. However, the main feature is the Dynamation by Ray Harryhausen. Harryhausen had worked on the original King -King and, Mighty Joe Young. In England, he had developed his style of creating live action monsters and wonders with The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad, was to show his work to effect in Sinbad and The Eye of the Tiger and The Clash of the Titans.
The film has colourful locations, is imaginative in its use of monsters and the battles of mythology. It also has a very atmospheric score by Bernard Herrmann.
The device of the gods playing chess and their regard for human destiny and fate was used in similar vein for The Clash of the Titans.
1. The popularity of Greek mythology? Ideal for cinema? The blend of history, legend? The possibilities for special effects? The high reputation of this film?
2. The work of Raw Harryhausen: his imagination, technical accomplishment? The enlivening of statues, the gods, monsters, the harpies, the hydra, skeletons doing battle? The gods with the chessboard? The range of special effects and their entertainment value?
3. The basic framework of presenting the Greek gods, the device of the chess game? Their control of human destiny, the possibilities of human freedom? The gods playing with human lives? Zeus and Hera and their clashes, Mercury and his presence on Earth? The finale and the comments of the gods?
4. The opening battle, the ambitions of the ruthless king, the slaughter of innocents, the role of the gods, the fate of Thessaly? The passing of 20 years? Here’s prophecy? Jason and his rescuing the evil king, the deception by the evil king and sending Jason on the quest for the Golden Fleece? His son going on board, clashes on board, the fight and the murder in the sea, the ultimate betrayal to the King of Colchis, his trying to get the Golden Fleece and h-is death?
5. The emergence of Jason as hero - an eager young man, his dreams of vengeance, the irony of his saving the tyrant's life? The selection of the Argonauts - and the collage of their athletic and muscular capabilities? The hiring of the ship? Sailing, the voyage, Hera and her being the figurehead, the prayer of Jason? The doldrums, the dangers, the channels between islands, the help by Neptune, the attack of the harpies? Medea and Jason's attraction towards her? Her healing him? The arrival at Colchis, the deception of the king, the Argonauts being imprisoned, Medea's helping their to escape, the Fleece and the fight with the hydra, the battle with the skeletons and the escape? Jason fulfilling his destiny (with no hint of further stories of the clash with Medea and the tragedies that actually followed).
6. The Argonauts and their strengths, skills, heroics, battles?
7. Medea and her being saved, her being a priestess of Colchis? her prayer to the god, relationship with the king, her helping Jason, her being injured, her being healed by the Golden Fleece? The romance?
8. The arrival in Colchis, the confrontation in the court, the banquet, the deception of the king, the stealing of the Golden Fleece, the final battle, the hydra's teeth enabling the skeleton warriors to arise?
9. The insertion of the special effects, their entertainment value, contribution to the plot?
10. The popularity of this kind of material for audiences of all ages?
