Hercules is a 1997 American animated feature film, produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The thirty-fifth animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, the film was directed by Ron Clements and John Musker. The film is based on the legendary Greek mythology hero Heracles (known in the film by his Roman name, Hercules), the son of Zeus, in Greek mythology.
Though Hercules did not match the financial success of Disney's early-1990s releases, the film made $99 million in revenue in the United States during its theatrical release[1] and $252,700,000 worldwide. The film is part of the Disney Renaissance that started in 1989 and ended in 1999.
Hercules was later followed by the direct-to-video prequel Hercules: Zero to Hero, which served as a midquel to Hercules: The Animated Series, a syndicated Disney TV series focusing on Hercules during his time at the Prometheus academy.
Plot
The film begins as five Muses tell the tale ("The Gospel Truth") of how Zeus came to power and prevented the monstrous Titans from ruling the world. This leads to the day Hercules is born to Zeus and Hera, much to the pleasure of all the other gods of Mount Olympus. All, that is, except Hades, Zeus' brother, who was ordered to rule the Underworld by Zeus himself. Hades plots to take over Olympus, and asks the Fates to reveal if his plans succeed. The Fates state that, in eighteen years, a planetary alignment will enable the Titans to be freed, and that they will be able to overpower Zeus. However, they add that if Hercules fights, he will prevail. Hades sends his minions, Pain and Panic, to kidnap Hercules and feed him a potion that will strip him of his immortality and allow him to be killed. While they succeed in the abduction, they are interrupted by Amphitryon and Alcmene as they feed Hercules the potion. They drop the potion, spilling the last drop on the ground. Believing he drank it all, Pain and Panic transform into serpents and attack, but to their surprise the infant Hercules still possesses immense strength and defeats them handily.
Amphitryon and Alcmene adopt Hercules as their own child. Hercules grows up to be a misfit, challenged by his incredible strength and inability to fit in with other people. After a particularly disastrous visit to town, his adoptive parents finally tell him they found him with the symbol of the gods around his neck. Hercules believes the gods may have the answers behind his past and decides to go to the Temple of Zeus ("Go the Distance"). Zeus manifests as his statue and tells him that he is Hercules' father, and that he must prove himself a true hero before he can rejoin the other gods on Mount Olympus. Zeus reunites Hercules with his old friend Pegasus, and Hercules leaves the temple to seek out Philoctetes, a trainer of heroes. "Phil" is a satyr who longs to train a renowned hero. He initially refuses to train Hercules, but after some "persuasion" from Zeus, Phil decides to take on Hercules as his final attempt ("One Last Hope").
After completing his training, Hercules, Phil, and Pegasus set out to establish Hercules as a hero. En route to the city of Thebes, Hercules sees the beautiful Megara, who is being threatened by Nessus, a centaur and river guardian. A smitten Hercules barely succeeds in rescuing Megara, who also goes by "Meg." She thanks him before leaving to enter the forest, but she is confronted by Hades, who had recruited Megara to convince Nessus to join Hades' efforts. She said Nessus was going too far, and that Hercules interfered and defeated Nessus. When Hades learns that Hercules is alive, he is enraged and plots to murder him again.
When Hercules tries to prove himself a hero at Thebes, Hades sets a trap for Hercules, using Pain and Panic (masquerading as children) as bait. Hercules frees the "children," but inadvertently releases the Hydra. After a lengthy battle, Hercules finally prevails. Hades then sends one monster after another to destroy Hercules, but he defeats them all easily ("Zero to Hero" and "Hercules"). Hercules becomes a celebrity because of his exploits, and believes that is enough to allow him to return to Olympus. Zeus visits Hercules again, and tells him that he must still search for what it means to be a "true hero" in order to return.
Hades, realizing that his plans are jeopardized, sends Meg out to discover Hercules' weakness, promising her freedom in return. Hercules then spends the day with Meg, who finds herself falling in love with him ("I Won't Say (I'm in Love)"). Meg tells Hades she won't help him anymore, and that Hercules has no weaknesses; but Hades realizes that Meg herself is Hercules' one weakness. Phil learns of Meg's involvement with Hades and tries to warn Hercules, but Hercules refuses to believe him and knocks him to the ground in anger. Discouraged, Phil leaves for home.
Meanwhile, Pegasus has been captured by Pain and Panic, who disguised themselves as his mare. Hades confronts Hercules and proposes a deal: if Hercules surrenders his strength for the next twenty-four hours, Meg will remain free from harm, but if Meg is harmed, Hercules will get his strength back. Hercules reluctantly agrees, and Hades takes Hercules' strength for himself. Hades frees the Titans from their prison and sends them to attack Olympus and imprison the other gods, while one Titan, a cyclops, is sent to kill Hercules. Disheartened by Meg's involvement with Hades, Hercules takes a severe beating. Meg, regretting having played her part in Hades' plans, frees Pegasus and gets Phil to come back and help Hercules. Phil convinces Hercules to fight back, and Hercules uses his wits to defeat the Titan and save the city.
As an exhausted Hercules watches the Titan fall, a column behind him gives way. Megara pushes Hercules out of the way, but is crushed by the column herself. With Meg mortally injured, the deal is broken, and Hercules' strength is returned. Hercules promises Meg that he will save her as he heads to Olympus to stop Hades and the other Titans. Hercules and Pegasus save Mount Olympus, but as Hades retreats for the underworld, he taunts Hercules with his "consolation prize."
Hercules, too late to save Megara, heads to the Underworld and demands for Meg to be revived, but Hades shows him that she is trapped in the River Styx. Hercules trades his soul for Meg's, and Hades agrees on the condition that Hercules must get her soul out himself. Hercules jumps into the river, but he ages rapidly as he swims toward Meg. The Fates prepare to cut Hercules' thread of life, but Hercules has become a true hero through his selfless actions, thereby restoring his godhood and immortality.
Hercules revives Meg and is able to return to Olympus. Even though he has finally received his greatest wish, to return home, Hercules chooses to become mortal again and stay with Megara. Zeus grants his son's request, and Hercules is proclaimed a hero on Earth and Olympus alike. Zeus creates a constellation in his image, and Phil is remembered for being the one who trained him ("A Star is Born").
Cast
- Tate Donovan as Hercules, the protagonist of the story and the son of Zeus and Hera. After he is kidnapped by Hades' minions and made to drink a potion that robbed him of his godhood, a human couple take him in and raise him. He eventually finds out about his origins and attempts to establish himself a hero on earth to regain his godhood. Along the way, after successfully defeating several monsters and becoming famous, he learns from his father Zeus that being a hero takes "something more" than being famous. Hercules at first doesn't understand, but through falling in love with Meg, a human, he learns that a true hero is measured by the size of his heart. He proves himself by willingly giving his life for hers, and sacrifices his godhood to be with her. Supervising animator Andreas Deja described Hercules as "...not a smart aleck, not streetwise, he's just a naive kid trapped in a big body", and that Donovan "had a charming yet innocent quality in his readings". Donovan had not done any voice-over work prior to Hercules.[2]
- James Woods as Hades, Zeus' brother, uncle of Hercules and ruler of the Underworld. Hades serves as the film's primary antagonist who tries to destroy Hercules after hearing that he will thwart Hades' plans of taking over Mount Olympus. Hades often makes deals with demigods and mortals, hence his involvement with Meg, manipulating them to his advantage. He makes use of this with first Meg and later Hercules, realizing that each is the other's weakness, eventually ridding Hercules of his powers (temporarily). However, he underestimates the value of true love. Producer Alice Dewey mentioned that Hades "was supposed to talk in a slow and be menacing in a quiet, spooky way", but thought that James Woods' manner of speaking "a mile a minute" would be a "great take" for a villain.[2] Woods did a lot of ad-libbing in his recordings, especially in Hades' dialogues with Megara.[2]
- Susan Egan as Megara, a mortal woman serving Hades after she gives him her soul in exchange for a man's life. After her former lover left her, Megara is left with bitter feelings about falling in love. Despite this, she is impressed by and later falls in love with Hercules, at first denying it due to her past experiences. Hades uses her to lure him into finding out his weakness. Meg is key to Hades' plan after he learns that she is Hercules' one weakness, capturing her and forcing Hercules to deal: her freedom and safety in exchange for his powers. Meg later gives up her life to save Hercules, resulting in a rescue attempt by him. At the end of the film, Hercules gives up the chance to be a god to live with Meg on earth.
- Danny DeVito as Philoctetes/Phil, a hero trainer who had yet to produce a true hero. He had already given up on hero training when Hercules approached him, but eventually decides to train Hercules. Phil is defined as stubby and bowlegged in appearance, but possessed of a street-wise, sarcastic personality, often providing reality checks for Hercules. It is he who discovers Meg's involvement in Hades' plot, and after Hercules fails to listen to him, he leaves. However, he is convinced by Meg to come back when he finds out his life is in danger. At the end of the film, Hercules has his own constellation and the people all recognize him as his trainer.
- Rip Torn as Zeus, the ruler of Mount Olympus and Hercules' father. He tells his son that to join the gods, he must become a hero, which he defines as something more than being famous. Zeus is betrayed by Hades, but Hercules later saves him and Olympus, and Zeus reveals that for willingly giving his life to save Meg, he is finally a true hero and can be a god. Nonetheless, he is supportive of his son's decision to remain with Meg.
- Frank Welker as Pegasus, a winged horse and Hercules' companion who was given to him by Zeus as a present.
- Samantha Eggar as Hera, Zeus' wife and Hercules' mother.
- Bobcat Goldthwait as Pain, one of Hades' minions.
- Matt Frewer as Panic, one of Hades' minions.
- Josh Keaton as Young Hercules, singing voice provided by Roger Bart
- Jim Cummings as Nessus, a centaur whom Hades wanted to recruit into his army, but is defeated by Hercules after the latter sees him man-handling Megara.
- Wayne Knight as Demetrius, a pottery salesman whose shop is accidentally destroyed by Hercules. He only barely tolerates Hercules, but the loss of his shop angers him to the point that he openly insults Hercules.
- Hal Holbrook as Amphitryon, a mortal farmer and Hercules' foster father.
- Barbara Barrie as Alcmene, Amphitryon's wife and Hercules' foster mother.
- Paul Shaffer as Hermes, the messenger of the gods.
- Amanda Plummer as Clotho, the Fate of Future.
- Carole Shelley as Lachesis, the Fate of Present.
- Paddi Edwards as Atropos, the Fate of Past.
- Keith David as Apollo, god of the sun and music.
- Lillias White as Calliope, the Muse of epic tales, who wears a headband over her big, curly hair.
- Vanéese Y. Thomas as Clio, the Muse of history, with the ponytail.
- Cheryl Freeman as Melpomene, the long-haired Muse of drama.
- LaChanze as Terpsichore, the dance Muse with the short, kinky hair.
- Roz Ryan as Thalia, the short and plump Muse of comedy.
- Charlton Heston as The Narrator, who kicks off the story.
Comparison with the original myths
Disney takes considerable license with the original Hercules myths in order to make the film suitable for children. Hercules being conceived out of Zeus's raping a mortal woman named Alcmene (who is a "foster parent" to Hercules in the film) is removed as well as Hera's spousal jealously and subsequent attempts to kill Hercules. In place of Hera (who is made Hercules' mother in the film), Hades is used as the main foe of Hercules. In the myths, by contrast, he is not evil, and is an ally of Zeus's, rather than an enemy. Even in myth, Zeus appears to be the more unethical and more evil due to his numerous extramartial affairs and punishments. Pegasus never met Hercules in the myths. In addition, the Graeae are merged with the Fates. Also, Philoctetes wasn't a satyr. A centaur hero-trainer named Chiron similar to Phil, is, however, in Greek mythology. Chiron later appeared in the animated series based on the film. Megara was a princess in the original myths and the first wife of Hercules. In a fit of madness, Hercules killed her and their children, which is too graphic and dark for Disney's standards. The Twelve Labors of Hercules are crucial in the original myths, but are absent in the film. Many of the labors are, however, referenced throughout the film. Also, Hercules' nephew Iolaus never makes an appearance (despite assistance in several Labors) and the Titans were never regarded as elemental creatures.
Production
Design and animation
Each major character in Hercules had a supervising animator. Andreas Deja, the supervising animator for Hercules, commented that the animation crew he worked with to animate Hercules was the "largest [he] ever worked with". He previously worked on other characters (like Gaston in Beauty and the Beast, Jafar in Aladdin, and Scar in The Lion King) with about four animators on his crew, but he had a team of twelve or thirteen for Hercules. He cited Greek statues and artist Gerald Scarfe from Scarfe's film Pink Floyd The Wall. With regard to Megara, supervising animator Ken Duncan stated that she was "based on a '40s screwball comidenne" and that he used Greek shapes for her hair ("Her head is in sort of a vase shape and she's got a Greek curl in the back.") Nik Ranieri, the supervising animator for Hades, mentioned that the character was "based on a Hollywood agent, a car salesman type", and that a lot came from James Woods' dialogue. He went on to say that the hardest part in animating Hades was that he talks too much and too fast, so much so that "it took [him] two weeks to animate a one-second scene". Eric Goldberg, the supervising animator for Philoctetes, cited Grumpy in Snow White and Bacchus in Fantasia as the inspirations for the character's design.[2]
The actors' performances also influenced the way the characters were animated. Deja integrated Donovan's "charming yet innocent quality" into Hercules' expressions. Goldberg mentioned that they discovered that Danny DeVito "has really different mouth shapes" when they videotaped his recordings and that they used these shapes in animating Phil. Ranieri watched James Woods' other films and used what he saw as the basis for Hades' sneer.[2]
Music
Release
Marketing
Marketing and promotion for Hercules began even before the film's theatrical release. Several Hercules toys, books, and other merchandise were produced,[3] and a parade was held at Times Square during the film's premiere two weeks prior to its theatrical run.[4]
Home media
The film's first home video release, on VHS, was February 3, 1998 in the US as part of the Walt Disney Masterpiece Collection series. A Limited Issue came out on DVD November 9, 1999, followed by on August 1, 2000, a re-issue to VHS and DVD as part of the Walt Disney Gold Classic Collection. It has yet to be released on Diamond Collection/Special Edition DVD or Blu-Ray.
Reception
Disney intended for the film to have an open-air premiere at Pnyx hill, but the Greek government declined after Greek media and public responded negatively to the proposal. A Greek newspaper entitled Adsmevtos Typos called it "another case of foreigners distorting our history and culture just to suit their commercial interests".[5]
Critical reception
As of 2008, Rotten Tomatoes reported that 89% of critics gave positive reviews based on 44 reviews[6]. Rita Kempley of Washington Post described the film as "annoyingly hip" based on its "celeb cameos, puns and contemporary camp".[7]
Awards and nominations
-
-
-
- Blockbuster Entertainment Awards[11]
-
- Favorite Animated Family Movie (Nominated)
- Favorite Song from a Movie - "Go the Distance" (Nominated)
-
| Result |
Award |
Winner/Nominee Recipient(s) |
| Nominated |
Animated Theatrical Feature |
| Won |
Individual Achievement in Producing |
Alice Dewey (Producer)
John Musker (Producer)
Ron Clements (Producer) |
| Won |
Individual Achievement in Directing |
John Musker (Director)
Ron Clements (Director) |
| Nominated |
Individual Achievement in Character Animation |
Ken Duncan (Supervising Animator - Meg) |
| Won |
Individual Achievement in Character Animation |
Nik Ranieri (Supervising Animator - Hades) |
| Won |
Individual Achievement in Effects Animation |
Mauro Maressa (Effects Supervisor) |
References
- ^ "Hercules (1997)". Box Office Mojo. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=hercules.htm. Retrieved on 2008-02-03.
- ^ a b c d e "The Quick Draw Artists". Disney Adventures: 44-49. September 1997.
- ^ Grossman, Wendy (June 26, 1997). "Disney flexes marketing muscle for Hercules". chronicle.augusta.com. http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/062697/fea_hercules1.html. Retrieved on 2009-01-09.
- ^ Gest, Emily (June 10, 1997). "DISNEY'S READY TO ROLL WITH HERCULEAN LABOR". www.nydailynews.com. http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/1997/06/10/1997-06-10_disney_s_ready_to_roll_with_.html. Retrieved on 2009-01-09.
- ^ Byrne, Ciaran; Julia Llewelyn Smith (October 9, 1997). "Greeks put Hercules on trial". The Nation: C6, C8. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=cQkFAAAAIBAJ&sjid=EjIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2055,3065624.
- ^ "Hercules (1997)". Rotten Tomatoes. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1078028-hercules/. Retrieved on 2008-09-25.
- ^ Kempley, Rita (June 27, 1997). "Disney's Hercules: Myth for the Masses". http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/review97/herculeskemp.htm. Retrieved on 2009-01-09.
- ^ "1997 (70th)". awardsdatabase.oscars.org. http://awardsdatabase.oscars.org/ampas_awards/BasicSearch?action=searchLink&displayType=1&BSFromYear=70. Retrieved on 2009-01-09.
- ^ "HFPA Awards Search". www.goldenglobes.org. http://www.goldenglobes.org/browse/film/25917. Retrieved on 2009-01-09.
- ^ "Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA: 1998". www.imdb.com. http://www.imdb.com/Sections/Awards/Academy_of_Science_Fiction_Fantasy_And_Horror_Films_USA/1998. Retrieved on 2009-01-09.
- ^ "Blockbuster Entertainment Awards: 1998". www.imdb.com. http://www.imdb.com/Sections/Awards/Blockbuster_Entertainment_Awards/1998. Retrieved on 2009-01-09.
- ^ "Nineteenth Annual Youth in Film Awards 1996-1997". www.youngartistawards.org. http://www.youngartistawards.org/pastnoms19.htm. Retrieved on 2009-01-09.
External links
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