{"id":44388,"date":"2019-08-06T19:14:20","date_gmt":"2019-08-07T02:14:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=44388"},"modified":"2024-01-14T23:20:26","modified_gmt":"2024-01-15T06:20:26","slug":"jason-and-the-argonauts-1963","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=44388","title":{"rendered":"Jason and the Argonauts (1963)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;The gods want their entertainment.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-the-Argonauts-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-the-Argonauts-Poster-195x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"195\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-44391\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-the-Argonauts-Poster-195x300.jpg 195w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-the-Argonauts-Poster-83x128.jpg 83w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-the-Argonauts-Poster.jpg 651w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 195px) 100vw, 195px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nIn ancient Greece, Jason (Todd Armstrong) gathers together a group of strong and talented &#8220;argonauts&#8221; &#8212; including Hercules (Nigel Green) &#8212; to accompany him on a quest for a &#8220;golden fleece&#8221;, and eventually falls in love with the sorceress Medea (Nancy Kovack). Along the way he&#8217;s aided by Queen Hera (Honor Blackman), who quibbles with her husband, Zeus (Niall MacGinnis), up on Mount Olympus.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Ancient Greece and Rome<\/li>\n<li>At Sea<\/li>\n<li>Fantasy<\/li>\n<li>Niall MacGinnis Films<\/li>\n<li>Ray Harryhausen Films<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Response to Peary\u2019s Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nPeary writes that &#8220;Ray Harryhausen&#8217;s spectacular special effects highlight this marvelous fantasy-adventure&#8221;, directed &#8220;by Don Chaffey with equal amounts of wit and excitement&#8221; and &#8220;beautifully filmed by Wilkie Cooper&#8221; with &#8220;the mysterious blue ocean, white sandy beaches, and strange rock formations found around Palinuro, Italy and the actual Greek temples found in Paestrum&#8221; giving &#8220;the picture historical authenticity&#8221; &#8212; and &#8220;Bernard Herrmann&#8217;s score giv[ing] grandeur to the production.&#8221; Peary writes that &#8220;Beverly Cross&#8217;s imaginative, literate script keeps the story on a high intellectual plane so that it will appeal to adults as well as kids&#8221;: this &#8220;film is about the decision by Man, as represented by Jason:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-the-Argonauts-Jason.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-the-Argonauts-Jason.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1545\" height=\"923\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-56857\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-the-Argonauts-Jason.png 1545w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-the-Argonauts-Jason-300x179.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-the-Argonauts-Jason-1024x612.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-the-Argonauts-Jason-128x76.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-the-Argonauts-Jason-768x459.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-the-Argonauts-Jason-1536x918.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-the-Argonauts-Jason-452x270.png 452w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1545px) 100vw, 1545px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; to choose his own life&#8217;s course, to challenge the gods&#8217; unfair laws, to no longer be frightened by the gods into blind obedience&#8221; &#8212; with some amusingly droll &#8220;marital squabbles between MacGinnis and Blackman&#8221; sprinkled throughout for levity. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-the-Argonauts-Marital2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-the-Argonauts-Marital2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"720\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-56851\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-the-Argonauts-Marital2.png 1200w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-the-Argonauts-Marital2-300x180.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-the-Argonauts-Marital2-1024x614.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-the-Argonauts-Marital2-128x77.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-the-Argonauts-Marital2-768x461.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-the-Argonauts-Marital2-450x270.png 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>However, at the front and center of this story &#8212; naturally &#8212; are Harryhausen&#8217;s special effects. Peary writes that &#8220;it&#8217;s just amazing how believable the movements of his creatures are&#8221;, and gives kudos to the excellent &#8220;composite photography&#8221;. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-the-Argonauts-Composite.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-the-Argonauts-Composite.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"720\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-56852\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-the-Argonauts-Composite.png 1200w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-the-Argonauts-Composite-300x180.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-the-Argonauts-Composite-1024x614.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-the-Argonauts-Composite-128x77.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-the-Argonauts-Composite-768x461.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-the-Argonauts-Composite-450x270.png 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>He calls out his own favorite moments as &#8220;the &#8216;Clashing Rocks&#8217; sequence when huge bearded Triton, his fishtail flopping in the ocean, emerges from the water, holds the mountains apart, and watches the <em>Argo<\/em> sail under his arm:&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-Sea-God-1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-Sea-God-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"720\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-56847\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-Sea-God-1.png 1200w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-Sea-God-1-300x180.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-Sea-God-1-1024x614.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-Sea-God-1-128x77.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-Sea-God-1-768x461.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-Sea-God-1-450x270.png 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;And, of course, the truly stupendous climactic swordfighting-skeletons sequence &#8212; Harryhausen&#8217;s ultimate achievement.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-Skeletons-1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-Skeletons-1-1024x614.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"384\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-56848\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-Skeletons-1-1024x614.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-Skeletons-1-300x180.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-Skeletons-1-128x77.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-Skeletons-1-768x461.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-Skeletons-1-450x270.png 450w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-Skeletons-1.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I can&#8217;t disagree with either of these choices, though I would add in how thrilling it is to watch the giant statue of Talos coming to life:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-Argonauts-Talos2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-Argonauts-Talos2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"720\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-56853\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-Argonauts-Talos2.png 1200w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-Argonauts-Talos2-300x180.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-Argonauts-Talos2-1024x614.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-Argonauts-Talos2-128x77.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-Argonauts-Talos2-768x461.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-Argonauts-Talos2-450x270.png 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; and to see the gruesome harpies relentlessly plaguing blind Phineus (Patrick Troughton) finally caught and caged. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-the-Argonauts-Harpies-Caged.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-the-Argonauts-Harpies-Caged.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"720\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-56854\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-the-Argonauts-Harpies-Caged.png 1200w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-the-Argonauts-Harpies-Caged-300x180.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-the-Argonauts-Harpies-Caged-1024x614.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-the-Argonauts-Harpies-Caged-128x77.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-the-Argonauts-Harpies-Caged-768x461.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-and-the-Argonauts-Harpies-Caged-450x270.png 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The amusing quibbling and game-playing between Hera and Zeus<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-Hera-1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-Hera-1-1024x614.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"384\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-56846\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-Hera-1-1024x614.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-Hera-1-300x180.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-Hera-1-128x77.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-Hera-1-768x461.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-Hera-1-450x270.png 450w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-Hera-1.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Many memorable special effects and stop-motion sequences<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-Talos-1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-Talos-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"720\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-56849\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-Talos-1.png 1200w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-Talos-1-300x180.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-Talos-1-1024x614.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-Talos-1-128x77.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-Talos-1-768x461.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Jason-Talos-1-450x270.png 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Bernard Herrmann&#8217;s score <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes, as an enjoyable Harryhausen outing with some truly impressive special effects. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Cult Movie<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0057197\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/4655\/jason-and-the-argonauts#articles-reviews?articleId=28075\">TCM Article<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.moriareviews.com\/fantasy\/jason-and-the-argonauts-1963.htm\">Moria Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s3245jaso.html\">DVD Savant Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thespinningimage.co.uk\/cultfilms\/displaycultfilm.asp?reviewid=81&#038;aff=13\">Spinning Image Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/llMNyB-vJhk\">Tired Old Queen at the Movies Video Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;The gods want their entertainment.&#8221; Synopsis: In ancient Greece, Jason (Todd Armstrong) gathers together a group of strong and talented &#8220;argonauts&#8221; &#8212; including Hercules (Nigel Green) &#8212; to accompany him on a quest for a &#8220;golden fleece&#8221;, and eventually falls in love with the sorceress Medea (Nancy Kovack). Along the way he&#8217;s aided by Queen Hera (Honor Blackman), who quibbles with her husband, Zeus (Niall MacGinnis), up on Mount Olympus. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Ancient Greece and Rome At&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=44388\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-44388","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-responses-to-peary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44388","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=44388"}],"version-history":[{"count":20,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44388\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":95001,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44388\/revisions\/95001"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=44388"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=44388"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=44388"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}