Jason and the Argonauts

Rating:
Summary: okay kid stuff
Review: yes they did that in 1963 and even before. Ray harryhausen's stop motion is a wonder in itself, but the story is strictly for kids.

Rating:
Summary: The fight against the triviality!
Review: Mircea Eliade defined the triviality as the absence of physical tension in the human being.
If we agree this concept ; then the argonauts represent the fight against the triviality. Notice for instance the greek meaning of Argos: the white ship. And the white color means purification.
The seek of the golden fleece means the search for the triumph of the truth ; since the gold symbolizes spirituality and the fleece innocence ; the circle is completed.
Besides the mission has one last goal: to fight against the dragon and exterminate it ; because the fleece is its prisoner . The dragon symbolizes the perversity ; so if you want to access to the sublimity . you must to kill the dragon.
This movie is a winner. Ray Harryhausen inspired to many film makers , specially a teenager called Steven Spielberg who confessed this confidence to James Lipton in The actor's studio .
The mythical monsters are the magnificient background all along the movie. A film conceived as family entertainment but loaded of smart clues , who teachs us the huge wisdom who lives beneath the underestimated term myth: wrong choice as you know.
Great special effects ; and from all standpoints a cult movie since its release.!

Rating:
Summary: STILL A LOT OF FUN
Review: Having seen this wonderful movie when it was first released, I was wondering how I'd feel about it 40 years later. JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS is probably the best of the many movies Ray Harryhausen created the stop motion effects. From the giant Talos to the horrible harpies; the dreaded Hydra and of course, the skeleton soldiers, these effects are amazing, especially considering that Harryhausen did them all by himself. Director Don Chaffey almost sabotages his film with the overly long and unnecessary dance sequence with Nancy Kovack and sometimes even the special effects sequences are a little drawn out (especially the clashing rocks thing), but overall JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS is still a classy, mesmerizing and enjoyable mythological journey. Todd Armstrong does well as Jason, and there's a lot of Britain's finest character actors in supporting roles: Laurence Naismith, Nigel Green, Honor Blackman, Michael Gwynne and Nial McGinniss to name a few. It's fun and in this CGI unundated world of ours, these amazing creations stand the test of time.

Rating:
Summary: Very Entertaining
Review: Ray Harryhausen is a master and his talents are showcased well in this classic, timeless movie. If you like greek mythology and want to experience it at it's best, you have to see Jason and the Argonauts.

Rating:
Summary: Yes, but where was it?
Review: I've heard plenty about Harryhausen, Talos and the skeletons, and believe me, I love this movie. What I'd really like to know is, where did the scenes featuring the Harpies take place? Where were they filmed? The temple looks like an authentic ruin to me. Perhaps Paestum? Maybe someone could help me out here...

Rating:
Summary: "Rise Up, you dead, slain of the Hydra."
Review: I've reviewed quite a few films featuring the work of special effects artist Ray Harryhausen and found reasons to like them all, but Jason and the Argonauts (1963) features some of his most fantastic effects, and is considered to be one of the greatest fantasy pictures ever made. Would I say it's the greatest? No, but in terms of influencing many, including a majority of special effects artists in the business today, this film is a cinematic landmark, and deserves to be treated as such. Produced by long time Harryhausen collaborator Charles Schneer (The Valley of Gwangi, The Golden Voyage of Sinbad, Clash of the Titans) and directed by Don Chaffey (One Million Years B.C., Pete's Dragon), the film stars Todd Armstrong in his biggest role, but not his voice, as that was dubbed over by Tim Turner, a British actor who did a lot of voice over work on film trailers, including the trailer for this film. Also appearing is Nancy Kovack (The Silencers), and a whole bunch of British actors including Gary Raymond (El Cid), Laurence Naismith (The Valley of Gwangi), Niall MacGinnis (Night of the Demon), Jack Gwillim (Patton), Nigel Green (Countess Dracula), and Honor Blackman (Goldfinger), to name a few.

As this fantasy epic begins, we see the plight of Jason as an infant, his father slain and kingdom usurped, as so the seemingly fickle Gods have decided. Jason grows up, returns to re-take the land and peoples that are rightfully his, only to be sent on a quest, by the Gods (geez, who died and made them Gods? Oh yeah...they ARE Gods), to recover a golden fleece, one that would bring peace and prosperity to the troubled land. Only problem is the fleece is across the world, to where no one has sailed before. To meet this goal, Jason has the finest ship built, and gathers the greatest athletes Greece has to offer, and sets out on a perilous journey that involves dangerous waters, mighty bronze titans, a deadly, multi-headed Hydra, an army of skeleton warriors (can seven really be considered an army? Maybe more like a task force...), and treachery within his own ranks, among other things (as if that wasn't enough). The quest seems an impossible one, but with Jason's determination, the loyalty of his men (the non-treasonous ones, of course), and even a little help from the Gods themselves, he just may be able to survive and return with the treasure to reclaim what is rightfully his, and bring and end to the tyrant reign that has plagued his lands for the past twenty odd years.

Alright, I will say some of the acting isn't all that great (actress Kovack seems to be on some kind of depressant, as her performance is about as deadpan as I've seen), and some of the non-Harryhausen special effects are extremely noticeable (the matte usage in some scenes stands out a lot more than they probably would have liked), but despite these points, this is really a fun and exciting movie. There are elements of the story missing (the 2000 television CGI-laden version starring Jason London was a bit more inclusive in this respect, but lacked the charm, for me at least, of this one), but the makers of this film did manage to cram a lot into its' 104 minute running time, and the capable direction kept the story moving along at a rousing pace, rarely slowing down, and keeping my interest. I did enjoy the sets (especially those on Mount Olympus, and I have to say, Honor Blackman makes for one sexy Goddess, playing Hera, Zeus' wife...hotchie momma!) and the location shots where wonderful, adding a lot to the story. The Argo (the boat that carried Jason and his crew, hence the term `Argonauts') was suitable, although that figurehead of Hera (she was one of the Gods assisting Jason) freaked me out, especially with the opening an closing of its' eyelids. And I can't review this film without mentioning the work of legendary Hollywood composer Bernard Herrmann (Citizen Kane, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Psycho, Taxi Driver)...well, I mentioned him...but seriously, it's pretty rare to find a composer as `in tune' with the material he's working with as Herrmann (think how different Psycho would be without its' frightening score). The best parts of the film, by far, are the stop-motion effects by Harryhausen. What makes his work so good, in my opinion, is not only his eye for meticulous detail (it would often take months to produce a 3 or 4 minute on screen segment of stop-motion work), but also his ability to create the appropriate movements for the characters he was presenting. An example within the context of the film is Talos, the bronze titan, compared to, say, the winged harpies. The character of Talos moved exactly how you would expect a giant made of bronze to move, rigid, lumbering, and generally slow, compared to the very fluid and animated movements of the winged harpies, or even the multi-headed Hydra creature. It's the supposition of how the creatures would move, infused with the created models that set Harryhausen apart from his peers, and made him a legend in his own time, influencing so many others that came after him. It's pretty rare to see stop-motion work in major films nowadays, as it's been replaced with computer generated images (which is probably cheaper and less time consuming, but can often appear just as unrealistic as lesser stop-motion work).

The picture looks pretty good on this DVD, and is available in both widescreen (1.85:1) and full screen pan and scan formats. The audio, Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono, is relatively clear throughout. Special features include subtitles (English, French, and Spanish), the original theatrical trailer, short production notes inside the case, and a lengthy interview with Ray Harryhausen conducted by John Landis, featuring clips, still photos, and even a prop or two from the films.

Cookieman108


Rating:
Summary: Nothing not to like!
Review: Let's be real: you don't watch a film like this for the acting. That's just a vehicle to get to the action. Nobody in this film will ever be mistaken for Meryl Streep or Marlon Brando; that's for sure. The real star of the original Jason is, naturally, Harryhausen's special effects, which still, even in these days of CGI, manage to capture your attention and perhaps even give you a tiny chill or two. Just suspend belief, get into the film and you'll find it's over way too quickly, and that the effects managed to enthrall you whether you were trying to resist or not.
An absolute must-own. If you've never seen this, you're in for a hell of a treat! [...]

Rating:
Summary: He might need brain as well as bronze
Review: Ray Harryhausen (Clash of the Titans, Sinbad collection,) is at his very best in this movie. As a kid growing up I loved Ray Harryhausen collection of movies/stop-motion animation produced movies. It is definitely hard for me to say which movie I liked better between Jason and the Argonauts and Clash of the Titans; both are definitely A movies in my book.

Don Chaffey directs this masterpiece. He is more known for his work in television series. Don Chaffey worked on episodes for Mission Impossible, MacGyver, Airwolf, Fantasy Island, ChiPS, and Charlie's Angels. I cannot say I am a big fan of too much of Chaffey's other works, but he has quit a resume for his time.

The late Todd Armstrong plays Jason, and does a fabulous job. He stands firm at times, then caters to his men at others times. He is no Russell Crowe in Master and Commander, but again, he does a very good job as Jason.

As a whole, just growing up watching this movie, I would claim Jason and the Argonauts to be a must have DVD in your collection. Jason and the Argonauts is also a movie that can be viewed and enjoyed by all ages. I do not know if kids in today's generation can appreciate this genre of movie, as the stop-animation may look too fake to them compared to all today's CGI. Nevertheless, the story is marvelous, and the larger then life characters are a joy to see. Despite today's technologies, I believe it still deserves high praise and a spot in your DVD collection.

Grade: A


Rating:
Summary: The Gods Must Be Crazy!
Review: Well, Zeus and Hera are at it again, playing games with humanity like we're so many chess pieces. This time they pick on Jason, sending him to the ends of the earth in search of the legendary Golden Fleece. Jason must attain a ship, assemble a crew, and journey through the most dangerous adventure of his life, just to make the gods chuckle! Watch as Jason and his argonauts battle the skyscraper-sized Telos! See them defeat the horrid harpies! Thrill to Jason's duel with the seven-headed hydra! Then, just when you think there cannot possibly be more, Jason and his mates are plagued by an army of sword-swinging skeletons! I hope those deities are happy with themselves! Oh well, at least Jason gets the beautiful babe at the end. JATA is one of Ray Harryhausen's greatest achievements. Watch it for yourself. Highly recommended...

Rating:
Summary: Buy the VHS!!!
Review: This film is presented in a cropped widescreen format, though it was an Academy Ratio release. The full-screen version on the flip-side is cropped down from the widescreen version, and shows less on all four sides! The VHS (or the Harryhausen-approved full-frame laserdisc) is currently the most accurately framed version of the film currently on the market. This is symptomatic of the notion that letterboxed is always better (see the DVD of Gus Van Sant's _Elephant_, which at least acknowledges that the full screen version is, in that case, the correct theatrical presentation), but this is letterboxed when it's not supposed to be! My source for this complaint is Video Watchdog, which would never advocate pan and scan, and points out that that's what this DVD *really* is.