Sunday, April 13, 2025

Harryhausen

 

 
 (alamy.com)

JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS-1963-Jason (Todd Armstrong) and his men set out on the Argo and have many wild adventures in this super great adaptation from mythology. They encounter a giant animated statue, harpies, a talking masthead, Triton and the sorceress Medea (Nancy Kovack) while in search of the golden fleece. After being betrayed by Acastus (Gary Raymond), Medea helps them. Jason kills the multi-headed Hydra and secures the fleece. In the best part skeleton warriors created from the Hydra's teeth battle the group. All the time, Zeus (Niall MacGinnis) & Hera (Honor Blackman) watch from Olympus. Argonauts include Nigel Greene as Hercules, Lawrence Naismith and uncredited John Crawford. Patrick Troughton is the blind prophet, Phineus. 

English director Don Chaffrey had worked a lot in TV but later made ONE MILLION YEARS B.C. (1966) and CREATURES THAT TIME FORGOT (1971). He later worked in American TV and stuff like PETE'S DRAGON (1977) and C.H.O.M.P.S.(1979). His direction here is good but the main attraction is the fantastic stop animation creatures created by the legendary Ray Harryhausen (also a co-producer). Bernard Herrmann did the soundtrack. It was a critical success but a box office disappointment.

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