"Envoys who come to me in deceit remain in death" - King Aeetes
This is one of those films I saw at young age, and has stayed with me ever since. Jason and the Argonauts is a film I never forgot, which is testament alone to its brilliance. From memorable characters, thrilling set-pieces and fantastic monsters, this is an adventure film that satisfies on all fronts. It is, without doubt, one of my favourite films of all time.
The story begins in Thessaly, where a prophecy from Greek God Zeus (Niall MacGinnis) tells of the triumph of the twisted Pelias (Douglas Wilmer), where he will take the throne of Thessaly by force. However, it is also foretold that the overthrown king's son, Jason, will return to win it back. Spurred on by this knowledge, Pelias raids Thessaly, but is unable to prevent the young Jason being carried to safety. Twenty years later, the now adult Jason (Todd Armstrong) returns to reclaim his kingdom, and plans to inspire the people of Thessaly by retrieving the mythical Golden Fleece from the other side of the world. Jason soon gathers a ship and a crew, and he and the Argonauts set sail on the perilous voyage, encountering monsters and other dangers along the way.
As an adventure story, this is as well paced as you'll ever see. The opening siege of Thessaly is a thrilling introduction to the film, and is possibly the darkest in tone that the film gets. We get a sense of how ruthless Pelias is, as he murders his way to the throne. When the adult Jason appears, the adventure is set into motion with Jason conversing with the Gods, where he declares a series of games to find the best men to join his crew. Once the Argo sets off, it's one brilliant set-piece to the next, but still leaving plenty of time to get to know the characters further. The final moments, where the Argonauts are attempting to escape with the golden fleece, is one the standout action sequences in the history of cinema. We go from Jason retrieving the Fleece from the clutches of a ferocious seven-headed Hydra, to the Argonauts duelling a resurrected group of skeletons, which makes for a pulsating conclusion.
The most memorable aspect of the film is the special effects by Ray Harryhausen. Stop-motion effects had been popularised in films such as King Kong (1933), but never had there been such technically impressive use of them until Jason and the Argonauts. All the mythical creatures the Argonauts encounter are brought to life via this technique, and the results make for a brilliant collection of adversaries. From the towering bronze giant Talos to the menacing Harpies, each monster is totally unique and used to their full potential. My personal favourite is Talos, who stood out to me the most when first saw the film. I was so impressed with how tall he appeared and how threatening he was, that I regard him as one of the best giant movie monsters ever.
As well as the monsters, the characters are also great. Todd Armstrong is very likeable as Jason, even with his voice woodenly dubbed. The other Argonauts each have a strong presence, particularly the headstrong Hercules (Nigel Green) and the backstabbing Acastus (Gary Raymond). Jason's love interest, Medea (Nancy Kovack), comes late in the film, but she at least gets plenty to do and plays a pivotal role in ensuring the success of the mission. Co-starring is Bond-girl Honor Blackman as Hera, Queen of the Gods. She and Zeus (Niall McGinnis) make a good pairing, and give surprisingly natural performances for such powerful characters.
To conclude, Jason and the Argonauts is a must-see for fans of adventure cinema. Featuring a strong cast and characters, memorable monsters and limitless imagination, it ticks all the right boxes. It still stands up well today because the story is told so well, and I think this is a film that almost anyone can enjoy. It was one of my favourite films as a child, and repeated viewings has only further endeared it to me. I can't recommend it highly enough!
Pros:
+ Perfect pacing, with plenty of time for developing characters alongside the action.
+ Solid performances and very likeable characters.
+ The show stealing special effects, which are still very impressive today.
+ The final fight with the skeletons. One of the most unforgettable scenes in cinema history.
Cons:
- The dubbing of Todd Armstrong as Jason is wooden, but at least not enough to not like the character.
As an adventure story, this is as well paced as you'll ever see. The opening siege of Thessaly is a thrilling introduction to the film, and is possibly the darkest in tone that the film gets. We get a sense of how ruthless Pelias is, as he murders his way to the throne. When the adult Jason appears, the adventure is set into motion with Jason conversing with the Gods, where he declares a series of games to find the best men to join his crew. Once the Argo sets off, it's one brilliant set-piece to the next, but still leaving plenty of time to get to know the characters further. The final moments, where the Argonauts are attempting to escape with the golden fleece, is one the standout action sequences in the history of cinema. We go from Jason retrieving the Fleece from the clutches of a ferocious seven-headed Hydra, to the Argonauts duelling a resurrected group of skeletons, which makes for a pulsating conclusion.
The most memorable aspect of the film is the special effects by Ray Harryhausen. Stop-motion effects had been popularised in films such as King Kong (1933), but never had there been such technically impressive use of them until Jason and the Argonauts. All the mythical creatures the Argonauts encounter are brought to life via this technique, and the results make for a brilliant collection of adversaries. From the towering bronze giant Talos to the menacing Harpies, each monster is totally unique and used to their full potential. My personal favourite is Talos, who stood out to me the most when first saw the film. I was so impressed with how tall he appeared and how threatening he was, that I regard him as one of the best giant movie monsters ever.
As well as the monsters, the characters are also great. Todd Armstrong is very likeable as Jason, even with his voice woodenly dubbed. The other Argonauts each have a strong presence, particularly the headstrong Hercules (Nigel Green) and the backstabbing Acastus (Gary Raymond). Jason's love interest, Medea (Nancy Kovack), comes late in the film, but she at least gets plenty to do and plays a pivotal role in ensuring the success of the mission. Co-starring is Bond-girl Honor Blackman as Hera, Queen of the Gods. She and Zeus (Niall McGinnis) make a good pairing, and give surprisingly natural performances for such powerful characters.
To conclude, Jason and the Argonauts is a must-see for fans of adventure cinema. Featuring a strong cast and characters, memorable monsters and limitless imagination, it ticks all the right boxes. It still stands up well today because the story is told so well, and I think this is a film that almost anyone can enjoy. It was one of my favourite films as a child, and repeated viewings has only further endeared it to me. I can't recommend it highly enough!
Pros:
+ Perfect pacing, with plenty of time for developing characters alongside the action.
+ Solid performances and very likeable characters.
+ The show stealing special effects, which are still very impressive today.
+ The final fight with the skeletons. One of the most unforgettable scenes in cinema history.
Cons:
- The dubbing of Todd Armstrong as Jason is wooden, but at least not enough to not like the character.
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