While I have been buying and collecting dvds for some ten years now (collection around 2500-3000 titles) I have seen those purchases dwindle and wane to almost just a few a year now. I blame the convenience of Netflix and my resurgence in gaming with my Xbox 360 as the main cause for my slacking off in the dvd collecting. While I still see myself collecting dvds and, most likely, moving onto blue-rays, I have seen why people love their Netflix accounts so much. Last night I was able to combine my love for my Netflix and my Xbox 360 and feed my need to always be watching a film. Using Netflix Instant I was able to watch streaming over my Xbox 360 one of the classic fantasy films ever made.
The film I speak of is the 1963 classic fantasy meets Greek mythology simply called Jason and the Argonauts. It is one of those films which has stood the test of time. I know of no film lover who hasn’t seen this at least once. It’s beloved and admired by millions of people of different generations for its simplicity and for the work of one man whose name overshadows everyone on the film from the director to the actors. This was the film which established for eternity the genius and imaginative creative of special effects guru Ray Harryhausen.
Jason and the Argonauts takes one of the more popular Greek myths about a son looking to re-take his father’s kingdom from a usurper but in the process goes through a journey that pits him against monsters, betrayers and the Gods themselves. The titular character and his crew must travel to the fabled island of Colchis at the edge of the world to find the legendary Golden Fleece purported to have magical properties of healing and even to grant peace throughout the land. I say that’s a piece of item worth fighting off a giant bronze warrior statue, screeching harpies, tempermental seaside cliffs and up to a many-headed hydra and skeleton warriors spawned from it’s teeth.
The acting is typical of most fantasy films of the 60’s and that’s they’re all bombastic, full of vigor and turns even the most simple dialogue into pronouncements of epic deeds to be done. Todd Armstrong leads a cast of British actors including such luminaries of their era like Nigel Green, Nancy Kovack, Honor Blackman and Douglas Wilmer. While the acting may seem quaint by today’s standards I still believe it’s what gives the film it’s timeless energy and quality. It makes the film flow like an epic poem that gave birth to it’s source material to begin with.
But what really makes this film stand out years after years and decade after decade since it’s release is the stop-motion animation effects created by the king of stop-motion effects himself, Ray Harryhausen. To say that the quieter moments where characters interact with each other almost feel like fillers to move the story along until it reaches one of several action sequences featuring Harryhausen’s work. It doesn’t diminish the work done by the actors or the efficient direction by filmmaker Don Chaffey. It just means that Harryhausen’s stop-motion work were so impressive that the audience just wants to see what new magic he has up next.
The climactic fight between Jason and his men versus skeleton warriors born from the teeth of a slain hydra (a stop-motion sequence which was in itself quite impressive) still goes down as one of the most impressive feats of filmmaking married with special effects today. There’s something to be admired about a four and a half minute action sequence where Harryhausen spent 4 months of meticulous frame-by-frame work to make the skeletal opponents come to life. There’s a reason why so many special effects magicians since then have pointed to this scene as one of their favorites and one reason why they got into the FX work to begin with.
Jason and the Argonauts may not have the technical wizardry of today’s fantasy epics and films with their million-dollar budgets spent on CGI-effects. It may not have the seriousness that today’s fantasy films have taken to heart (losing some of the fun, innocence of what makes fantasy films so great). What it does have is great storytelling which harkens back to a more innocent, hopeful and simple time. It also has the finest work of one of film history’s master magicians in Ray Harryhausen and that, in the end, is what makes this film of the the greatest of its kind and one every kid should be introduced to.
Through the Shattered Lens 
I’m happy that you have featured this film, and provided such an excellent review. I just watched this about 2 weeks ago, so it is fresh in my mind. Everything you express is accurate.
Harryhausen was and is the man. The skeleton scene is so much fun, and just incredible. And all the other action scenes are, as well. Harryhausen’s painstaking patience and attention to detail yielded astounding results. He accounts for subtle, incidental movements, like a writhing tip of a tail or ripping muscle, making these gentilities seem truly alive.
I was surprised to learn that some of the dialogue from the main character, including Jason, was dubbed. Obviously, it was for voice preference as opposed to language translation. That would be unlikely for a modern film, but underscores the era from which this film hails. The director perhaps wanted a more “epic” or heroic voice quality.
The script is pretty good in this film. It moves the story along efficiently but thoroughly. That, along with the direction and acting style help create that fun atmosphere that you referenced as being diminished in more recent fantasy films.
But there is no doubt about it – the real stars and best parts of this film are Harryhausen’s creations. His scenes have a surreal and compelling quality that make them much more interesting than CGI scenes. This was true art from a master artist. And it, along with the other things you pointed out, makes this a really fun experience.
“Everybody thinks that ‘Citizen Kane’ was the greatest movie ever made. But if you were young in 1963, you know the real answer is: ‘Jason and the Argonauts.'” ~ Tom Hanks
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Outside of the skeleton warrior sequence my other favorite Harryhausen work in this film was the Statue of Talos right after Jason and his crew leaves for Colchis.
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Yes, that is really cool. From the creaking metal sounds to the perfect pace and range of its movements, it really looks like you are witnessing a 250 foot megaton living statue.
I also recently watched “20 Million Tears To Earth”; black and white from 1957. Harryhausen’s Venusian lizard-man is as alive as everyone else in the film.
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Correction – That was supposed to be “20 Million MILES To Earth”, not “Tears”(?) or even Years”, for that matter. Sorry.
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It’s funny — I think every male film fan that I’ve met or talked to has, at some point, cited this film as a personal favorite.
I’ve never actually seen the entire film though I’ve certainly seen the famous skeleton fight. I don’t know how many compilations have included that clip but it’s got to be over a thousand. If nothing else, those few minutes of rampaging skeletons are a lot more fun and convincing than 2 hours of Clash of the Titians.
(As a side note, I’ve also seen the monster from 20 Million Miles to Earth as well and I have to agree with KO, it looks far more alive than most “modern” alien invaders.)
I went through my “mythology” phase when I was a kid and I always liked the story of Jason for some reason. Of course, once I hit college, my sympathy shifted over to Medea. And now, I just want to see the original film. 🙂
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I’m glad this has brought up the urge to watch the original. I will say that the women who acted in the 50’s and 60’s always seemed to ooze glamour and sensuality by just being on-screen. Nancy Kovack as Medea sure sizzled once she appears halfway through “Jason”.
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