View source for Jason and the Argonauts (1963 film)

{{short description|1963 film by Don Chaffey}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Jason and the Argonauts
| image          = Jason and the argounauts.jpg
| caption        = Theatrical release poster by [[Howard Terpning]]
| director       = [[Don Chaffey]]
| producer       = [[Charles H. Schneer]]
| writer         = [[Beverley Cross]]<br>Jan Read
| based_on       = {{based on|''[[Argonautica|The Argonautica]]''|[[Apollonius Rhodius]]}}
| starring       = {{Plainlist|
* [[Todd Armstrong]]
* [[Nancy Kovack]]
* [[Gary Raymond]]
* [[Laurence Naismith]]
}}
| music          = [[Bernard Herrmann]]
| cinematography = [[Wilkie Cooper]]
| editing        = [[Maurice Rootes]]
| studio         = Morningside Productions
| distributor    = [[Columbia Pictures]]
| released       = {{Film date|1963|06|13}}
| runtime        = 104 minutes
| country        = United States<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6ad81e00|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160817102959/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6ad81e00|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 17, 2016|title=Jason and the Argonauts (1963)|access-date=16 March 2018}}</ref><br>United Kingdom<ref>{{cite book|last=Clayton|first=Wickham|date=2015|title=Style and Form in the Hollywood Slasher Film|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MmPeCgAAQBAJ&q=Jason+and+the+Argonauts+1963+UK+USA&pg=PT160|location=[[Basingstoke]], [[Hampshire]]|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|isbn=978-1-137-49646-1}}</ref>
| language       = English
| budget         = $3 million<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2003/dec/20/featuresreviews.guardianreview16|title=Ray Harryhausen on making Jason and the Argonauts|first=Ray|last=Harryhausen|date=20 December 2003|website=the Guardian|access-date=16 March 2018}}</ref>
| gross          = $2.1 million (rentals)<ref>"Top Rental Features of 1963", ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'', 8 January 1964, p. 71.</ref>
}}
'''''Jason and the Argonauts''''' ([[working title]]: ''Jason and the Golden Fleece'') is a 1963 [[epic film|epic]] [[fantasy film|fantasy]] [[adventure film]] loosely based on the 3rd century BC Greek epic poem ''[[Argonautica|The Argonautica]]'' by [[Apollonius Rhodius]]. Distributed by [[Columbia Pictures]], it was produced by [[Charles H. Schneer]], directed by [[Don Chaffey]], and stars [[Todd Armstrong]], [[Nancy Kovack]], [[Gary Raymond]], and [[Laurence Naismith]].

Shot in [[Eastman Color]], the film was made in collaboration with [[Stop motion|stop-motion animation]] [[visual effects]] artist [[Ray Harryhausen]] and is known for its various [[legendary creature]]s, notably the iconic fight scene featuring seven skeleton warriors. Although it was a box office disappointment during its initial release, the film was critically acclaimed and later considered a classic.

The film score was composed by [[Bernard Herrmann]], who had partnered with Harryhausen on ''[[The 7th Voyage of Sinbad]]'' (1958), ''[[The 3 Worlds of Gulliver]]'' (1960) and ''[[Mysterious Island (1961 film)|Mysterious Island]]'' (1961).

==Plot==
[[Pelias]] usurps the throne of [[Thessaly]], killing [[Aeson|King Aristo]]. A prophecy states that one of Aristo's children will avenge him. Aristo's infant son [[Jason]] is spirited away by a soldier. Pelias slays one of Aristo's daughters after she seeks sanctuary in the temple of the goddess [[Hera]]. Because the murder has profaned her temple, Hera becomes Jason's protector. She warns Pelias to beware of "a one-[[sandal]]ed man".

Twenty years later, Jason saves Pelias from drowning, an "accident" orchestrated by Hera, losing his sandal in the process. Pelias recognizes his enemy. Jason intends to seek the legendary [[Golden Fleece]] to rally support against Pelias, not realizing that he just saved the man. The king, hoping Jason will die on the quest, encourages him to set forth.

[[Hermes]] takes Jason to [[Mount Olympus]] to speak with [[Zeus]] and Hera. Zeus decrees that Hera can help him only five times, the same number of times that Jason's murdered sister called on her for protection. She directs him to search for the Fleece in the land of [[Colchis]]. Zeus offers aid, but Jason declines.

He sets out to build a ship and recruit a crew. Men from all over [[Ancient Greece|Greece]] compete for the honor of joining his quest. Because their ship is named the ''[[Argo]]'' after its builder, [[Argus (son of Arestor)|Argus]], the crew are dubbed the [[Argonauts]]. Among them are [[Hercules]] and [[Hylas]], as well as [[Acastus]], who was secretly sent by his father Pelias to sabotage the voyage.

When Jason runs low on supplies, Hera guides him to the Isle of Bronze, warning him to take nothing but provisions. However, Hercules steals a brooch pin the size of a javelin from a building filled with treasure and surmounted by a gigantic bronze statue of [[Talos]]. The statue comes to life and attacks the Argonauts. Jason again turns to Hera, who tells him to open a large plug at the back of Talos's heel to release its [[ichor]]. When Jason does so, Talos topples, crushing Hylas and hiding his body. Hercules refuses to leave until he ascertains the fate of his friend. The other Argonauts are unwilling to abandon Hercules, so Jason calls upon Hera again. She informs them that Hylas is dead and that Zeus has other plans for Hercules.
[[File:Jason and the Argonauts (1963) Hydra fight.png|thumb|right|Jason battles the [[Lernaean Hydra|Hydra]].]]
She directs Jason to seek [[Phineus]], who has been blinded and is tormented by [[Harpy|Harpies]] for misusing Zeus's gift of prophecy. After the Argonauts capture and cage the Harpies, Phineus tells them how to reach Colchis, by sailing between the [[Symplegades|Clashing Rocks]]. He also gives Jason an amulet of the sea god [[Triton (mythology)|Triton]]. The Argonauts see another ship trying to pass through the other way; it is crushed when the Clashing Rocks smash together. When the Argonauts try to row through, they appear to be doomed too. In despair, Jason throws Phineus's amulet into the water, whereupon Triton rises from the water and holds the rocks apart for the ''Argo'' to pass. The Argonauts rescue several survivors from the other ship, including [[Medea]], the high priestess of Colchis.

Finally nearing Colchis, Acastus challenges Jason's authority and fights him. Disarmed, Acastus jumps into the sea and disappears. Jason and his men accept an invitation from King [[Aeëtes]] to a feast. Unknown to them, Acastus has warned Aeëtes of Jason's quest. Aeëtes has the unwary Argonauts imprisoned, but Medea, having fallen in love with Jason, helps him and his men escape.

Acastus tries to steal the Fleece first, but is fatally wounded by its guardian, the [[Lernaean Hydra|Hydra]]. Jason kills the beast and takes the Fleece. Aeëtes' men wound Medea with an arrow, but Jason heals her with the Fleece. Aeëtes then sows the Hydra's teeth and prays to the goddess [[Hecate]]. Seven armed [[Skeleton (undead)|skeletons]], the "[[Dragon's teeth (mythology)|children of the Hydra's teeth]]", emerge from the ground. Jason, [[Phalerus (Argonaut)|Phalerus]] and [[Castor and Pollux|Castor]] hold them off, while Medea and Argus flee with the Fleece. After a prolonged battle, in which his companions are killed, Jason escapes by jumping into the sea and swims to the ''Argo''.<ref>It took Ray Harryhausen well over three months to animate the [[Skeleton (undead)|skeleton]] sequence.</ref> The Argonauts sail home. On Olympus, Zeus tells Hera that he is not done with Jason.

==Cast==
{{castlist|
* [[Todd Armstrong]] as [[Jason]] (dubbed by [[Tim Turner]], uncredited)
* [[Nancy Kovack]] as [[Medea]] (dubbed by Eva Haddon, uncredited)
* [[Gary Raymond]] as [[Acastus]]
* [[Laurence Naismith]] as [[Argus (son of Arestor)|Argus]]
* [[Niall MacGinnis]] as [[Zeus]]
* [[Michael Gwynn]] as [[Hermes]]/priest
* [[Douglas Wilmer]] as [[Pelias]]
* [[Jack Gwillim]] as [[Aeëtes|King Aeëtes]]
* [[Honor Blackman]] as [[Hera]]
* [[John Cairney]] as [[Hylas]]
* [[Patrick Troughton]] as [[Phineus]]
* [[Andrew Faulds]] as [[Phalerus]]
* [[Nigel Green]] as [[Hercules]]
* [[John Crawford (actor)|John Crawford]] as [[Castor and Pollux|Polydeuces]] (uncredited)
* [[Ferdinando Poggi]] as [[Castor and Pollux|Castor]] (uncredited)
* Bill Gudgeon as [[Triton (mythology)|Triton]] (uncredited)
* Doug Robinson as [[Euphemus|Eupaemus]] (uncredited) 
* Davina Taylor as [[Briseis]] (uncredited)
* Aldo Cristiani as [[Lynceus of Messenia|Lynceus]] (uncredited)
}}

==Production==
===Film score===
The film is one of the mythically themed fantasies scored by [[Bernard Herrmann]]. Apart from being the composer's fourth collaboration with [[Ray Harryhausen]] (''[[The 7th Voyage of Sinbad]]'', ''[[The 3 Worlds of Gulliver]]'', and ''[[Mysterious Island (1961 film)|Mysterious Island]]'', made in 1958, 1960, and 1961 respectively), Herrmann also collaborated with [[Alfred Hitchcock]], worked on ''[[Citizen Kane]]'' (1941), and scored the [[science fiction film]]s ''[[The Day the Earth Stood Still]]'' (1951) and ''[[Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959 film)|Journey to the Center of the Earth]]'' (1959).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmovie.com/artist/bernard-herrmann-p94132|title=Bernard Herrmann &#124; Biography, Movie Highlights and Photos|website=AllMovie}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba0b03e8c|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160213154810/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba0b03e8c|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 13, 2016|title=Bernard Herrmann|website=BFI}}</ref>

Contrasting with Herrmann's all-string score for ''[[Psycho (1960 film)|Psycho]]'', the film's soundtrack was made without a string section. This leaves the brass and percussion to perform the heroic fanfares, and the woodwinds along with additional instruments (such as the harp) to dominate in the more subtle and romantic parts.

In 1995, Intrada released a re-recording of the original score. The new version was conducted by American composer/conductor [[Bruce Broughton]], and performed by the Sinfonia of London.

===Differences from classical mythology===
[[File:Building Argo BM TerrD603.jpg|thumb|Athena helps build the [[Argo]], Roman moulded [[terracotta]] plaque, first century AD]]
The film differs in some ways from the traditional telling in [[Greek mythology]]:
* Pelias does not kill his half-brother, King Aristo (Aeson),<ref>Both shared a common mother, the beautiful [[Tyro]]; King Aristo's father was [[Cretheus]], the lawful husband of Tyro and [[Pelias]]' father was the god [[Poseidon]].</ref> but instead had him imprisoned. Eventually, it is Medea, and not Jason, who kills Pelias; she demonstrates to Pelias' daughters that she can rejuvenate an old ram<ref>In some accounts, it is King Aristo ([[Aeson]]) who [[Medea]] rejuvenates.</ref> into a young one by killing, chopping and boiling it in a pot. She promises to do the same for Pelias, so his daughters kill and chop him. However, Medea breaks her word and Pelias remains dead.
* Hera does not attempt to kill Pelias herself by drowning him in the river [[Anavros]]. Instead, in order to prove Jason's virtuous heart to Zeus, she disguises herself as an old woman unable to cross on her own. Jason, feeling sympathy for the lady, ferries her across on his back but loses a sandal into its depths.
* In [[myth]]ology, the Argonauts encountered [[Talos]] on their return journey after they had obtained the [[Golden Fleece]]. He was defeated not by Jason, but by Medea casting a spell on Talos, causing him to remove the bronze nail from his ankle which kept the ichor inside. The mythological Talos guarded Crete, not the "Isle of Bronze", and was protecting not a treasure, but [[Europa (consort of Zeus)|Queen Europa]].
* In the film, Hylas was killed when the crumbling remains of Talos crushed him. However, in mythology, Hylas was actually kidnapped by a [[naiad]] who fell in love with him as he took a drink from a spring. When Hercules could not find him, he believed him to still be alive, and stayed behind on the island to look for him (as in the film).
* The harpies were not caught in a net or caged, but were chased away by the [[Boreads]]: Calaïs and Zetes (also Zethes)<ref>''[[Argonautica]]'', book II; [[Ovid]] XIII, 710; [[Virgil]] III, 211, 245</ref>
* In the film, the god [[Triton (mythology)|Triton]] saved the ''Argo'' from destruction passing through the [[Symplegades|Clashing Rocks]]: however; according to [[Apollonius of Rhodes]], Phineus instructed Jason to release a dove and if the bird makes it through, row with all their might and the goddess [[Athena]] provided the extra push to the ship needed to clear them; "the Argo darted from the rocks like a flying arrow". Another source is [[Homer]]'s ''[[Odyssey]]'', in which [[Circe]] tells [[Odysseus]]: "One ship alone, one deep-sea craft sailed clear, the Argo, sung by the world, when heading home from Aeëtes shores. And she would have crashed against those giant rocks and sunk at once if Hera, for her love of Jason, had not sped her through."<ref>The [[Odyssey]], Book XII, 80</ref>
* Jason was not betrayed by Acastus in the classical tale. Jason openly told King Aeëtes that he had come for the Fleece. The king promised Jason could have it if he performed three tasks, knowing full well they were impossible. However, Jason was able to complete the tasks with the help of Medea. It was not the [[Lernaean Hydra|Hydra]] that protected the Fleece, but rather a [[dragon]]. Jason did not slay it, but instead, Medea cast a spell on it, causing it to fall asleep. Jason sowed the dragon's teeth into the ground, not Aeëtes. Jason defeated the "dragon's offspring" (the [[Dragon's teeth (mythology)|spartoi]]) by making them fight amongst themselves and destroy each other, rather than battling them with his colleagues.
* The Children of the Hydra's Teeth were rotten corpses in the original legend, but because of the heavy censorship at the time the film was made, they were made as skeletons instead.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMLMi-zQvL4&t=1376s Tim Burton Sits Down With Ray Harryhausen]</ref>
* One of the two Argonauts killed by the [[Skeleton (undead)|skeletons]] is [[Castor and Pollux|Castor]], who in Greek mythology would perish much later as the result of a feud with [[Idas (son of Aphareus)|Idas]] and [[Lynceus (son of Aphareus)|Lynceus]]. The other is [[Phalerus]], who in mythology would also survive the adventures of the Argonauts.
* The film ultimately omits the story of Medea killing and butchering her own brother, [[Absyrtus]], to help Jason and the Argonauts escape;<ref>In an interview with John Landis, John said "I noticed you left out [[Medea]]"; Ray responded "We had to"</ref> and also the episodes with [[Cyzicus]], the Gegeines and the Argonauts' stay on the isle of [[Lemnos]].

==Reception==
The film had its world premiere on June 13, 1963, at the Texas Theatre in [[San Antonio, Texas]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Travel Knits Go Everywhere|work=San Antonio Express and News|date=June 2, 1963|page=82}}</ref> It saw a same-day release [[Wichita Falls]], [[Texas]],<ref>{{cite news|title=Last 2 Days|work=Wichita Falls Times|date=June 11, 1963|page=14}}</ref> [[Honolulu]], [[Hawaii]],<ref>{{cite news|title='Sword, Sandal' Spectacles Due This Week|work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin|date=June 11, 1963|page=30}}</ref> and [[Fort Worth, Texas]].<ref>{{cite news|title=On June 13... the Mighty Ones Take Over Texas!|work=Fort Worth Star-Telegram|date=June 12, 1963|page=C-5}}</ref>

===Critical response===
The film received critical acclaim and is now considered a classic. On [[review aggregator]] [[Rotten Tomatoes]], the film holds an approval rating of 89% based on 45 reviews, with an average rating of 7.5/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Don Chaffey's ''Jason and the Argonauts'' is an outlandish, transportive piece of nostalgia whose real star is the masterful stop-motion animation work of Ray Harryhausen."<ref>{{cite web |title=''Jason and the Argonauts'' (1963) |url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1010939-jason_and_the_argonauts/ |work=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |publisher=[[Fandango Media]] |access-date= 13 July 2022 }}</ref> On [[Metacritic]], the film received a score of 69 based on 10 reviews.<ref>{{cite web|title=''Jason and the Argonauts'' (1963)|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/jason-and-the-argonauts|website=[[Metacritic]]|access-date=13 July 2022}}</ref>

''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' magazine wrote: "The $3 million film has a workable scenario and has been directed resourcefully and spiritedly by Don Chaffey, under whose leadership a colorful cast performs with zeal."<ref>{{cite web |date=1 January 1963 |author=Variety Staff |title=Jason and the Argonauts |url=https://variety.com/1962/film/reviews/jason-and-the-argonauts-1200420388/ |website=Variety }}</ref>

Ray Harryhausen regarded the film as his best.<ref name="Columbia">''Jason and the Argonauts''. Culver City: Columbia TriStar Home Video, 1998.</ref><ref>[http://www.rayharryhausen.com/bio.main.html Ray Harryhausen bio] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071130050519/http://www.rayharryhausen.com/bio.main.html |date=2007-11-30}}. ''rayharryhaussen.com''</ref> Previous Harryhausen films had been generally shown as part of [[double feature]]s in "B" theatres. Columbia was able to book it as a single feature in many "A" theatres in the United States.

===Accolades===
At the special ceremony for the [[Academy Award for Technical Achievement]] held three weeks before the [[64th Academy Awards|1992 Academy Awards]], Ray Harryhausen was honored with a lifetime-achievement award. The ceremony's host, actor [[Tom Hanks]], remarked: "Some people say ''[[Casablanca (film)|Casablanca]]'' or ''[[Citizen Kane]]''. I say ''Jason and the Argonauts'' is the greatest film ever made".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/08/movies/ray-harryhausen-cinematic-special-effects-innovator-dies-at-92.html|title=Ray Harryhausen, Whose Creatures Battled Jason and Sinbad, Dies at 92|first=Patrick J.|last=Lyons|newspaper=The New York Times|date=May 7, 2013}}</ref>

In 2008, the [[American Film Institute]] nominated the film for its [[AFI's 10 Top 10|Top 10 Fantasy Films list]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://connect.afi.com/site/DocServer/10top10.pdf?docID=381&AddInterest=1781 |title=AFI's 10 Top 10 Nominees |format=PDF |access-date=2016-08-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716071937/http://connect.afi.com/site/DocServer/10top10.pdf?docID=381&AddInterest=1781 |archive-date=2011-07-16 }}</ref>

In April 2004, ''[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]]'' magazine ranked Talos as the second-best film monster of all time, after [[King Kong (1933 film)|''King Kong'']].<ref>{{cite news | title=King Kong tops movie Monster poll | date=April 3, 2004| work=BBC| url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/film/3596551.stm}}</ref>

==Home media==
Columbia released the film on [[Blu-ray]] (for regions A, B, and C) on 6 July 2010. The disc's special features include two new [[Audio commentary|audio commentaries]], one by [[Peter Jackson]] and [[Randall William Cook]], and the other by Harryhausen in conversation with his biographer Tony Dalton.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/37170/resident-evil-retribution-umbrella-goes-public/|title=Resident Evil: Retribution – Umbrella Goes Public|date=September 6, 2012|website=Dread Central}}</ref>

==Comic book adaptation==
The five-issue comic book miniseries ''Jason and the Argonauts: The Kingdom of Hades'' (2007) from [[TidalWave Productions]]' ''[[TidalWave Productions#Ray Harryhausen Signature Series|Ray Harryhausen Signature Series]]'', continued the story. It was followed by ''Jason and the Argonauts: Final Chorus'' (2014).

* [[Dell Comics|Dell]] Movie Classic: ''Jason and the Argonauts'' (August–October 1963)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.comics.org/series/74194/|title=GCD :: Series :: Jason and the Argonauts|website=www.comics.org}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Jason and the Argonauts (miniseries)|''Jason and the Argonauts'' (2000 miniseries)]]
* [[List of stop-motion films]]
* [[List of films featuring Hercules]]
* [[Sword-and-sandal]]
* [[Greek mythology in popular culture]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
{{Commons category}}
* {{IMDb title|0057197}}
* {{TCMDb title|4655}}
* {{AFI film|22132}}

{{Don Chaffey}}
{{Ray Harryhausen}}
{{Argonautica}}
{{Hercules media}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jason And The Argonauts (1963 Film)}}
[[Category:1963 films]]
[[Category:1960s fantasy adventure films]]
[[Category:American fantasy adventure films]]
[[Category:1960s English-language films]]
[[Category:Films about the Argonauts]]
[[Category:Films scored by Bernard Herrmann]]
[[Category:American epic films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Don Chaffey]]
[[Category:Films set in ancient Greece]]
[[Category:Films set in the Mediterranean Sea]]
[[Category:Films using stop-motion animation]]
[[Category:Columbia Pictures films]]
[[Category:Epic fantasy films]]
[[Category:Films adapted into comics]]
[[Category:Films set on ships]]
[[Category:Films about Heracles]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Harpies]]
[[Category:Works based on the Argonautica]]
[[Category:Films produced by Charles H. Schneer]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Beverley Cross]]
[[Category:1960s American films]]
[[Category:Castor and Pollux]]
[[Category:1963 independent films]]
[[Category:American independent films]]
[[Category:Films based on poems]]
[[Category:English-language independent films]]
[[Category:English-language fantasy adventure films]]