Jason and the Argonauts (1963) - film review

In ancient Greece, Aristo, the benevolent King of Thessaly, is overthrown by his rival, Pelias, but a prophesy foretells that one day Aristo’s son Jason will return to reclaim the throne.   Years later, Pelias is saved from drowning by a young man whom he recognises as Aristo’s son.  Fearful that if he kills his nemesis he too will die, Pelias encourages Jason in his quest to find the fabled golden fleece, which is believed to hang on a tree on an island at the end of the world.  Jason knows that if he finds the fleece, which is invested with magical powers, the people will turn against Pelias and make him their king.  A ship is constructed, the Argo, crewed by the greatest athletes in Greece, and soon Jason has embarked on his quest.  The goddess Hera speaks to him through the ship’s figurehead, but warns him that she can only help him five times.  Once the Argonauts’ supply of food and water is exhausted, Hera guides the ship to the Isle of Bronze, but warns Jason they must take nothing but provisions.  Whilst exploring the island, two of the crew, Hercules and Hylas, discover a collection of titanic bronze statues.  In the chamber beneath one of the statues, they find fabulous jewels.  When Hercules attempts to steal some of these treasures, the gigantic statue comes life and goes on the rampage, intent on destroying the Argonauts and their ship.  With Hera’s help, Jason defeats the homicidal statue, but he realises this is the last time that the goddess can come to his aid.   Many perils still have to be faced before he can find the golden fleece, including vicious harpies, the multi-headed hydra and an army of warrior skeletons.  And Jason does not yet know that one of his crew is Pelias’s son, sent to ensure that he never returns to Thessaly...

A triumph of pre-computer special effects, Jason and the Argonauts continues to impress with its spectacular effects wizardry which brings to life one of the most fabulous of Greek legends.  The film features some of effects designer Ray Harryhausen’s best work, the inspiration for a generation of workers in this field.  Harryhausen’s realisation of the mythical monstrosities in this film, achieved through painstaking stop-motion animation, rivals anything that can be achieved with today’s more sophisticated CGI effects, and his creations have a physical presence on the screen which the latter still haven’t quite matched. 

Extraordinarily for a film of this era, the synthesis of model shots and live action film is virtually seamless, and what imperfections there are enhance rather than detract from the film’s dreamlike charm.  Of course there is more to this film than just its effects – it tells a gripping story that, whilst not an entirely accurate representation of the Greek myth, is superbly realised by a cast and crew who achieve miracles on a relatively modest budget.  This is indeed a rare thing, a timeless classic with a universal appeal, immensely satisfying for both children and adults.

The thrilling set-piece in which Jason and his crew fight a battle to the death against warrior skeletons (just how do you kill a skeleton?) remains one of the most famous and most highly regarded effects sequences in film history.  Harryhausen began his career as an apprentice to the Hollywood effects guru Willis O’Brien – the man who brought us the original King Kong – and would perfect the art of stop-motion animation in a series of classic films, including The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958), One Million Years B.C. (1966) and Clash of the Titans (1981).  Jason and the Argonauts.is his enduring masterpiece, a piece of pure cinema magic.

© filmsdefrance.com 2009

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