In a documentary about monster movies, there was a clip of
Tom Hanks from a tribute that he did for Ray Harryhausen, the genius behind the
special effects of Jason and the Argonauts. In this clip, Hanks told the
audience that his favorite movie was Jason and the Argonauts. It has become a cinematic
legend even being mentioned in Rick Riordan's Sea of Monsters. It remains one
of my favorite movies, due mainly to the effects of Harryhausen especially
considering that he did it all with claymation. For the time, his special
effects were brilliant.
Jason and the Argonauts tells the age old story of Jason and
his quest for the Golden Fleece. It features Medea as his love interest and the
beautiful Honor Blackman as the immortal Hera who looks after Jason on his
quest. In interesting plot device is the idea that Hera and Zeus are playing a
game of chess (of sorts) with the characters in the movie. Their fate lies in
who plays the game. Of course in this version it ends happily with Jason and
Medea sailing into the sunset with the Golden Fleece and those that remain of
the Argonauts.
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