Hercules (Disney Gold Classic Collection) Reviews

• Stylistic & Comical Disney Romp

  
  By A3EW2L59UBHQSG on 2001-03-09
  This is a great film for the kids and anyone interested in animation. The use of gospel music was a masterstroke and adds much to the livliness of the film as does the input from Gerald Scarfe, the mastermind behind Pink Floyd's "The Wall". His influence and artistic stlye are seen in every frame of the film and give it the most distinctive style and look of any Disney film since Sleeping Beauty. Highly original and beautiful. I espicially like the character design of Meg, they've made her to look like a walking grecian vase!

  Story wise we've seen this a million times before, especially in all the recent Disney films. That said though, I still enjoy this film more than Aladdin, it's competitor for the funniest Disney film ever (that was until The Emperor's New Groove knocked them both out of the park). Children are sure to love the outragous humor, bright colors, music and light tone as well as the comical sidekicks (Pain and Panic) and monsters. Frankly, I'm confounded by the negative reviews here. Everything is done top notch except for the predictable Disney formula plot.

  The DVD presentation is fantastic. The film is presented in widescreen, the colors are bright, blacks are deep and dark and the sound is crisp and clear. You couldn't ask for a better presentation. However, it lacks for extras. There is a 12 minute making of short that is somewhat insightful and a music video of Ricky Martin's Spanish version of "Go The Distance". Also included are a simple triva game and the storybook mode that's found on most Disney DVD's.

  The crisp bright look of the DVD is enough to warrant a buy for a Disney fan, but add in the gospel music, humor, fantastical setting and daring animation style and you've got yourself a winner for anyone!
  
  

• Disney lover and history graduate student

  
  By A3489JENP5Q230 on 1999-12-03
  I am in graduate school for my masters in history and I know just about EVERYTHING there is to know about mythology and Greek culture and let me tell you, I LOVED this movie! All the people who hated it because of its inaccuracies should know that not ONE Disney movie has EVER been accurate. Cinderella's step-sisters cut their toes off to fit into the glass slipper. The Little Mermaid is supposed to DIE in the end. There is NO Gaston or dancing pots and pans in Beauty and the Beast. There is no wise-cracking genie in Aladdin. Hercules is NO different. But unlike those movies, the "true" story of Hercules is just plain awful. The story goes like this: Hercules is born after Zeus cheats on his wife. Zeus then has the baby feed on Hera's breast when she is sleeping. Then Hercules in a fit of anger kills his whole family, and spends his whole life killing monsters for his cousin as penance. In the end his second wife gives him a magic coat with which he burns himself to death because he cheated on her. Oh, what a great movie that would make! Honestly, the revamped story is VASTLY superior, and Disney did everything right as far as the geology of Greece, the architecture, the clothing, and many other little anecdotes. That's much more than I can say for any other version of Hercules including that god-awful Kevin Sorbo show. I see the movie more as a humorous look at ALL Greek myths. I think any student of Greek myths would agree. Sure the Gospel music was a bit much, but it fit the story beautifully.
  
  

• Usually fantastic Disney at its worst -- and most dangerous

  
  By A1QIK7J746Y99T on 2002-05-21
  I am a big Disney fan. I in no way demand that Disney adhere slavishly to the original source material it usually relies upon in making its fabulous animated features. I absolutely respect Disney's right to remove dark elements, to simplify, and to mark its work with its own style.

  But Disney's Hercules does a hack-job on Greek mythology which passes the most generous bounds of adaptor's license. I am tempted to say that "Disney's Hercules leaves Greek mythology looking like a chimera after a bad night in a procrustean bed" or some kind of nonsense like that, but I will refrain.

  Hercules represents far worse than poor screenwriting -- it constitutes a serious disservice to children and parents alike, systematically mis-educating American youth as to the fundaments of Western culture. ...In a first draft of this review, I listed some of the more egregious examples, but on reflection I don't want to reify the false memes the film has surely injected into the American mainstream knowledge base by enumerating them here.

  Bottom line: if you don't fall into the "pig-ignorant and proud of it" category, I urge you to take my advice and boycott this poor showing, thus sending a message to Disney that Americans aren't as dumb as market statistics imply, and simultaneously doing your children the favor of not filling their heads with information tending to increase rather than decrease their ignorance of classical culture.

  [These points made, I liked James Woods' powerful stage presence and I liked the gimmick of making the muses (although why there should only have been three muses I cannot guess) African-American. I liked essentially nothing else about the film. Disney should be ashamed of this one.]
  
  

• A Legend from the Disney Point of View

  
  By A2XRZV63X79YSJ on 2005-12-31
  At this point the Disney animation juggernaut started to show signs of definite weakness. The Little Mermaid revitalized classic animation. Beauty and the Beast took animation to an all time high, the only animated film to be nominated for the Best Picture Academy Award. Aladdin set box office records and became the second animated film to win the Best Picture, Musical or Comedy Golden Globe. Then The Lion King smashed all records. But after that it's been down hill. (Box office that is not quality.)
  
  Keeping with success, Alan Menken was hired to write the music but they were looking for a new lyricist and choose David Zippel who took Broadway by storm with City of Angels and what a great choice.
  
  Running out of good fairy tales, Disney went to Greek mythology and the legend of Hercules. Now this follows the Greek myths as well as many of the animated fairy tales did. (Which means not very well.)
  
  Trying to make the movie hip like Aladdin, they created a Greek Chorus (Lilas White, Roz Ryan, LaChanze, Cheryl Freeman and Vaneese Thomas), that resembled the Supremes or En Vogue, to be musical narrators of the film. The film's plot is about Hades taking over Olympus.
  
  The film begins with Zeus (Rip Torn) and Hera (Samantha Eggar) having a son, Hercules. Down in the underworld, Hades (James Woods) is planning his revenge on Zeus but the fates tell Hades that his plot would be foiled by Hercules. The only way for Hades' plan to succeed is to eliminate Hercules but you can't kill a god. So Hades sends two minions, Pain and Panic (Bobcat Goldthwait and Matt Frewer) to poison Hercules and make him mortal. But as it happens, they get interrupted and Hercules is part human and part god. But to live on Olympus, you must be all god.
  
  Baby Hercules is raised by a local farmer. Hercules grows up and realizes his extraordinary strength but cannot control it. This makes Hercules an outcast in town and he sets out on his own (Go the Distance). When he arrives at the Temple of Zeus, he finds out his history. He also finds out the only way to become a god again is to perform a selfless act of heroism.
  
  So Hercules sets out to be trained by a famous Centaur, Philocetes (Danny Devito). The reluctant Phil takes Hercules on. After he is ready, Herc and Phil set out to make Herc a hero. He quickly goes from "Zero to Hero". Hades quickly notices that Hercules is not mortal and decides to distract him with another minion, the beautiful Megara.
  
  Hercules saves Megara (Susan Egan - Belle of Beauty and the Beast) and falls for her but Meg feels "I Won't Say (I'm in Love)" (This is the best song in the show and should have been nominated for an Oscar). Now that Hercules is distracted, Hades moves forward with his plan and releases the Titans to invade Mount Olympus. In the deal Meg is killed but Hercules cannot release her so he goes to the sea of souls to rescue her soul.
  
  As this is a Disney film, you know that all ends up happy but this whole film is done for the fun of it and so a happy ending is acceptable.
  
  This film is a cross between classic and modern. Hades is like a talent agent and when Hercules becomes a hero he is marketed.
  
  DVD EXTRAS:
  Music Video - No Importa La Distance by Ricky Martin
  
  Making of Hercules featurette - This is a featurette that is about the making of the film from the voice cast to the music by Menken to the artists who created the characters and the film's directors and producers. What makes this different from the typical "Making of" featurette is it goes behind the animation process and gives you insights to the process.
  
  
  

• Mandatory viewing for your son (or daughter)

  
  By A2H7KX1BESUDEX on 2000-06-03
  Disney's grown up - to the point where each new animated release is sure to draw controversy and criticism from somebody; I personally was furious at the revisionism of Hunchback. I forgave them when this movie came out. Disney's Hercules is an experiment just like Fantasia, but many folks (it appears), disliked the tampering with Greek myth as well as the unfamiliar style and animation. But I've got lots of reasons to make it my new favorite Disney. First, Disney (in an incredibly bold move) hired Gerald Scarfe to design. His surreal yet powerful visions were always a highlight of Pink Floyd concerts; now they break ground in the same way that Little Mermaid did. While many of the characters appear weird and sketchy, their power seeps through every frame. And, as always, nobody does villains like Disney; Hades, Cerberus, the Titans, the whole Underworld - profoundly frightening in a whole new way. And Disney's forays into computer-generated animation again stop the show when Hercules battles the Hydra; even purists must agree to its power and brilliance.

  Then there's the voice talent: James Woods predictably steals the show as Hades, whose wisecracks do little to hide his genuine evil. A close second is Danny DeVito as Phil, a satyr who's saddled with training the young and awkward Hercules to become a true hero; DeVito's given lots of jokes to tell, and only diehard stodges will fail to bust a gut at some of his remarks.

  Which leads us to the music: I went out and bought the soundtrack because it was so good. Led by the Muses (who are transformed into the ultimate r&b/gospel choir), the songs have a delightful mix of 50's do-wop (Susan Egan's absolutely beautiful "I Won't Say I'm in Love"), comedy (DeVito's "One Last Hope"), and classic Disney uplift (Roger Bart as Hercules singing "Go the Distance"). Disney staple Alan Menken teams with lyricist David Zippel to deliver yet another brilliant soundtrack.

  But what has made the movie my personal favorite is the message it has delivered to my three-year-old son; Disney's given lots to the girls lately (most of Disney's recent heroes have been heroines), but Hercules delivers the message that boys can grow up to be heroes as well. It's taught my son honor, generosity, and humor (well, I'd like to think I helped a bit). Hercules' journey from earthbound misfit to man/godhood is truly inspiring. My son thinks so, and so do I.

  By the way, the special features enhance the DVD a great deal. It's always a pleasure to have the curtain pulled back to reveal the magic behind the magic.

  Purists can just go to - well, the Underworld; Disney's Hercules was meant to be innovative, but it did much more than break ground - it taught my son a wonderful lesson.
  
  

• One of the top five best disney films
  By A2OUHMQP1BTLED on 2005-07-12
  
  I've always been a crazy fanatic about greek and roman history and mythology. Even with the gross inaccuracies (sp??) it's maybe my second favorite disney movie beneath the lion king.
  
  The chorus is perfect for classical literature and fits in well. There are a bunch of witty little lines and actions. For instance in one scene hercules is posing with a lion skin over his shoulder, which is obviously Scar from the lion king. The love story is very cute. Phil is a little annoying, but he's always very funny. Alotta greek monsters which are comically animated. Hades is hilarious and my favorite role for James Woods. Pain and Panic are great comic relief. Meg is a beautifully created character and presents a story of redemption. The ending is also very heartwarming.
  
  If you can watch the film without whining and pointing out the mythological flaws (while still knowing enough mythology to understand some of the jokes) I would definitely suggest it.
  
  
• Great teaching tool
  By A3JP04AX0VMALQ on 2004-07-02
  Precisely BECAUSE of the complete disregard for the original mythology, this movie is a superb teaching tool for middle schoolers. After a unit on Mythology, the kids can identify for themselves the many creative changes Disney opted to make, and even better, they can figure out for themselves why Disney made those choices. It makes the kids savvier media consumers, they enjoy spotting the "mistakes," and the music is terrific and holds their attention. We all enjoy the fact that nearly every time the Muses sing "and that's the Gospel truth!" they're referencing something completely FALSE. And the group scene at the christening makes a great "test" of those symbolic identifiers--the kids like being able to identify the gods and goddesses based on the clues in their appearance.
  
  
• Greek Mythology the Disney Way
  By A2UQIIJ2CD8REE on 2001-12-01
  Born to Zeus and Hera on Mt. Olympus, Hercules was a prince among gods, and he would have stayed one too, if evil Uncle Hades hadn't sent his imps to steal him, turn him human, and kill him. They fail in their task though, and Hercules is left human but with god-like strength, to be raised by human parents. As Herc grows up, Hades believes he is dead, which is a bit funny since, being ruler of the underworld, he ought to know who's dead and who isn't. Though, Hades really isn't that into his work. As a young man, Herc discovers his true roots and wishes to restore his godhood, but in order to do that he must prove himself a true hero. Hercules seeks out Philoctetes, the hero-coaching satyr, and begins his monster fighting career upon his winged horse, Pegasus. Meanwhile, Hades pursues his plan to take over...well, everything, by releasing the titans to help him fight Zeus. Now, it's up to Hercules to save everyone, if his new infatuation, the lovely but cynical Megara, doesn't screw things up! In the end, we learn the meaning of a true hero and have the makings of a hilarious animated TV series to boot!
  
  The story may seem to have more in common with Superman 1 and 2 or the New Testament of the King James Bible than the actual Greek myths it is based upon, but Hercules really is a wonderful addition to the Disney classics! And it's a musical comedy, so get over yourself if you have a problem with it not being a perfect adaptation of the original Heracles stuff! Why would you turn to a Disney animated feature for something like that? What it is, is a musical, mythical good time worth revisiting again and again! You can't go wrong with Disney legend Alan Menken behind the soulful and upbeat music and masters Ron Clements and John Musker at the wheel! The voice cast is excellent, including Tate Donovan as Herc, Danny Devito as Phil, Susan Egan as Meg, Rip Torn as Zeus, Bobcat Goldthwait and Matt Frewer as Pain and Panic, Paul Shaffer as Hermes, Charlton Heston as the Narrator, and many more. Of course, James Woods is the voice that really steals the show as the hilariously evil Hades! The animation and design are Disney at its best, and even though this is a comedy, there's no shortage of drama, romance, action, or heart!
  
  Long overdue for a much more spectacular release, this Gold Collection DVD lacks the oomph such an excellent film deserves. The picture and sound are fine, but the widescreen is non-anamorphic and there are only two extras. One is a much appreciated and charmingly dated Behind-the-Scenes featurette, and the other is a Ricky Martin music video for the Spanish version of "Go the Distance" ("No importa la distancia"). I find it very odd that they included that video and not the Michael Bolton English version. And, yes, I like Michael Bolton's music. Nevertheless, since this is the only release available and there's been no sign of a Special Edition coming anytime soon, I highly recommend this edition for every DVD collection. Hopefully, and all the more likely now that Blu-Ray has come along, a more appropriate release full of design sketches, trailers, commentary, and all that good stuff will come about in the future. I also would love to see the Disney animated TV series make its way to DVD (though not one 3 or 4 episode disc at a time). It was an excellent follow-up to the film, telling the tales of Herc's teen years having to deal with both Phil's training and the rigors of high school. You can sample a bit of it on the VHS release "Hercules: Zero to Hero". One of Disney's "fake sequels", Zero to Hero ties select episodes of the wonderful animated series together with some badly drawn new animation. Of course, being a completist, I want that one to come to DVD too. The linking animation gives us our only view of Herc and Meg after the events of the film.
  
  
  
• God-like fun for all ages
  By A2RKI7RPP5CJMG on 2003-07-07
  "Hercules" will never win any type of awards, but it is a fine addition to the Disney giant. When people hear "Disney," they automatically think of the classics(e.g. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Bambi, The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, etc.) that set the standard for all animated motion pictures. However, "Hercules" is dusted off as the illegitimate child among Walt's brood. This is a total shame, primarily because "Hercules" is a good Disney movie with good Disney music and good Disney characters, with the exception of Hades, who is a great villain. It doesn't have any memorable songs, but they are all good songs. You won't see a Broadway production of "Hercules," but that doesn't mean it's a bad movie. The easiest way to explain "Hercules" is this: Have you ever watched a movie that was just fun? No moving moments, no dead deer, nobody unable to wait to be king, just good ol' fashion fun? "Hercules" is that movie. It has adventure and action for the young'uns and a little adult humor for the quick ear. It doesn't pay any attention to historical accuracy, but that doesn't matter here. What matters is that this film can be watched by all and enjoyed. The Mouse that Walt built did a fine job with this film, but please don't blow it off as a bad movie just because it's story isn't as moving as some of Disney's standard classics. Give it a chance. Having a young daughter, I own quite a few Disney DVDs, and I have to say that I prefer watching "Hercules" more than any of the others, because it's a funny movie.
  
  
• Not the best Disney, but it's still excelent.
  By AMOGGM427E4 on 2005-04-26
  I am a somewhat animation aficionado and I would like to put some things in pesrpective regarding this movie.
  First off, I would like to say to all of you that wrote a review based on the way Disney follow the true story of Hercules: GET A GRIP. Everybody knows already that Disney has the right to take their own approach when it comes to stories. If you want to learn about Greek Mythology, GO TO THE LIBRARY. If you don't like to read, then you can always buy one of those horrible and boring to death movies with real actors. (Kevin Sorbo as Hercules? Talk about imagination!
  About the animation, I would like to say that Disney's animators are the some of the best out there. The studio reached its peak when it comes to technique with the Lion King.
  The only thing I can criticize about this movie, is the scene with the computer monster. In my opinion, it looked pretty plastic. I would have tried to make it into regular animation, but I understand, they got excited about trying something new. Oh well!
  I think this movie is excellent for kids and adults. It's funny, the songs are great, the design of the characters is appealing, it's fast-paced and, why not?, inspiring.
  
  
• Disney Goofed!
  By A1210PAZBIEE8W on 2007-01-23
  I can't tell the number of hours my daughter and I sat in our big chair with a big bowl of pop-corn watching and rewatching this movie. She always loved it at five and, now at twelve, she still does.
  
  Some people pick this movie apart as if it is supposed to be somehow "accurate" to the mythology. Sheesh! It's a disney film. Just enjoy the beautiful colors, more than tolerable story line, exceptional music and campy laughs. I did rewatching it for the first time on dvd.
  
  One final point: Disney goofed in that they being one of the most left-wing liberal organizations out there mistakenly presented the Gospel to the world in cartoon allegory.
  
  Think about it: The only Son of the Most High becomes human, and dwells among men, "discovers" himself, all the while perfoming a myriad miraculous feats. How does he become a "True Hero"? By sacrificing himself for the one that he loves...His bride.
  
  Alright, it's a bit of a stretch and surely unintentional, but it still works. It's a beautiful thing!
  
  
  
• The Spanish language version has a special guest voice!
  By A1J2MUEXOXX2Q8 on 2000-01-21
  Although this one is clearly not one of the all-time best Disney films, and the content is mor haphazardly put together than the hair on Hades' head, there are some razzle dazzle moments and sentimental scenes to warrant a few viewings. But more interestingly, this DVD does include exclusive alternate language versions of the film (in Spanish and French). No one seems to have noticed that in the Spanish version of Hercules, the speaking voice of the adult Herc is provided by none other than singer Ricky Martin! In essence, we are paying essentially for 3 different versions of the movie, and while Martin is still hot, an exclusive collector's item! I am also glad that the alternate versions took enough care in duplicating the voices as closely as possible. It's hard to recommend this film on its own merits, as there are few. But these little extras make the Special Edition DVD worthwhile.
  
  
• Even a DVD presentation of this movie can't save it...
  By on 1999-12-03
  On a widescreen set this over-priced, non-enhanced DVD presentation didn't look too bad. Sorry I can't say the same thing for the content. My 5 year old refused to sit through an entire presentation of this movie on VHS and when I got the DVD I sat down to view it with him and now I understand why. These characters are annoying to say the least, especially the female love interest. The only one I even vaguely liked was Pegasus because he didn't pretend to have any sense. If you want to spend your money on some good Disney animation get "Mulan" or one of the other classics.
  
  
• A standard Disney film outdoes itself with flying colors!
  By A3B9WA79QZT9GN on 2002-04-20
  This is Disney's attempt at diving into Greek mythology and the legendary muscleman, Hercules, who-- "Wait! Don't you mean Herakles? Hercules is Roman!"

  ...So anyway, he gets kidnapped from his parents, Zeus and Hera, by the Lord of the Underworld, Hades, out of fear that he will someday spoil his plans for taking over Mt. Olymp-- "WHAT THE HECK?! His parents were Zeus and Alcheme, a mortal! And HERA was the villain! Hades never wanted to take over Greece! What the--"

  Okay, okay. If you have a serious affliction with Greek myths and/ or dedicate your life to studying them, DO NOT see this film! If you are a fan of Disney's comedies, have children, and love musicals, this film is for you!

  I have read reviews by many people who hated this movie because of the complete disrespect for Greek myths and some even considered the songs to be lousy. What do you expect from an animated family adaption of Hercules directed by Ron Clements and John Musker from The Little Mermaid and Aladdin? They knew that the real story wasn't fit for kids, so they altered almost everything about the tale and added groovy gospel tunes sung by five (not nine!) Muses, who narrate the story. But what resulted was a delightful, hilarious romp through an idealized fantasy world with down-to-earth characters (most of them,anyway), and some of the songs aren't that bad, guys! Hercules' song "Go the Distance" is a comforting ballad, the hip sextet with Megara and the Muses is so upbeat that your adrenaline almost starts up, and most of the gospel songs are just as enjoyable. If only the lyrics were a bit wittier.

  So, as a person who likes the elements that Hercules offers, I enjoyed it. There are many clever in-jokes, Hades' character is a riot, and Megara is one of the most unique Disney heroines in ages! I DO have some problems: the sidekicks leave more to be desired and the animation isn't up to par with, say, Beauty and the Beast. But overall, a funny, hip flick to enjoy when you're feeling a bit loose and collected, and one great movie to watch with your son. You'll have to tell him the real myth, though, and explain to him what it takes to be a true hero.
  
  

• Urk...
  By A3CF7B2U0IB8PS on 2003-09-14
  Okay, so I see so many bad reviews calling Pocahontas inaccurate but most for this movie say "Lighten up! It's a great movie!" However, I love Pocahontas and hate this movie. Why? Because Pocahontas kept the spirit of the story alive and generally got the same message across. This movie, as one review put it, lacks any respect or regard for Greek mythology.

  First off, I will admit that I am a huge Greek mythology fan. I know that every Disney movie is inaccurate, and at all different degrees. However, I judge by the movie itself and am willing to accept inaccuracies if the movie is worth it. And indeed, Hercules is in no way worth it.

  My friend said that Hercules seemed like an attempt to fit Greek characters into the typical Disney formula, which seems like a good way to summarize it. What were once engaging characters were made flat, lacking the realistic flaws that made them so endearingly human in the myths. Hercules is basically your perfect good guy hero, instead of the conceited, musclehead with a foul temper. I'd complain about Megara's persona certainly not belonging in that timeframe, but I love Susan Egan and she made it work. The only god who was really sort of accurate was Hermes. And I do agree that the gods were absolutely hideous, save Aphrodite.

  My biggest complaint, though, goes with the thing that everyone praises: Hades. Yes, he is my favorite god and I am biased, but they threw away what is known about his personality and adapted him to fit their usual witty Disney villain. And yes, he was an entertaining character, but at what cost? The thing that I always liked about Hades was that he wasn't evil. Basically, they seemed to have said "Lord of the Underworld? Wow, that's a perfect villain!" In my opinion, someone like Ares would have been better-suited for being the villain. I mean, Pain and Panic originally belonged to him anyway! And if they had to really destroy Hades' character they could have at least had Persephone, too.

  I did love the music, though, especially Megara's solo "I Won't Say I'm in Love."
  
  

• A Disney View of Greek Mythology
  By A2AOZQ3WTNVVOK on 2006-04-14
  Disney has tackled Greek mythology before, most notably in "Fantasia." However, in this feature film Disney combines a lot of humor with a tale inspired by the story of Hercules to create a new fantasy.
  
  We meet baby Hercules at the beginning of the movie. We also meet Hades, wonderfully voiced by James Woods. Hades is upset because he must remain in the underworld rather than being on Mount Olympus with the other Greek gods. Hades manages to have his henchmen Pain (Bob Goldthwait) and Panic (Matt Frewer) give Hercules a potion that removes nearly all of Hercules' immortality. Unfortunately for Hades, Pain and Panic fail to eliminate baby Hercules, who ends up being cared for by mortals.
  
  Hercules (voiced by Tate Donovan) grows up and becomes a menace because he is unable to control his great strength. Philoctetes (Danny De Vito) mentors Hercules with the intent of turning him into a hero. Hercules soon encounters beautiful Megara (Susan Egan), unaware that she is actually working for Hades.
  
  The plot moves along generally quickly, with Meg conflicted between her debt to Hades and her liking and then love of Hercules. As with the best Disney movies, it is the conflict between love and evil that forms the clever and enjoyable end of this movie.
  
  This animated movie boasts an all-star cast in addition to those actors listed above. Charlton Heston is the narrator. Amanda Plummer is the voice of one of the Fates. Rip Torn voices Zeus, Hercules' father. Other voices include Paul Shaffer, Hal Holbrook, and Barbara Barrie.
  
  This movie received 8 awards and another 10 award nominations, one of which was an Oscar nomination.
  
  My only complaint is that the Muses were more filler than anything. Disney Studios could have eliminated the Muses and the movie would have lost nothing. Indeed, the movie might have moved along quicker.
  
  I found this film generally enjoyable and I am glad to have it in my collection. I think that people who enjoyed "The Little Mermaid" and "Beauty and the Beast" will probably find this movie similarly enjoyable. Enjoy!
  
  
  
• Sad, Really Sad
  By A1TJP9UGULGNUH on 1999-12-29
  Hercules, the latest animated future from the folks at Disney, valiantly does it fair share to further ruin what had been, back in the days of The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin, a pretty good track record.

  I'm probably lost here, but when did a Kid Film become an excuse to to toss off any piece of crap and claim it's great because it serves a purpose? Does anybody remember Beauty and the Beast? Kid film or no, it was a fine film and perhaps the greatest musical Hollywood's produced since Cabaret. Aladdin was, for kids and adults alike, easily one of the funniest films for its year. Hercules, for all its hype and Pied Piper marketing, is a long way down from those two flicks.

  Hercules has much more music than any Disney film in recent history, and that's something the viewer has to suffer through. The quality of the songs continues to decline since the death of Howard Ashman, the song writer whose talent made the musical numbers in The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and half of Aladdin (he died while working on the film, and you can pick out with your eyes closed the songs he worked on from the other lousy songs in that film) such a dazzling delight. Hercules uses a gospel-oriented canvas to paint its songs on, but even great voices can't disguise the terrible material. Why Disney chose to cram so many songs into this particular film can only be understood by glancing at their profit statement from album sales, which will probably soar. They know they can rely on kids to swoop up the stuff. Hey, Barney records sell into the millions, and even The Lion King's soundtrack, sad as it was, visited the record charts for an extended stay.

  If the wonderful musical score helped nudge Beauty and the Beast into the classic category, the humor in Aladdin made the case for its beloved status. Hercules has plenty of comedy, just not many laughs. The writing is tired and the jokes are predictable. When Hercules becomes a celebrity in Thebes, Air-Hercs become the sneaker of choice. Ha. The animals fall through predictable prat falls and almost make the older viewers forget they once were the highlight of many a Disney film (Remember the parrot from Aladdin? Thumper? Dumbo, even?). More than not, the jokes here are lifeless and numbing.

  So, let's see, what else can save a Disney flick? Animation! Well, Hercules here draws a C+. Some of the work, especially the scenes in Hades that remind one of the terrific demons near the end of Fantasia, is breath-taking. Some, like much of the computer animation that is overused here, either looks incredibly lame (there's a scene where pillars collapse under seemingly new laws of gravity) or is not integrated into the normal animation to create an entire work. Remember how the computerized ballroom in B & the B looked beautiful and completely natural? Remember how fake and completely unreal the new creatures in the "enhanced" Star Wars looked against the grainy desert backdrops of Tatooine? We're talking the the later here.

  Most of the voice work is strictly mediocre, so that leaves us with the love story. Happily, it manages to play out well here. Meg's voice, a little unsteady at first, blossoms into the best element going in this film, and it helps the romance hold one's interest throughout the flick. Hercules is Disney's typically bland main hero, but Meg's interaction with our hunk helps him be much more interesting. Maybe Meg should have taken over the film and steered the plot in a promising Amazon direction...

  But she doesn't, and that's too bad. The cracks in Disney's animated kingdom are showing, and a few more like Hercules might bring the whole darn castle tumbling.
  
  

• The more I watch it, the more I like it!
  By A3CSRP3P4U9HI on 2000-07-15
  I have to admit that when I first saw Disney's "Hercules" I was definitely NOT IMPRESSED. If I had written this review the evening after that first viewing I would probably have rated this movie at about 2 or maybe 3 stars -- like many of the other reviews listed for this movie on Amazon.com. In the intervening three years, however, I've come to thoroughly enjoy this animated feature. Why? Well, I'll tell you...

  1) The story line is good enough...not outstanding, but good enough.

  2) There's a really good bad guy (Hades) that you love to hate. He's so evil, self-centered, and conniving that you actually feel good detesting him. He's a classic Disney villain...cut from the same kind of evil character mold as 101 Dalmations' Cruella (animated and real-life).

  3) The supporting characters "Panic" and "Pain," which I thought were only mildly annoying when I first watched the show, have really grown on me. They provide great comic relief. These first three points are enough to make this a 4-star movie, but the following point moves this video to 5 stars for me...

  4) The clincher for me is that the music is awesome. Again, it takes some listening to in order to catch the vision of it. It's got a strong traditional gospel strain mixed with broadway chorus line pieces like songs from shows such as "Little Shop of Horrors," etc. I especially like the song that Megura sings, "I won't say I'm in love."

  Sure there's a strong sentimentality factor to the show, but that's not at all unusual for animated Disney features. When all is said and done I think that's a plus!

  If you look at my other reviews (e.g., Tarzan, Fox and the Hound) you'll see that I do not believe that all Disney animated features are 5-star affairs. Once you give this one a fair chance though, you may come to enjoy it as much as I do.

  Give this movie a second and third chance -- maybe after the children are in bed, and see if it grows on you too.

  I think it's worth 5 stars, and well worth the price!

  Alan Holyoak
  
  

• What am I, talking to hyperspace - hello?
  By A2GRAM9K0SBWHN on 1999-12-17
  Hercules has to be another Disney classic. I think Alan Menken has done a fantastic job on the score for this picture. People say Disney isn't getting the historical facts right or they aren't making pictures with an impact. Anyone who has half a brain with an understanding of dramatic theory would understand, Hercules is a lesson in DRAMATIC ACTION. They appear one after another during the close of the picture. Some which make you smile happily or feel great emotion for the characters. The script is very clever, and who can argue with Meg's song "I won't say (I'm in love)". Well, quite a few people probably but take it from a music grad. it's good! The use of animation is fantastic and the content is brilliant. As soon as you see 'young Hercules' knock down an entire city at the beginning of the picture, there is an instant sympathy felt for him. Then that stays with him all the way through, even though he is the strongest bravest (truest!) hero ever! Hence, making the final scenes very gripping indeed. This picture is a must! Well done Disney!
  
  
• Possibly the only Disney animated feature I truly HATE
  By A1GT4POD4MSEST on 2002-12-14
  I have been a huge fan of Disney animation for years. While I may not like many of the features, I can see why they are popular. This movie, however, stinks. Even though it has this Jazz groove going on (and I am a HUGE jazz music fan), I found it trite and dull musically, and in fact quite annoying at many times. This also has a "new wave" animation style that really is distracting as well. I think Pokemon has better animation style than this movie (I can't believe I can actually say that!).

  And the story! Well, if you hoped it stuck to the original, forget it. It's a total rewrite of the legend.

  I'll give credit where credit is due. It's still better than Barney.
  
  

• Does inaccuracy matter?
  By on 2003-11-25
  Alright, so many people have stated how Disney failed to put ancient Greek mythology into an animated movie. However, since you made the effort to even count the mistakes they made you must have realized how boring and cruel Greek mythology really is. Would you like Hercules to be killed in the end like in the legend? Sorry, that's not my idea of entertainment. Disney's Hercules shows us a take on Greek mythology that does not offend children in the first place. I was fourteen years old when this movie came to the theaters, and I loved it! I got interested in Greek mythology and still am. I do believe it was because of Hercules that I even started reading Greek mythology. I'm sure many other kids experienced the same.

  Disney's Hercules is one of Disney's best animated movies and should be recommended although it does not describe the Greek legends on a 1:1 basis. Neither did Beauty and the Beast, neither did The Little Mermaid (God, who would have wanted to see Ariel die in the end!). That doesn't make the Disney movies bad, it just requires a littler more willingness to actually read the stories these movies are based on.
  
  

• Tired of seeing The World According To Disney
  By ACAO2J1XCS4FL on 1999-12-14
  I think most of the reviewers miss the point. The main question is not whether The Hercules(or Pocahontas, or Mulan, or...you name it) true to historic truth or not. Of course it's not about scholarly accuracy, it's about entertainment.

  But it's becoming more and more evident that this kind of approach to the world best loved myths and stories means Disney want to play it safe and is not going to experiment. Instead it uses the same formula again and again - songs, comical sidekicks and the main characters that look and act more and more the same and heavy promotional spending. So now it's mostly routine. And The Hercules is a very self indulgent movie which is not only inaccurate in details, IT DOES NOT GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THE SPIRIT OF THE GREEK LEGEND. It just uses the name known to many and some very vague notions of the myth. They want us to see The World According to Disney. Sometimes this world is really entertaining - I have enjoyed The Mulan, even own the DVD - it's a good entertainment. But I've heard that the Chinese were very much displeased by the movie. But The Hercules is so banal and at the same time outlandish, the visuals are garish - the depiction of Olimpus inhabitants in baby-blue and pink colors is utterly tasteless! The sidekicks' pranks are predictable, the scenes of the heroes sacrifice can get an emotional response only at the imbecile level. It seems that Disney wants to chew our food to make the swallowing easier.
  
  

• Damn right...lighten up people!
  By A2SUSM68GUDITD on 1999-11-14
  I saw Hercules for the first time in London in the cinemas. I think it's a great little flick. Good design, great Menken songs, great comedy writing. Disney have taken just the same liberties with the greek myths as they did with the Arabian Nights to make Aladdin. The Genie was a bully who had to be tricked back into his lamp in the original legend...but get Robin Williams to do the voice and suddenly he's the perfect good-guy sidekick. Why should Hercules be treated with such self-righteous vitriol just because it borrows from many legends to create a fast-paced, entertaining story? Does it ever occur to the Herc-haters that kids who watch this movie will not necessairily be tainted forever about Greek mythology, but might actually have an interest sparked to adjourn to a library to learn more about the Greek gods and legends? As we saw in Tarzan and Hunchback, Disney are perfectly capable of toning down the slapstick and doing a 'straight' story as well. If we wait long enough, we might actually see a character bleed sometime!

  The muses were my favourites too...but oddly, to me they seem to work better on their own...I just feel that the 'Halle-LOO-ya!' black gospel attitude just doesn't say 'Ancient Greece' to me
  
  

• It's Only A Cartoon!
  By on 1999-12-24
  People, please try to remember the spirit of Disney movies . . . ENTERTAINMENT! Children learn about history in school and they learn how to decide which is fact and which is fiction. Give the children the benefit of the doubt and let them enjoy the movie for what it is! For you adults who are overanalyzing this movie, get a grip! IT IS PURE FANTASY! If you have lost sight of that then perhaps you need to go back to school! Bottom line . . . it is only a movie, to learn historically accurate information, go to your library!
  
  
• As Meg Might Say...A Real SLICE!!
  By ABFJYHVD8RHLE on 2002-04-10
  Since this has become a recent favorite for my daughter, I have watched it many times recently, and I LOVE it! ............. The great characters, the colorful animation, and the refreshingly witty and hip script make this a standout in Disney's many releases. I really enjoy watching this one, and I don't get tired of it. I particularly like the "Hades" god of the dead character, voiced superbly by one of my screen favorites, the incomparable James Woods. He makes Hades such a funny and cool villain. I always enjoy the villains more than most other characters anyway, but Hades is one of the best Disney has ever created. He actually looks like a female version of "Ursula" from "The Little Mermaid" too. ................Also amusingly different in this film, is the use of yiddish expressions like Hades referring to Hercules as "the one SCHLEMIEL who can louse everything up." Philates the goatman, aka "Phil" is my other favorite, a grumpy but tender hearted satyr who trains "hero's." He ALSO has a funny line where he goes on about Achilles, and how he COULD have been a hero..."but that FUSHLUGGENEH heel of his!!" ................ The muses are amusing as a gospel chorus who sing about what's happening, and give narratives as well. The "fates" as three hideous corpses resembling "Mrs. Bates" of "Psycho" fame, who work for Hades cutting the life thread of the "incoming" (over 500000000001 served) flashes a McDonald's-like sign as someones soul is plucked, are grusomely funny too. No, I've not forgotten Meg, the pretty and sassy mortal gal who mutually falls for "Herc" while indebted to Hades. She must decide whether true love will conquer all. .................The fun script, and use of "hip" lingo delivered cheekily by terrific characters, give "Hercules" a fresh spin on the greek myth, AND make this entry the COOLEST in Disney's vast filmography.
  
  
• Hercules
  By on 2002-11-06
  I'm a homeschooler and am making my way from the ancient times to modern day times in my history course this year. As we were studying Greece I learned about many of the Greek myths and heroes including Heracles. To make it more interesting my history curriculum suggested watching the movie, Hercules.
  I absolutely loved the movie and had fun finding all the parts of the movie, which related to the original myth. The story takes the original plot and makes a wonderful comedy out of it using original characters including Hades, Zeus, and his wife Hera, as well as several other additional characters.
  The story starts out when Zeus and his wife Hera have a son named Hercules. When Hades, Lord of the Underworld, learns that if Hercules remains alive, his plans of overtaking Olympus will surly fail, he becomes furious. In his rage he sends his two imps, Pain, and Panic, to kidnap the baby and turn him mortal by having him drink a special formula and then kill him (it was impossible to kill an immortal). In the process of feeding the baby the formula, the imps are startled by the sound of someone approaching and drop the bottle before the baby finishes the last drop, spoiling their plans. In fear of Hades anger the Imps say they have completed the task, leaving Hades thinking Hercules is dead.
  As Hercules grows up in the care of a farmer and his wife, who found him shortly after Hades attempt to kill him, he often finds himself unable to fit in with the crowd because of his strength. So, he sets off to the temple of Zeus praying to Zeus to show him where he belongs. Zeus quickly tells Hercules the whole story, and Hercules is overwhelmed with excitement. After hearing that he could one day return to Olympus if he were to become a true hero, Hercules sets out with his flying horse Pegasus, an old gift from his father, to find a famous trainer called Phil and convince him to teach him how to become a hero.
  Under Phil's training, Hercules develops his strength and skill and sets off to prove himself a hero. During his first fight, he meets a beautiful maiden, named Meg and falls head over heels in love with her. Through trial and error Hercules becomes a great hero of Greece and learns what it means to be a true hero. I really enjoyed this wonderful comedy and found myself watching it over and over again.
  
  
• Great example of greedy opportunists.
  By A25BYNY3CLEJ3G on 2003-01-05
  Disney doesn't respect classic literature or ancient cultures around the world. All they ever do ... to make money for themselves... Go ahead, praise acts of literary and cultural vandalism.

  I much prefer when Disney creates original works such as Lilo & Stitch.
  
  

• The only Disney movie that I hate with a vengeance....
  By AUS2EQT4NU3BF on 2003-10-24
  If there is one Disney movie that I dare to call a disgrace, it would be this take on the Greek myth of Hercules. I understand that the movie has its fans, but I stand strongly by this rating. The biggest problem that this movie has is the overemphasis on too much comedy rather than true heroism. Even in ALADDIN (another inferior Disney movie which nevertheless got lucky thanks to Robin Williams' Genie), the humor was better balanced than in here. There is stuff to laugh at, yes, but jokes such as the "wearing HIS MERCHANDISE!!!!", "is my hair out?", and all others are packed so much within the film that it ultimately ends up becoming unfunny. Even the movie's so-called funniest character, Hades (voiced over-the-top by James Woods), falls flat on his face, delivering more comedy than malice. (And I wonder, did Disney even know that Hades was NOT a bad guy in the original Greek mythology?) I was also getting tired of seeing the references to the "Hercules" merchandise ala Disney style -- it makes the movie look, and feel, no doubt, like a commercial, not a movie. Obviously, Disney was trying to outdo ALADDIN by injecting all the jokes they could into this movie, and their failure is so spectacular. It's no wonder the movie was a major disappointment at both the box office and on video. I enjoy over-the-top comedy, but here it just didn't FEEL together, especially for scenes where there is NO comedy.

  But there are other problems besides the forced comedy -- for one thing, Hercules is a HORRIBLE exaggeration of a muscular strongman. He starts out as a sympathetic young boy who is unable to control his strength but when he becomes a grownup... therein lies the intense dislike for him. So one-dimensional, so boastful, so annoying is Hercules that he ends up becoming the most unsympathetic character in the entire movie. Even the leading lady, Meg, is a disappointment. Sure, it's nice to have a character who changes from being cynical to a true friend, but it's handled so mechanically and so forced that she, too, is an unlovable character. All of this is not helped by a script which not only bastardizes the Greek myth (Odysseus, Jason, and Achilles failed Hercules' trainer? Hera LOVED Hercules? Zeus is a nice guy? Hades is evil?), but fails to engage in any way. The film's ultimate message that "a true hero is not made by the size of his strength but by the strength of his heart" is so poorly depicted that we actually find ourselves wishing that Hercules would indeed continue to be called "JERK-ules". Sorry, but a film which tries to be so funny and at the same time take itself seriously does not -- I repeat -- does NOT work.

  Arguably the hugest injustice on the film is its soundtrack. Unlike some people, I actually enjoyed the gospel songs, but the inclusion of them in the film is only one other huge mistake on Disney's part. As fun as the songs are, they don't suit a film about Greek gods and heroes. I respect Alan Menken as a composer, but here he misfired. The other songs are not much better. "One Last Hope" sung by Danny DeVito is funny for a while, but is poorly composed and ill-suited. Meg's number is condescendingly weak, and even Hercules' song is awful. (I may have used it for a school alma mater, but that was before I truly realized how much of a dud it was.) Usually, songs are what make a Disney movie, but in HERCULES, it only is one more slapping insult to this joyless film.

  I admit that I enjoyed HERCULES when I first saw it, but I began looking upon it with harsh skepticism when I saw that everybody else was. When I saw it again on video, I realized just how rotten a movie HERCULES was. I cannot recommend it to anybody. Before I even close off this review, I must say that there are few movies that offend me so strongly, but HERCULES did it for me. Disney has done so much better than this, and the film is so inconsistent as a whole that it only drives the final nail in the coffin. Search some of Disney's better movies instead -- HERCULES was, and still is to this day, a disgrace to come from the Mouse House, and a fine example on how NOT to make a masterpiece. Funny moments, good voiceovers and some occasionally amazing pieces of animation (the Hydra battle) cannot make up for a poor script, lackluster soundtrack, and unsympathetic characters.
  
  

• Zero to Hero
  By A3RDZPP3MJTS on 2004-06-30
  When the evil Hades, god of the underworld, learns that if Zeus and Hera's newborn son Hercules fights his world takeover plan, he will fail, Hades' idiotic helpers Pain and Panic kidnap the tyke in an attempt to turn him mortal and kill him. But before baby Herc could drink the last drop of the potion, a middle aged couple intersept. They take young Hercules in and raise him as their own. The only problem Hercules has is his god like strength, which he retained because he did not drink the last drop of the potion.

  Hercules grows up feeling like he doesn't belong and goes on a journey to find his true identity. When he discovers that he is the son of Zeus, he is told that the only way he can regain entry to Mount Olympus is to become a true hero.

  So with the help of Phil, a satyr, and Pegasus he begins training to become a hero. He ends up meeting Meg, a young woman who sold her soul to Hades, and falling in love with her. Meg is torn between loyalty to Hades and her growing love for "Wonder Boy".

  When Hades strikes a deal with Hercules to give up his strength for 24 hours, Hades frees the Titans to take over Olympus. Due to one technicality in the deal, Hercules regains his strength and defeats Hades. But when he learns of Meg's death, he strikes a deal with Hades to rescue her and take her place in the underworld.

  A little bit too modern for a story set in Ancient Greece but this movie contains all the essential elements of a true Disney classic.
  
  

• Witty Disney
  By A2L558FW150WMS on 2005-02-21
  An unusually clever and satisfying movie, suitable for both children and literate adults. The plot is a Disney template: Hercules must discover his identity, learn the true nature of heroism, do his parents proud, and win the girl, all of which he achieves by an act of self sacrifice.

  A run of the mill coming of age story, then, but several things make the film more than a boring rip-off of ancient themes. First, the drawing has an elegantly fresh look to it, with many witty visual references to Greek vase paintings, sculpture, architectural lines and so forth. There are also quite a few quips and puns for grownups (Thebes is the Big Olive, for example, its residents speaking in New York accents) including plenty of cute jokes about the classics. Pedants can enjoy cataloguing the allusions and "mistakes".

  The music is pleasant, a lot of it sung by an updated "chorus" of gospel singers. Finally, the characters are vividly sketched, with Hades really stealing the show. Some of the animated figures amusingly caricature their real life voice actors. (See The Making Of supplement.) The rich background of the myths gives the story more depth and darkness than it would otherwise have.

  Bottom line: appeals to a different audience than some Disney favorites, but a very smart production with many original aspects. Too much neglected.
  
  

• The Hunchback of Notre Dame
• Tarzan (Special Edition)
• Mulan (Special Edition)
• Pocahontas (10th Anniversary Edition)
• Aladdin (Disney Special Platinum Edition)