Hercules

• Directed by John Musker and Ron Clements
• July 13, 1997 (US)

Voice Cast

• Hercules-Tate Donovan
• Hercules (teenager)-Josh Keaton
• Hercules singing voice-Roger Bart
• Philoctetes/Phil-Danny DeVito
• Hades-James Woods
• Megara-Susan Egan
• Zeus-Rip Torn
• Hera-Samantha Eggar
• The Muses (Calliope, Melpomene, Terpsichore, Thalia and Clio)-Lillias White, Cheryl Freeman, LaChanze, Roz Ryan and Vaneese Thomas
• Pain and Panic-Bobcat Goldthwait and Matt Frewer
• The Cyclops-Patrick Pinney
• Amphitryon and Alcmene-Hal Holbrook and Barbara Barrie
• Clotho, Lachesis, Atropos (The Three Fates)-Amanda Plummer, Carole Shelley and Paddi Edwards
• Hermes-Paul Shaffer
• Nessus, Tall Theban, Elderly Theban-Jim Cummings
• Demetrius-Wayne Knight
• Earthquake Lady-Mary Kay Bergman
• Burnt Man-Corey Burton
• Heavyset Woman-Kathleen Freeman
• Apollo-Keith David
• Opening Narrator-Charlton Heston
• Pegasus-Frank Welker

A demigod with super-strength raised among mortals must learn to be a true hero to earn back his godhood and place on Mount Olympus as Hades plots to take the sanctuary.

Disney’s interpretation of Hercules is a fun and often silly film. Largely bright and colorful, it begins sounding like it will be more serious with a Chuck Heston narration before giving way to a Greek chorus that sings close to a gospel choir. That switch alone was worth it to hear Heston say, “You go, girl.”

Hercules, because of a plot by Hades to take over Olympus, is stripped of his godhood at nearly the cost of his life but because he didn’t drink the last drop of poison he lives. Very Greek myth technicality there. To be able to come back to Olympus he must become a true hero. This is a movie written to teach a broad lesson involving general character. It is not just wantonly doing superficially good deeds. True heroics constitutes more than that which is brought home by the end though they could have tossed in a side lesson on the redemptive power of love but did not.

The humor is a bit slapstick and sometimes a little adult though it is nothing any kids watching may pick up on. For example, on his first road test as a hero Hercules, when he’s confronting the centaur, takes a second to determine that it’s a dude by checking out the obvious. There is joke after joke in Hercules. Some will make you just smile and others will make you laugh. Guaranteed though you’ll miss one or two. Occasionally they overlap yet not necessarily step on one another.

Perhaps the two most famous jokes are the halftime reference from Hades which is at the approximate midpoint of the film and the presence of Scar as not only the lion skin Hercules has but the lion that Hercules punches. If I likened it to anything it would be The Naked Gun Trilogy where there is so much humorous going on that a joke might slip past you allowing for a discovery on a second viewing.

We get jokes like some baddies in disguise tell Hercules to call ‘IX I I’ before running away. There are Flintstones-esque homages to common modern things. They even take humorous swings at merchandizing and the then very popular Disney Store. Kids will laugh at the silly and the adults will laugh at what it’s actually targeting.

As funny as this is, it also does an excellent job of having a romance between bad-girl-turned-good Megara and Hercules. It’s a film with a strong romantic core that doesn’t occur just because but is well portrayed. This ain’t no Stockholm syndrome girl like Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Meg is a bit down on love having made a drastic choice for the wrong person. In a very Bond fashion (though sexless), it is the good Hercules that turns her heart. Meg has a bit of a smart mouth and is very sarcastic. She also starts as a servant of Hades and an important part of his plot.

James Woods is one of the all-time great asshole actors. That type of character has been his stock and trade largely from his earliest days. He knows how to portray a likable jerk and that’s exactly what Hades is here with an addition of almost over the top comedic evil supported by some almost completely inept henchmen.

Word is this was a favorite role of James Wood and he volunteered himself for life to play Hades whenever Disney wanted him. As Hades he is clearly having fun and brings a distinct personality like the best voice actors do. He adds to the animation with the use of his voice. He conveys frustration, exasperation, and resignation when he just gives up which pairs perfectly with the drawn action in a scene helping to bring the film to life.

Danny DeVito as Philoctetes/Phil has his fans based on online discourse. Phil is an old Satyr that serves as the trainer for Hercules. I’m just not sure if Devito is praiseworthy. Unlike Woods, he brings nothing special. It is Danny Devito as animated Danny Devito. Not being negative since he is a good actor. Just not made for voicework.

I really feel bad that the dominance of traditional animation has passed. This movie is fun and bouncy and fluid and just beautiful in a way the now dominant CGI can never be. And because it is genuine art it looks as good now as the day it was released. Technology has allowed a few new tricks, but not being derived solely from technology means it has aged better than the first Toy Story for example. 

The finale is big and epic with the animators throwing everything they have into it. There is no shortage of imaginative visuals. I detected shades of The Little Mermaid and Fantasia. Inspiration from those wouldn’t surprise me since this movie referenced Disney a few times throughout.

While the music from the chorus is certainly excellent, the film doesn’t have any truly memorable songs. Thinking back I don’t think it generated a top 40 at all like The Lion King. On the one hand I’m thinking it should’ve avoided music completely, but on the other then we wouldn’t have gotten that Chorus which was excellent.

Disney’s Hercules is deserving of much of the love it gets. It’s bright, it’s colorful, it’s fun, and it will leave you very happy at the end.