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Disney Hercules

The most underrated cinematic masterpiece of the 90’s era

By Lynsey BlacklockPublished 3 years ago 6 min read
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Bless my soul, Herc was most certainly on a role.

Frozen, Beauty & the Beast, The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, Up! Yes, all brilliant in their own ways. I don’t need to take the time to explain how they acclaimed their fame & fortunate. In fact, I don’t need to explain how Disney makes it’s magic at all - that ship sails itself.

I do feel however, that there is a beautifully hand crafted gem of Disney brilliance that has not yet had it’s day in the sun. It needs a wing man. No - it needs seriously good PR. All I can ask is that from this article a few more people give it a watch, appreciate the soundtrack mastery or... press on Disney to produce more merch.

What, you may ask, is this gem I speak of? I will answer that only through the medium of written song (also called lyrics).

Who put the glad in gladiator? HERCULES.

Whose daring deeds are great theator? HERCULES.

You get the picture....

Below is my list of reasons why I believe Hercules to be the greatest Disney film of all time. Even if you are going into this thinking ‘no, this b*tch be cray’, please, at least humour me. Embrace it, I can go the distance.

1. The soundtrack. Where to start? Firstly, like a lot of the great 90’s Disney era, the sound producers didn’t have to go THAT hard on the soundtrack. But they did. They did that for us. This track list has raaaaaaange.

You want slow, passionate, femme emotion? I Won’t Say I’m In Love - Susan Egan (aka Meg....)

You want fast tempo, dance/ sing your heart out, lyrics to die for, joyful euphoria? Zero to Hero - Cheryl Freeman et al (The Muses - MY HEROINES)

You want power fuelling, I can do this, life journey, running up Philadelphia steps inspiration? Go the Distance - Roger Bart (HERC himself ladies!)

I could go on.... there’s a song for every occasion, every mood, every day. Not to mention the beautiful musical interludes compliments of the Muses’ narration (Gospel Truth parts I & II). That be some top tier narration.

I want this music at my wedding. I will find a link, however tenuous that link might be. Praise be the music men of Hercules productions (Alan Menken & David Zippel.)

2. The art work. WOW - that is what my eyes say when I bestow their lenses upon any scene from Hercules. Don't get me wrong, I'm no Donatello, but I can certainly tell you how their artwork makes me feel: joyous, euphoric, brilliant, beautiful, dazzling, angelic. I could continue, but you get the picture.

When the opening credits enter screen we are transported through the clouds to a dreamy Mount Olympus, the colour scheme of bright pinks & oranges glows & perfectly encapsulates the God-like essence.

Throughout the film we span between Mount Olympus (God-ville), Earth (people-ville), and the Underworld (death-ville). Each colour scheme epitomises each setting and has a brilliant contrast between one another. I once made my friend a three-tier Hercules birthday cake, each tier representing a different setting, and bless my soul, that process was satisfying (i'm talking lemon sponge for Mount Olympus...)

As far as my reading goes, the main man to thank is British cartoonish Gerald Scarfe. He was recruited due to similarities between his style of work & that of Greek vase paintings. 700 drafts later, and so was born the glorious Hercules cast we know and love (although on the way the Disney animators redesigned a lot of concepts with the guidance of Sue Nichols.) It amazes me that this process started in 1993 and yet Hercules was not released until 1997, Disney sure does but the leg work in.

I have a real affinity with Ancient Greek Mythology and truly love how well-inspired the animation is with their traditional art work. Even the slightest details such as the curl on Herc's chin, or the precision of pillars at the Temple of Zeus... all effortlessly flow with the Grecian charm.

3. The historical references.

I enjoy the renaissance Disney period during the 90's for their historically-influenced animation. We got Aladdin (9th century Arabia), Pocahontas (1600s Virginia), Mulan (Imperial China) and of course our baby Hercules (Ancient Greek Mythology) Disney really did their research in this decade. Accident or not, they made some total classics.

Of course I would argue Hercules to be the top dog in this selection of films, naturally. It really takes some skill to transfer a very complex part of history into a hilarious, animated, musical masterpiece.... but hey, they did it.

The character profiles of the Greek Gods is a real stand out for me. Zeus and Hera are the ultimate power couple and I won't hear otherwise. We got Amphitryon, Hermes (messenger guy), Apollo, Aphrodite, Demetrius and of course the man himself.... Hades. See below for further Hades appreciation. I enjoy the way these ancient Gods are depicted through modern animation using concepts that people will relate to.

For further reading on Ancient Greek Mythology, I would really recommend Mythos by Stephen Fry. The man knows how to write.

4. The humour.

Man, oh man. There are some laugh out loud moments in this film. Start to finish the wit is oozing. We have Donald McEnery, Bob Shaw, Jane Healey and Irene Mecchi to thank for masterful script writing.

Some of my personal favourites:

Hades to Pain and Panic wearing Hercules merch sandals ' WHAT. ARE. THOSE?'

Pain and Panic 'You mean IF he finds out. If.... If is good.'

Hermes 'Fabulous party you know. I haven't seen this much love in a room since Narcissus discovered himself.'

Pain and Panic to Hades 'Remember, like, a few years ago every other boy was named Jason and the girls were all named Brittany?'

Fates 'Indoor plumbing... It's gonna be big.'

5. The badass feminine influence seared through like a Ben & Jerry’s cookie core. Ladies and Gentlemen let me introduce you to my number one Disney female on the scene: MEGARA.

Potentially THE most underrated of all the Disney princesses. Is she a princess? Who knows. I think technically she is a mortal in love with a half-God, half-human. Finer details, doesn't matter. The take home message is that she is the Princess that we all needed, especially following the damsel-in-distress era of Snow White et al.

Her one-liners are timeless, she has sass coming out of every angle, and we all know she is gorgeous with a capital G. She doesn't need no man, but she wants the man. She makes an informed decision. She likes him, but she don't need him. You do crazy things when you're in love, so I hear.

'Hey... Wonderboy!'

6. HADES. That is all. For further information WATCH THE FILM. It is amazing.

7. The Muses. Have you ever met 5 more soulful, uplifting ladies in your life? Probably, it's not uncommon to have friends.

In terms of Hercules, these are the best friends/ narrators/ backing singers/ fronting singers/ feminine represent that we all needed.

'We are the Muses, Goddesses of the Arts and Proclaimers of Heroes,

Heroes like Hercules.

Honey you mean Hunk-ules.'

If, following my rationale, you continue to feel that Hercules does not make your top 10 Disney films (at least), then I beg you to go watch it. Introduce it to your children, share it on social media..... let the spirit of Hercules LIVE ON.

Maybe a bit dramatic....

My case is a simple one: I can go the distance, but I won’t say I’m in love. It’s the Gospel truth, a star really is born (or was born in June 1997.)

Thank you Ron Clements and John Musker for directing. You birthed a literal piece of Heaven.

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