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Hercules [1997]


RRP: £17.99
Our Price: £6.71 (subject to change)

Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

Not the egregious foul it seemed to be in cinemas, Disney's Hercules (1997) stands up as an entertaining spritzer of an animated feature. The continual peppering of in-jokes and cultural references becomes less irksome on the small screen. That there is no majesty or awe invested in the beloved Greek legends also seems less of an error. Also on the plus side is the bounciest Alan Menken music since Little Shop of Horrors. With Zeus's blood in his veins, young Hercules's amazing strength makes him an outcast (sorry, that still doesn't fly), so he trains with a satyr named Phil to become a hero. Along the way Herc meets Meg, a common mortal who falls hard for him. They are both against the jocular Hades, who has to destroy Hercules to take over Olympus. The hydra is the computer-animated set piece for this little number, a no-chance attempt to beat that wildebeest herd from The Lion King. --Keith Simanton


Hercules DVD
Review date: 2008-11-03 Rating: 10 out of 10

One of the better Disney movies released
at the price which i got it for (£7) it was a MUST BUY
i think its a great adaptation of the original story of hercules with great music and hilarious scenes
worth considering!

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Reviews


Hilarious
Review date: 2008-03-25 Rating: 10 out of 10

I just watched this the other day, for old times sake. It was brilliant - better than I remembered. Whoever said that you can outgrow disney couldn't have been more wrong. I laughed and laughed along with my friend, and even if we were laughing at new found jokes, it didn't matter. It's definately worth buying. But if you're older, watch it with a friend to make it more enjoyable.

THIS IS A NUMBER ONE DISNEY CLASSIC .
Review date: 2007-10-20 Rating: 10 out of 10

THIS MOVIE HAS EVERYTHING HAPPINESS SADDNESS AND GREAT SONGS. MEGARA IS MY FAVOURITE DISNEY CHARACHER. THIS IS BETTER THAN MULAN 2 LITTLE MERMAID 2 AND POCAHONTAS 2 AND MORE. I WOULD NOT RECOMEND THIS FLIM FOR ANYONE UNDER 7 BECAUSE IT IS NOT A PRINCESS MOVIE AND IT IS SET IN THE GREEK TIMES.AND IT MIGHT BORE YOUNGER CHILDREN. THIS MOVIE IS THE BEST DISNEY MOVIE OF THE 90'S. AND IF YOU LIKE DIFFERENT DISNEY MOVIES SUCH AS MULAN TARZAN ATLANTIS ALADDIN AND POCAHONTAS.YOU WILL LIKE THIS MOVIE.

Witty and likeable
Review date: 2007-07-01 Rating: 8 out of 10

There's a lot to complain about with "Hercules". It mishandles Greek legends to a scandalous degree. The hero is something of a lug. Even the songs aren't much to write home about, with the exception of "Won't Say I'm In Love".

And yet, the film manages to be likeable - good, even. It's very much typical of the "wacky" comedies Disney began making in the '90s and onwards - "Aladdin", "The Emperor's New Groove", and "Lilo and Stitch" are other examples of this - and, like the others, is genuinely funny. The story is interesting, the hero has a goal (and a moral dilemma), and the secondary characters (Phil, Pegadus, Panic, and Pain) are in fact a step up from run-of-the-mill sidekicks. The artwork is very interesting as well - like "Sleeping Beauty", it is subject-appropriate. Every frame (and character) looks as though it could have stepped off the side of a Greek vase, so great job there. There are also a lot of visual gags and several real historical places, which are both entertaining and interesting to anyone who's ever studied ancient Greek temples!

Meg, Hercules' love-interest, is probably the most fascinating character in the film - and probably one of the most interesting Disney heroines created. She's cynical and sassy - a real break from the Cinderellas and Ariels who have stretched across the years. Hercules is far from being her first love (which far from making her imperfect actually serves as a plot point early on to prove her loyalty to the audience), and she's even on the "wrong" side to begin with. This is great stuff, and I'm really impressed that Disney wasn't afraid to create a flawed heroine, and managed to do it successfully as well.

"Hercules" is a good film, although probably not Disney's best. Like "Aladdin" and "Pocahontas", it's very much of the '90s, which makes it entertaining as a cultural artefact if nothing else. Don't watch it if you want the true facts about the Greek legends, obviously, but anyone with a sense of humour should find it easy to like!

Very entertaining
Review date: 2006-08-01 Rating: 8 out of 10

I didn't expect much accuracy from Disney, and in this I wasn't disappointed: they do indeed play fast and loose with the Greek myths (this has its good side - sent me back to my books to do some checking). However, this film has a great deal of charm. It's your basic coming-of-age, finding your place through love sort of story, told with the usual Disney verve and humour. The characters seem to have a definite New York accent and character (forgive me if I'm wrong - I'm British) which gives them a sort of savvy carapace which - inevitably - cracks to show the real emotion underneath, and also makes for some smart dialogue. Character highlights are James Woods' Hades, sinister and sarcastic, and an instantly-recognisable Danny de Vito as Phil the Trainer of Heroes. What gives this film its real character and appeal, however, are the songs. Most of these are performed by the Muses, here transformed into gospel singers, and they have some WONDERFUL numbers, and the heroine's own "I'm not in love" song deserves special mention. Without the songs the film would be less than mediocre; with them, it borders on good. And believe me, for in the company of my five-year-old daughter I have watched it at least twenty times - I always take my nose out of my book for the Muses.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Susan Egan
Roger Bart
Josh Keaton
Tate Donovan
James Woods

Creators:
Tate Donovan (Primary Contributor)
Susan Egan (Primary Contributor)
John Musker (Writer)
Barry Johnson (Writer)
Bob Shaw (Writer)
Don McEnery (Writer)
Irene Mecchi (Writer)
Joe Haidar (Writer)

Director(s):

Recording label: Walt Disney Home Video
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Home Video
EAN: 5017188885140
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: Animated, PAL,
Release date: 2002-08-12
Number of discs: 1
Aspect ratio: 1.66:1
Audience rating: Universal, suitable for all
Region code: 2
Running time: 89 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1997-06-27
Language: English (Original Language)
Language: Spanish (Original Language)
Language: English (Subtitles For The Hearing Impaired)
Language: English (Subtitled)

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