...let me repeat that.
Lou Ferrigno THROWS A BEAR INTO SPACE.
Do you actually need to know literally anything else about this movie?
Okay, fine. I'll elaborate. Mostly because that is actually the high point in this movie.
Hercules is a character from Greek mythology. I'm sure that you all do but, for those not in the know, Hercules is noted as the son of Zeus and is a hero within Greek mythology. Born from yet another instance of Zeus being unable to keep it in his pants, Hercules - or rather "Heracles" in the original Greek - was born with god-like strength and known for various heroic exploits within Greek (and later Roman) mythology. He is, by far, the most notable of Zeus' children (with the exception of maybe Helen, but that's another story) and has the most marketability. So, naturally, he's been in various film and television adaptations. Out of all of them across the length and breadth of cinema...this film is one of them.
Hercules follows the story of the mythological figure very loosely - and by very loosely, I mean they hodgepodge together bits and pieces from all around Greek mythology to make the narrative. Such as the case when Hercules, having grown up from a life of living in a mud hut and dragging three rocks across a field, finds himself having to battle the insidious King Minos who wants to conquer the world with SCIENCE!
SCIENCE!, by the way, meaning mostly incredibly cheesy computer effects and some robotics. Unfortunately for him, he's going up against Hercules who - need I remind you - THREW A BEAR INTO SPACE in one of his earliest scenes. Hercules also has his fair share of the neon light flares that pass for magic in this movie.
Yeah, the special effects are pretty par for the course for cheap shlock in the 1980's - the robot creature sent after Hercules at one point being particularly laughable. I've seen worse, but it's hardly what you call the top tier effects even for the day. The acting is somewhat hokey in a lot of spots as well, and every actor appears to have been dubbed over, including Lou Ferrigno (though, in researching for this review, I've learned that's actually a common practice for Italian productions - which this is one).
B-Movie Queen Sybil Danning also appears in the film as Ariadne, daughter of Minos and an antagonist. Ish. Besides Lou, she's really the only notable actor in the piece. Her appearance here is also far, far better than one that we'll be getting to at some point this year.
Honestly, despite the fact that the film was nominated for (and won) several Razzie Awards, I really don't think it's all that bad. It's cheap and a little bit ludicrous, sure. There's plenty that I could complain about that just doesn't make any real sense at all - just as the robotic animals (Yeah "science" as Minos puts it, but c'mon, you guys were ripping off Clash of the Titans). I could pick on the acting, the costumes, the set design, how everything about the special effects is hilarious.
However, I just watched Deathstalker last week and I'm feeling immensely generous.
Could it have been better? Sure. It could also have been a Hell of a lot worse.
Also, again...I cannot stress this enough, lest you forget...LOU FERRIGNO THROWS A BEAR INTO SPACE!
Oh, there's a Sequel. Hmm...
Hercules was brought to us by Cannon Films.
For the latest from the MadCapMunchkin, be sure to follow him on Twitter @MadCapMunchkin.
No comments:
Post a Comment