Jason and the Argonauts
![Watch film Jason and the Argonauts — Jason and the Argonauts (1963) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HD 1080p]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/WbWmMsyqf6k/sddefault.jpg)
Short description
Jason, a sailor and explorer, returns to his homeland of Thessaly after a long absence to claim the throne that is rightfully his. He discovers that before he can rule, he must bring back the Golden Fleece, and so he assembles a crew of skilled sailors and warriors and sets sail aboard the Argo for a distant and dangerous land. The goddess Hera supports his journey, while other gods place deadly obstacles in his path, among them a giant bronze figure and a many-headed monster.
The film was directed by Don Chaffey and written by Beverley Cross and Jan Read, with Charles H. Schneer producing. It came before Chaffey's later features One Million Years B.C. and Pete's Dragon. Todd Armstrong plays Jason, with Nancy Kovack as Medea and supporting turns from Gary Raymond, Laurence Naismith, Niall MacGinnis and Michael Gwynn among a credited cast of twenty-three.
Released in June 1963, the film was made for about three million dollars and returned roughly two million at the worldwide box office. Audience response has held up over the years: it rates 7.3 out of 10 on IMDb from around 34,000 votes, and 7.2 out of 10 on TMDB from a much smaller pool of 727. A critics' rating of 7.5 out of 10 from 45 reviews places professional assessment slightly above the audience scores.
What's left behind the scenes
- In the US, Ray Harryhausen's previous works were mainly shown as one of the films in double features in second-run cinemas. At the same time, for "Jason and the Argonauts," Columbia Pictures was able to book many first-run cinemas for single showings.
- The voice of Nancy Kovack, who played Medea, was dubbed by Eva Haddon, known at the time for her work on BBC radio.
- The shields of the skeleton warriors feature images of other creatures recreated by Ray Harryhausen, including a giant octopus and the head of Ymir from the science fiction film "20 Million Miles from Earth."
- In the early stages of script development, the Argonauts were to encounter the twin monsters Scylla and Charybdis, the three-headed dog Cerberus, and a centaur.
- Seeking to capitalize on the success of "The 7th Voyage of Sinbad" (1958), the director's original idea was to create a sequel titled "Sinbad in the Age of Muses." The plot was to unfold in Ancient Greece, with Sinbad joining the Argonauts' expedition as the main character.
- Filming of the picture took place in September-October 1961 in Italy, and then in the Shepperton Studios pavilions in England.
- Todd Armstrong's voice, who played Jason, was dubbed by British actor Tim Turner. He gained great prominence by reading voice-over texts in many British films of the 50s-70s and popular television series of that period.
- During the filming of the 'Argo's' voyage off the coast of Italy, work was unexpectedly interrupted by the appearance in the frame of an exact replica of Francis Drake's medieval galleon, the 'Golden Hind'. It turned out that filming of the British series 'Sir Francis Drake' (1961) was taking place nearby, and the two ships inadvertently came very close to each other. The ensuing mutual confusion was defused by producer Charles H. Schnee, who cleverly shouted, 'Get your ship out of here. You've sailed into the wrong century!'
- Staging the battle scene with skeletons, which lasts no more than three minutes, took four months. To this day, Ray Harryhausen's work in it is recognized as the pinnacle of visual effects in cinema.
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
