| For you fuddy duddies out there who dismiss animated features as "kid's stuff," you must have been living under a rock these last 8 years or so - Disney, Nickelodeon, Fox, HBO, all these studios have been producing cartoons that appeal to adults. Hercules is a perfect example - it has all the fun mythological stuff to hook the kids, cute baby Pegasus, familar myths and legends stories, and Disney's prerequisite BEAUTIFUL animation. |
|
 |
Alan Menken, shaking off the extremely wrongful snub for Best Score at the Oscars last year, composes a fun bopping score much more along the lines of his Little Shop of Horrors than Hunchback of Notre Dame or Beauty and the Beast. The Greek chorus is a girl group style chorus who are worked into the action in truly clever ways only possible with animation, and of course anachronisms abound (as in Aladdin). Best of all is all the clever, knowing, yet squeaky-clean humor that will FLY over the kids' heads. |
|
James Woods voices a smarmy Hollywood agent/used car salesman version of Hades, Lord of the Underworld, so he's no nightmare-inducing Queen from Snow White, but he is definitely bad - but very very funny. Herc himself is sympathetic and developed in a way that a comparable live action hero just isn't these days. The jokes are actually so fast and furious I am going to have to see it again to catch them all! And yes, I will pay full price again! The soundtrack is not as strongly standalone as Little Mermaid or Beauty and the Beast, but it fits perfectly within proper Greek theatre parameters - only adults would appreciate that.
Michael Bolton is the only blemish on this shiny urn. But hey, it's only during the credits! |
| It's fast and fun, it's a short movie with lots packed into it (voice talents include Matt Frewer aka Max Headroom, Bobcat Goldthwait, Charlton Heston, Rip Torn, Tate Donovan, and Danny DeVito, among others of course). Amusing stabs at Space Jam (shudder) and the present day iconization of the strangest things, not to mention self-mocking Disney merchanidising mania, will keep the grownups interested, and may even help them save some money at the Disney store. |
|
|
It's a cool movie and really very satisfying. Full Price Feature with a drink (it's short, you won't need to go to the bathroom) and popcorn.
karina |
|
