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Jason and the Argonauts (1963) Country of Origin: UK
Year of Production: 1963
Running Times: 99 mins 25 sec (UK - video) 99 mins 27 sec (UK - video) 99 mins 35 sec (UK - video) 104 mins
Format: Eastmancolor 35mm
Ratio: 1.37:1 (negative ratio) 1.85:1 (intended ratio)
Sound: mono CREDITS
PRODUCTION
Production Companies: Columbia Pictures Corporation / Morningside
Worldwide S.A.
Production Executive: John Dark
Producer: Charles H. Schneer
Associate Producer: Ray Harryhausen
Unit Manager: Jimmy Komisarjevsky, Leon Lenoir, Paul Maslansky
SCRIPT
Script: Jan Read, Beverly Cross
Poem: The Argonautica by Apollonious Rhodios (uncredited)
DIRECTION
Director: Don Chaffey
Assistant Director: Dennis Bertera
PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Wilkie Cooper
Camera Operator: Harry Gillam
EDITING AND POST PRODUCTION
Editor: Maurice Rootes
MUSIC
Music: Bernard Herrmann
Musical Directors: Bernard Herrmann, Mario Nascimbene
SOUND
Sound: Cyril Collick, Red Law
Sound Editor: Alfred Cox
SPECIAL EFFECTS
Special Effects: Ray Harryhausen
Model Scultor: Arthur Hayward (uncredited)
DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: Geoffrey Drake
Art Directors: Jack Maxsted, Tony Sarzi Braga, Herbert Smith
Title Designer: James Wines
MISCELLANEOUS
Continuity: Phyllis Crocker
LOCATIONS
Locations: England; Paestum, Salerno, Campania, Italy; Palinuro, Salerno,
Campania, Italy
STUNTS
Fight Choreography: Ralph Faulkner
Swordfight Arranger: Ferdinando Poggi (uncredited)
CAST
Todd Armstrong (Jason)
Nancy Kovack (Medea)
Gary Raymond (Acastus)
Laurence Naismith (Argos)
Niall MacGinnis (Zeus)
Michael Gwynn (Hermes)
Douglas Wilmer (Pelias)
Jack Gwillim (King Aeetes)
Honor Blackman (Hera)
John Cairney (Hylas)
Patrick Troughton (Phineas)
Andrew Faulds (Phalerus)
Nigel Green (Hercules)
John Crawford (Polydeuces - uncredited)
Aldo Cristiani (Lynceus - uncredited)
Ferdinando Poggi (Castor - uncredited)
Douglas Robinson (Eupaemus - uncredited)
Davina Taylor (Briseis - uncredited)
SUMMARY
Jason, who has been prophesied to one day assume
the throne of Thessaly, is told of a fabled Golden Fleece and gathers
together a band of adventurers to set sail in his ship, the Argo,
to retrieve it. The Argonauts are protected by Hera, queen of the
gods and they battle many mythological creatures (harpies, the giant
bronze statue of Talos, the hydra, a skeleton army).
CAPSULE REVIEW
A first rate mythological adventure that contains
some of the most enduring memories of sitting around TV sets watching
slack-jawed as Jason and his merry men battle Talos and of course
the astonishing skeleton battle. The actors don't seem to matter too
much - it's Ray Harryhausen's crowd-pleasing monster animations that
are the true heart of the film and the once again prove why traditional
methods will be winning out over CGI for some time to come.
AVAILABILITY
Germany
DVD Distributor: Columbia / Tristar
UK
Theatrical Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Video Distributor: RCA / Columbia Pictures; Video Collection International
(CC7295)
Laserdisc Distributor: Encore (EE 1014)
DVD Distributor: Columbia / Tristar Home Video CDR90037
USA
Theatrical Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Laserdisc Distributor: Criterion (CC 1303L); Columbia / Tristar (76966
- 1996); RCA / Columbia (VLD 3191)
DVD Distributor: Columbia / Tristar (00259)
CENSORSHIP HISTORY
Finland
Rating: K-12
Norway
Rating: 11
UK
Rating: U
USA
Rating: G
TIMELINE
1963
February
27: UK - rated U by the BBFC (for theatrical release - with unspecified
cuts)
June
19: USA - theatrical release
August
15: UK - theatrical release
December
20: West Germany - theatrical release
1964
March
20: Finland - theatrical release
1988
July
27: UK - rated U by the BBFC (for video release)
1993
July
21: UK - rated U by the BBFC (for video release)
1995
March
Day Unknown: UK - laserdisc release (Encore (EE 1014))
1996
April
15: UK - video release (Video Collection International (CC7295))
October
3: USA - laserdisc distributor (Columbia/Tristar (76966))
1998
July
14: USA - DVD release (Columbia / Tristar (00259))
1999
August
2: Germany - DVD release (Columbia / Tristar)
23: UK - DVD release (Columbia / Tristar Home Video CDR90037)
October
15: UK - rated U by the BBFC (for video release)
December
13: UK - video deleted (Video Collection International (CC7295))
2000
December
6: France - theatrical re-release
POSTER TAGS
The epic story that was
destined to stand as a colossus of adventure!
ALTERNATIVE TITLES
Jason and the
Golden Fleece - shooting title
Jason en de Argonauten
Jason en de Duistere Machten
Jason en de Duiveise Machten
LINKS
SEE ALSO
Jason
and the Argonauts (2000)
FOOTAGE INCLUDED
IN
The Making of Jurassic Park (1995)
Special Effects: Anything Can Happen (1996)
REFERENCES MAGAZINES
Halls of Horror
27 p.24 (UK)
note
Shivers 29
p.14 (UK)
review
BOOKS
Reference Guide
to Fantastic Films II p.230
credits
KEYWORDS
mythology; boats; monsters; statues; deities; ancient greece;
skeletons; swordfights; the hydra
Last Updated:
1 January, 2009
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