Hercules (1997)


Let's look at another Disney Renaissance film, Hercules.

The Movie:

 Hercules is the 35th movie in the Disney Animated Canon and the 8th movie of the Disney Renaissance.  This movie was directed by John Musker and Ron Clements to get one more commercial hit to please Jeffery Katzenberg and allow them to do their pet project, which would be Treasure Planet.  Though Hercules received positive reviews, it didn't do as well as the early Renaissance films at the box-office.

Hercules is based on the Greek myth of Heracles.  (Yes, the story set in Greece went with the Roman spelling.)  Disney's version is an anachronism stew that plays fast and loose with Greek mythology.  In this version, Hercules is the newborn son of Zeus and Hera, rulers of the gods.  Meanwhile, Hades, god of the underworld, is given a prophecy that his plan to take over the world in 18 years will be stopped by Hercules, so he sends his minions Pain and Panic to kidnap Hercules, turn him mortal, and kill him.  They fail on the last point, and Hercules is raised by a farm couple.  Growing into an unusually strong but rather clumsy boy, Hercules is viewed as a pariah by the community.  Wanting answers about how to fit in, Hercules visits the temple of Zeus, where his father appears and tells him that if he can become a true hero, he can someday return to Mount Olympus.  Hercules, with the help of Pegasus, sets out to find Phil, the trainer of heroes, so he can earn his place among the gods.

This is a movie that by all accounts shouldn't work.  A movie set in ancient Greece filled with all kinds of modern references, with gospel music.  However, the movie Hercules never takes itself too seriously.  It's all about having fun, and you can't help but have fun along with it.  There is plenty of clever dialogue that earns some chuckles.  James Woods as Hades steals every scene he is.  For the most part the movie looks good, but the hydra CGI really hasn't aged well.

The movie's biggest selling point is the music, and if the use of gospel music doesn't work for you, you probably won't like Hercules.  I personally think it's a blast.  "Zero to Hero" and "I Won't Say I'm in Love" are a couple of the highlights, but it's the movie's anthem, "Go the Distance," that really stands out.  I will admit, I bought the single of Michael Bolton's version when this movie came out and practically wore that CD out.  The score and songs are all by Disney standard Alan Menken, with David Zippel providing lyrics this time.

Presence in the Parks:

 Hercules is one of the Renaissance movies that doesn't get a lot of love in the parks, but the movie is starting to gain a bit of recognition.  I think one of the things that disappointed me the most about Wishes being removed as the Magic Kingdom fireworks show was that it actually used "Go the Distance" in the music.  So I was very pleased when the new show Happily Ever After shows that song and Hercules himself even more love.

Over at Hollywood Studios, the movie gets several moments in Fantasmic!  Hercules and "Zero to Hero" are in the Bubble Sequence, while Hades gets some fun moments with the villains.  Megara has often been seen on the steamboat at the end.


Megara on the steamboat, Fantasmic!, Hollywood Studios, May 2015
(She's at the very front)

Hades also gets to be the main villain in the Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom, while Hercules and Lythos (the rock titan) are cards in the game.


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