Jason and the Argonauts (1963)

Director:

Don Chaffey

Writers:

Jan Read (screenplay) &
Beverley Cross (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

19 June 1963 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Family | Fantasy

Tagline:

Greatest Odyssey Of The Ages - for the first time on the screen

Plot:

The legendary Greek hero leads a team of intrepid adventurers in a perilous quest for the legendary Golden Fleece.

Plot Keywords:

Golden Fleece | Hercules | Skeleton | Quest | Battle

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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ennio Antonelli	...	Dmitrius - Drummer on Argo (uncredited)
John Crawford	...	Polydeuces (uncredited)
Aldo Cristiani	...	Lynceus (uncredited)
Eva Haddon	...	Medea (voice) (uncredited)
Ferdinando Poggi	...	Castor (uncredited)
Doug Robinson	...	Eupaemus (uncredited)
Davina Taylor	...	Briseis (uncredited)
Tim Turner	...	Jason (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
Don Chaffey

Writing credits
Jan Read		(screenplay) &
Beverley Cross		(screenplay)
Apollonios Rhodios		(poem "The Argonautica") uncredited

Produced by
Ray Harryhausen	....	associate producer
Charles H. Schneer	....	producer

Original Music by
Bernard Herrmann

Cinematography by
Wilkie Cooper		(photographed by)

Film Editing by
Maurice Rootes

Production Design by
Geoffrey Drake

Art Direction by
Jack Maxsted
Antonio Sarzi-Braga		(as Tony Sarzi Braga)
Herbert Smith

Production Management
Jimmy Komisarjevsky	....	unit manager
Paul Maslansky	....	unit manager
Leonardo Scavino	....	unit manager (as Leon Lenoir)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dennis Bertera	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Cyril Collick	....	sound recordist
Alfred Cox	....	sound editor
Red Law	....	sound recordist

Visual Effects by
Ray Harryhausen	....	creator of special visual effects
Arthur Hayward	....	sculptor: model (uncredited)

Stunts
Ralph Faulkner	....	fight choreographer (uncredited)
Eddie Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Harry Gillam	....	camera operator

Music Department
Bernard Herrmann	....	conductor: The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Bernard Herrmann	....	musical director (uncredited)
Bernard Herrmann	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Phyllis Crocker	....	continuity
John Dark	....	production executive
James Wines	....	title designer
Ferdinando Poggi	....	swordfight arranger (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation (presents)
• Morningside Productions (uncredited)

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1963) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia C.E.I.A.D. (1963) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Columbia Film (1963) (Denmark) (theatrical)
• Columbia Films (1963) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Columbia Films (1963) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia Pictures Corporation (1963) (UK) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1966) (USA) (TV)
• Columbia Pictures (1978) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1996) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1998) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (19??) (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Criterion Collection, The (19??) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (19??) (USA) (VHS)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (19??) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Video (19??) (Japan) (VHS)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• United Video (199?) (Germany) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Intrada  score album released by (Excalibur Collection) (uncredited)
• Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, The  music played by (as The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Norway:11 | Spain:T | Sweden:11 | UK:U (passed with cuts) | West Germany:12 | Ireland:G | Canada:G (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Quebec) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Australia:G | Iceland:12 | Finland:K-12 (cut) (1963) | Finland:K-16 (uncut) (1963) | Finland:K-8 (uncut) (2000) | Singapore:PG | USA:G (re-rating) | USA:Approved (PCA #20139)

Filming Locations:

Italy

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

After the success of Sergio Leone's The Colossus of Rhodes (1961) (U.S. title: "Colossus of Rhodes"), it was decided to change the character of Talos into a living bronze giant. It would become one of Ray Harryhausen's most famous creations.

Goofs:

Continuity: Just before their fight with the skeletons, Jason and his two companions remove the leather straps they're wearing across their chests. In the immediately following close-ups of Jason, he's still wearing his.

Quotes:

Zeus:For the moment, let them enjoy a calm sea, a fresh breeze and each other. The girl is pretty and I am always sentimental. But for Jason, there are other adventures. I have not finished with Jason. Let us continue the game another day.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Cinemassacre's Monster Madness: Evil Dead (#1.24)" (2007)

A Fine Fine Movie

What do I like about this movie...besides Harryhausin's special effects? Besides the frenetic battle with the skeletons and the seemingly hopeless fight against the statue of Talos? I like the way the people are presented, I suppose...

Heracles is presented, not as a young ripped body builder, but as one would expect a middle-aged strong man to be: Formidable, a little grey and a little swaggering. Argos, the ship builder, is tan and fat, as one would expect the veteran of many sea voyages to be. The crew looks like what one would expect a crew of ancient greeks to look like.

The acting is not spectacular, but sincere. No one looks embarrassed to be in this movie. It is tight with great special effects...wonderful for children...

And, I must mention Hera, normally portrayed as a matronly and vindictive woman, is here presented as a beautiful and helpful goddess by Honor Blackman, no less. Although many of you may be more familiar with her as Pussy Galore from Goldfinger...