Hercules (1997) - Clements and Musker aim for more adult laughs in colorful musical adventure

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A brightly colored, exciting array of characters and colors adorn this poster for Ron Clements and John Musker's Hercules

Little Hercules is born half man half god, and he gets bullied for his over-strong clumsiness, until he meets a creature who wants to train him - and a fair lady, who ignites his hormones.

 

Hercules is written by Don McEnery, Bob Shaw (A Bug's Life (1998), both), Irene Mecchi (The Lion King (1994)) and master filmmakers, co-writer/directors Iowan Ron Clements and Illinoisan John Musker (Aladdin (1992), both), whose 4th film it is. 13 more individuals are credited with contributing story elements.

The film is overloaded with references and wisecracks for adults that regrettably don't add up to many laughs but certainly make Hercules seem an early study for what later came to successful fruition with Shrek (2001). Danny DeVito (When in Rome (2010)) and James Woods (Nixon (1995)) are among the fine voice performers.

Hercules is stylistically a wildly diverging, almost messy mix visually. It is enjoyable but essentially little more than a colorful children's party of a film.

 

Related posts:

 

Ron Clements and John Musker: Top 10: Best Disney movies reviewed by Film Excess to date 

The Little Mermaid (1989) - The fantastic, romantic return of Disney animation

 

 

Watch a trailer for the movie here

 

Cost: 85 mil. $

Box office: 252.7 mil. $

= Box office success (returned 2.97 times its cost)

[Hercules was released 13 June (USA) and runs 93 minutes. Development began in 1992. Jack Nicholson was sought to voice Hades but didn't pan out due to his enormous salary demand. Production took place in California and in France. The film was opened in 1 and then 2 theaters for its first two weekends before widening to open #2, behind Face/Off, to a 21.4 mil. $ first 'real' weekend in North America, where it spent another 2 weekends in the top 5 (#3-#4), grossing 99.1 mil. $ (39.2 % of the total gross). Though successful, the performance was disappointing in light of the preceding year's many Disney smash triumphs and Disney stock slipped 9.7%. The film was nominated for 1 Oscar, for Best Song (Go the Distance by Alan Menken and David Zippel), lost to My Heart Will Go On by Céline Dion, James Horner and Will Jennings from Titanic. It was also nominated for a Golden Globe, among other honors. Roger Ebert gave it a 3.5/4 star review, translating to 2 notches over this one. By summer 1998, the film had reportedly already brought in additionally 165 mil. $ in VHS sales and rentals. Clements and Musker returned with Treasure Planet (2002). Hercules is certified fresh at 84 % with a 7/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

 

What do you think of Hercules?

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) - Wonderful, thematically vivid and compelling Disney animation

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+ Best Big Hit Movie of the Year + Best Family Movie of the Year + Best Paris Movie of the Year + Best Religious Movie of the Year  

 

A splendid, packed, wonderfully vivid poster for Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise's The Hunchback of Notre Dame

As a child Quasimodo is nearly killed by judge Claude Frollo, but instead of suffering death, Quasimodo grows to become the hunchbacked resident of Paris' Notre Dame cathedral, with Frollo his master. But he is a hypocritical tyrant, and Quasimodo's urge to be free is undeniable.

 

The Hunchback of Notre Dame is written by Tab Murphy (Brother Bear (2003)), Irene Mecchi (Fantasia 2000 (1999, segment)), Bob Tzudiker (Anastasia (1997)), Noni White (102 Dalmatians (2000)) and Jonathan Roberts (The Lion King (1994)), with 19 (!) more individuals contributing story elements, and directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise (Beauty and the Beast (1991), both). It is an adaptation of Victor Hugo's (Bug-Jargal (1826)) classic novel Notre-Dame de Paris (1831).

A strong plot and compelling story, - one also unusual for a Disney animation, featuring quite a bit of Christian themes, - make The Hunchback of Notre Dame very worthwhile. CGI is blended seamlessly with the delightful animation. The songs are not among the best from Disney musicals, but The Hunchback of Notre Dame is still a mighty fine film.

Related post:

1996 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 70 mil. $

Box office: 325.3 mil. $

= Big hit (returned 4.64 times its cost)

[The Hunchback of Notre Dame premiered 19 June (New Orleans) and runs 91 minutes. The idea to adapt Hugo's old novel came to Disney development executive David Stainton in 1993. Production took place in California from June 1993 - November 1995. The novel's controversial elements presented many challenges for the filmmakers, and the film is considered one of the darkest and most adult in themes and nature, among the Disney films. (Themes include infanticide, racism, genocide, Christianity, lust, damnation and sin.) The film opened #2, behind fellow new release Eraser, to a 21 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it stayed in the top 5 for another 2 weekends (#3-#4) and grossed 100.1 mil. $ (30.8 % of the total gross). It was the 5th highest-grossing film of the year. Disney spent 40 mil. $ marketing the film, and spin-off marketing products reportedly racked in 500 mil. $ for the Mouse House. The VHS was also wildly profitable: By 1998 it had made more than 200 mil. $ on North-American video sales and rentals alone. The film was nominated for the Best Score (Comedy/Musical) Oscar (Alan Menken, Stephen Schwartz), lost to Rachel Portman for Emma. It was also nominated for a Golden Globe, among other honors. Roger Ebert gave it a 4/4 star review, translating to 2 notches over this one. Direct-to-video sequel The Hunchback of Notre Dame 2: The Secret of the Bell (2002) was produced, along with video games and a stage musical version, and a live-action remake is now in the works. Trousdale and Wise returned with Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001). Tom Hulce (Slam Dance (1987)), who voices Quasimodo, returned in The Hunchback of Notre Dame 2: The Secret of the Bell (2002); Tony Jay (Beauty and the Beast (1991)), who voices Frollo, in Superman: The Last Son of Krypton (1996, TV movie)). The Hunchback of Notre Dame is fresh at 71 % with a 7.10/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of The Hunchback of Notre Dame?