i don't have a nose: Monster Month Review: Jason and the Argonauts (1963)

Often regarded as a special effects, stop-motion masterpiece, Jason and the Argonauts is one of the more renowned entries in the Schneer-Harryhausen canon. The reason for this is that it showcases Harryhausen at his very best. With that in mind, the only major difference between this film and the ones that preceded it, however, is its diversity; its varied storyline permitted Harryhausen to exercise his versatility by executing a range of behavioural characteristics through an array of very different armatured models, and as a result, the film is lauded more so than any other.

The film focuses on Greek hero Jason (Todd Armstrong), who leads a crew, guided by goddess Hera, to Colchis to find the Golden Fleece. During the adventure, they encounter harpies, a giant bronze statue of Talos, the hydra, and an army of skeleton warriors. Needless to say, the effects are what make the film so memorable, notably due to the sheer range of the creatures the crew encounters.

The acting is altogether rather wooden – so much so that the statue that attacks the crew early on in the film showcases a greater range. It’s evident that Armstrong was either given very little direction in his role, or (more likely) the practice of juxtaposing live action against animated superimpositions was something of an alien concept to him. Regardless, much of his action scenes see him aimlessly waving his sword about in the air, from which his stop-motion nemeses melodramatically flail in helpless surrender. It looks indisputably crummy, but charming all the same. That said, the animation itself is spectacularly advanced for its time. Some even consider Harryhausen’s conclusive skeleton battle sequence to be his crowning achievement – and indeed, the sequence is near-flawless. Naturally, by comparison with today’s overused computer effects, it looks somewhat dated. Nevertheless, it remains surprisingly convincing; the fact that the sequence took in advance of four months to photograph truly paid off.

In spite of this, compared to Harryhausen’s other work, there’s little that’s uniquely striking about it per se. It’s extremely elaborate, and the models are no less than outstanding, but one must give credit to the film’s overall directorial process. Perhaps the reason for the heaps of appraisal this film has received over the years is related more so to the sheer substantiality of the effects. Whereas the animated sequences of earlier films in the Schneer/Harryhausen canon were far more minimal, by comparison, Jason and the Argonauts showcases a detailed observation and execution of various behavioural characteristics of an array of creatures. Take, for example, the slithery, serpent-like movements of the seven-headed hydra, contrasted with the stilted, human-like jerkiness of the skeleton warriors. This film showcases Harryhausen’s capabilities as an animator, perhaps more so than any other, due to its sheer scale, thanks to the direction of Don Chaffey. In addition, there are far fewer live action sequences interspersed between the effects, which, considering the standard of the acting, is something of a blessing.

Speaking of the acting, there are one or two hilarious observations that are worthy of note, the first being Hercules’ (Nigel Green) rather effeminate flicking of his hair prior to saving himself from being sealed in a treasure chamber on the Isle of Bronze. How very masculine. And after Medea (Nancy Kovack) is rescued from a shipwreck, it’s remarkable how her make-up and hair remain completely intact despite the devastation; she looks immaculate. Perhaps I’m deriding the acting a little excessively – in actuality, it in no way disrupts what remains a compelling and exhilarating narrative from beginning to end, but there’s no question that it’s Harryhausen’s visual prowess that renders this film an inarguable monster of a movie. Put simply, Jason and the Argonauts showcases an uninhibited display of Harryhausen’s dexterous and versatile capabilities.