Hercules (1997)

This podcast is now six! And to celebrate, some Renaissance Disney.

The story of Heracles is revered across Greek mythology, but this isn't Heracles. This is Hercules. Same guy, kind of, but this isn't just a retelling of a Greek myth—it's a whole exploration of what makes a true hero; taking some "creative liberties" with the original myth—goodbye tragic backstories, hello superhero narratives (as well as Disney's penchant for merchandise!)

Hercules’ journey from zero to hero is basically the story of Superman (with a bit of Rocky thrown in for good measure) and the celebrity of Michael Jordan, introducing everything from his quirky sidekick Phil, antagonist Hades, love interest Megara, and the Muses who steal the show with their gospel flair. It's a stark contrast to the serious, more Oscar-bait films that preceded it, like Pocahontas and The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

A movie about Hercules isn't really focused on Hercules though, because Hades exists, and Meg is also one of Disney's most complex and interesting heroines. The film's animation style was a bold departure from previous Disney works, merging traditional and modern techniques, taking inspiration from Gerald Scarfe.

Hercules is fun, flawed and fascinating, it’s timeless and so very late '90s, and only exists so that John Musker and Ron Clements could make the movie they actually really wanted to make instead....

I would love to hear your thoughts on Hercules (1997) !

Verbal Diorama is now an award-winning podcast! I won the Best Movie Podcast in the inaugural Ear Worthy Independent Podcast Awards recently. I am beyond thrilled, and hugely grateful to the Ear Worthy team. It means so much to me to be recognised by a fellow indie outlet, and congratulations to all the other winners!

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ABOUT VERBAL DIORAMA

Verbal Diorama is hosted, produced, edited, researched, recorded and marketed by me, Em | This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free.

Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song. Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe. Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!) Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique Studio

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