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List Price: $22.98 | | Label: Live / Artisan
Salesrank: 178331
Released: October 23, 2001 |
| Our Price: $361.00 |
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MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Jason and the Argonauts: One of the most legendary adventures in all mythology is brought to life in Jason and the Argonauts, an epic saga of good and evil. As a mere boy Jason (Jason London), the heir to the kingdom on Ancient Greece witnesses the murder of his father at the hands of his ruthless uncle, Pelias (Dennis Hopper). After narrowly escaping death, Jason flees his home and returns twenty years later to reclaim the throne. Upon learning of his return, Pelias sentences him to death. To save his life, Jason promises to deliver the most coveted gift of the gods to his uncle - the Golden Fleece. Joined by the Argonauts, a stout-hearted crew of sailors, he embarks on a perilous voyage to capture the Fleece and fulfill his destiny. Also joining this remarkable, all-star cast are Frank Langella as King Aertes and Natasha Henstridge as Hypsipyle. Jason and the Argonauts is both a mythic adventure and a classic love story, a film achievement destined to thrill generations for years to come. The Odyssey: The ancient world's most spectacular epic unfolds on-screen as a star-studded, special-effects-filled adventure of breathtaking beauty and power in this lavishly produced adaptation of Homer's "The Odyssey." An extraordinary international cast sweeps you into the heroic age of the mighty warrior-king Odysseus (Armand Asante) as his victorious return from the Trojan War becomes a decade-long quest to reach his homeland and his faithful wife, Penelope (Greta Scacchi). Aided by the goddess Athena (Isabella Rossellini), Odysseus braves all the terrors and temptations of a mysterious, far-flung world, matching wits and wiles with a fantastic array of beings both mortal and monstrous. It's the voyage of a lifetime, and a journey you and your family will never forget, in this glorious retelling of one of the greatest adventure tales of all time.
Description of Jason and the Argonauts / The Odyssey:
Jason and the Argonauts
Is your classical Greek rusty? This is just the thing--a feast of epic Greek mythology--and the classic tale of Good (Jason, Theseus, Hercules, Orpheus) versus Evil (angry gods, Poseidon, Harpies, the women of Lemnos) is a great introduction. The plot has been entertaining people for thousands of years and is still going strong--now strengthened by great special effects and good acting. Sure, some people will think this version isn't "high culture" enough (it's a bit reminiscent of Clash of the Titans), but those folks should probably be reading Bulfinch's Mythology instead of watching TV anyway. Even hard-core fans of Ray Harryhausen's 1963 stop-motion-animation version will find room in their hearts (and DVD libraries) for this one. Although the basic plot elements are the same, the two versions achieve very different (and both quite enjoyable) effects. The new Jason and the Argonauts is something kids and adults can all enjoy. --Tara Chace
The Odyssey
Andrei Konchalovsky's expansive television mini-series production of Homer's epic poem gets off to clumsy start as he tries to squeeze the Trojan War into a mere half hour, but once the arrogant but honorable Odysseus (strikingly played by Armand Assante) and his loyal crew begin their doomed voyage home, this film turns into a fantastical adventure. Integrating often-stunning special effects with inventive art design, Konchalovsky achieves a beautiful look on a limited budget as he follows the 10-year ordeal of Odysseus from his battles with the Cyclops and the magical Circe (Bernadette Peters) to his secret homecoming and his confrontation with the treacherous Eurymachus (Eric Roberts). Isabella Rossellini appears as his spiritual guide, the goddess Athena, with Greta Scacchi as Odysseus's faithful wife and Vanessa Williams as the seductive Calypso. The rest of the cast includes Geraldine Chaplin, Jeroen Krabbé, Christopher Lee, and Irene Papas. The production was shot on location in and around the Mediterranean, making for a lush, lovely visual experience. --Sean Axmaker
