Happy Birthday Hercules! Ten Reasons to Celebrate the Golden Hero

Disney’s Hercules recently turned 20 years old. How is that possible? I still tend to think of it as one of the “newer” Disney films. It also seems to be one of the more polarizing ones. Some people love it. Others, well, not so much. Some of you may even be thinking, “Disney made a movie about Hercules?”

Hercules opened in the summer of 1997, about five years after Aladdin and three years after The Lion King. Compared to those tremendously successful films, Hercules underperformed. Well, if you can really describe a film about a Greek god that grossed $250M as “underperforming.”

So why should you care if it’s Hercules’ birthday? Well, maybe it’s one of the Disney films you missed or forgot. Or, maybe you need a reason to celebrate on an otherwise uneventful Wednesday. He did give up his immorality to marry a human you know, at least in Disney’s version, so every birthday counts. Plus, it’s new on Netflix this month, so why not?

Here are ten reasons to watch Disney’s Hercules:

(1) Relive a time where everything wasn’t computer generated.  Hercules was one of the in-between animated films (I just made that term up) that combines traditional hand-drawn images with a limited amount of computer animation (mostly in the Hydra battle sequence). The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Lilo and Stitch are other films in this category. Finding hand-drawn animation is rare these days. Enjoy it.

Screen shot of Disney’s Hercules

(2) Gospel music. The film relies on five statutes or muses to keep the storyline moving. The muses sing these plot details in a spirited gospel style. It’s unexpected, considering the movie is based on mythological gods, yet it adds significant humor and flair to the film.

(3) Alan Menkin. Speaking of music, Hercules features the work of Oscar-winning songwriter Alan Menkin. Menken contributes a delightful range of musical styles to the film, from the previously mentioned gospel songs to the doo-wap inspired I Won’t Say (I’m In Love) and several genres in between. The songs may not be as familiar as Menken’s popular melodies from The Little Mermaid or Beauty and the Beast, but some, like Go the Distance, are equally inspiring.

(4) Mythological story line.  Although many movies cover the story of Hercules, this one is done in clean, straight-forward Disney-style. That means you get the appeal of Greek mythology (power, strength, immortality) without the um, soap-opera-like drama of the ever changing stories (Zeus posing as another woman’s husband, Hera casting “madness” on Hercules as an adult, etc.). Herculean challenges from the traditional stories are woven throughout the film, such as capturing Cerbeus, the multi-headed dog creature that guards Hades. Numerous other Greek gods make appearances of various lengths in the film too.  I like how the mythological story line can appeal to slightly older kids or anyone that doesn’t enjoy or has moved-on (sniff sniff) from the princess-based movies.

(5) Greco-Roman references. Hercules includes numerous humorous references to ancient Greece and Rome. When a child runs to help someone injured in the film he calls out 911 in Roman numerals, “Quick! Dial IXII !” At another point, Meg describes Hercules as “the greatest thing since they put a pocket in pita.” The references are quick, silly and not always accurate, but they add another level of entertainment to the film for those paying close attention.

Screen shot of Disney’s Hercules

(6) James Woods. Whoever decided to cast James Wood as Hades, the fast-talking, smooth-dealing villain of the underworld, is a genius. His villainous style, beautiful animation and over-the-top monologues are a perfect compliment to the golden boy. He may even be the best part of the film, in my humble opinion.

(7) Understand more references at Disney World. Although references to Hercules are not nearly as plentiful in Disney World as some of the more popular films, you will find them in some of the evening shows. Hades is included in “Fantasmic” at Hollywood Studios and Go the Distance is prominently featured in “Happily Ever After” the new evening projection and firework show at Magic Kingdom. If you watch Hercules, you’ll recognize these tributes while everybody near you is trying to remember where or if they’ve seen these references before.

Screen shot of Disney’s Hercules

(8) Michael Bolton That’s right. In the peak of his long hair period, Michael Bolton recorded the pop version of Go the Distance. It’s perhaps not quite as compelling as Part of Your World from The Little Mermaid, but it shares a similar sentiment of the desire to belong. The song was even nominated for an Oscar, although it lost to a slightly-better-known tune sung by a chest thumping French Canadian regarding a sinking ship.

(9) Unique As I watched Hercules again this week, I was reminded how unique this film is compared to most other Disney animated films. From the angular animation, to the interesting music choices to the slightly more mature storyline, the film stands out from the others for good or for bad. The beginning reminded me a little bit of Sleeping Beauty, when Hades like Maleficient, appears at the celebration party for the King’s new baby. Later it reminded me more of Aladdin with the numerous pop culture references and quicker pace. Ultimately though, the movie carves its own path that makes it a unique film in Disney’s extensive collection. Yes, it still features a reluctant hero rising to the challenge and finding true love at the end, but the winding path to get there is unusual and entertaining.

Screenshot of Disney’s Hercules

(10) Disney Easter Eggs As you probably already know, Disney animators often like to hide tributes to other films in their work. They call them Easter Eggs. Sometimes it’s a reference to a past or future film, other times it’s a nod to Disney attractions. Hercules has a few that are super easy to spot, such as the skin of Scar from the Lion King or the muses nod to Disney’s Haunted Mansion attractions (pictured above).

And that’s it. Ten reasons to watch Hercules and help him celebrate the big 2-0. There are a few things I don’t like about the film too, but it seems rude to point out one’s flaws at a birthday celebration. Don’t you think?

Have any more Herculean notes you’d like to add? Let me know in the comments below!

Add some mythological magic to your world!