Disneys Hercules

Disney's Hercules

Walt Disney's version of the story of Hercules was produced in 1997 and directed by Ron Clements and John Musker. While Hercules was mediocre at the box office (compared to other of Disney's classics) the film was a great treat to myth lovers everywhere. The actual story of Hercules was changed greatly throughout the movie, however Disney provided many great side cues with characters and setting back drops for those learned in the great storytelling that is myth.

The main focus of my paper however is the story of Hercules and how Disney veers in and out of the man, the myth, the legend. The original myth begins with the birth of Hercules by mother Alcmena, and Father Zeus. Hera being jealous of the affair Zeus is having with Alcmena, was said to have sent two snakes to kill Hercules during his infancy but at a young 8 months old kills them first. In the motion picture however "Hades" deploys two demons to kill Hercules. Disney however toys with the viewers by giving the demons the powers to shape shift into snakes just before Hercules eludes them, without killing them.

Disney's next leap is his idea of Pegasus and the role he plays in Hercules's life. In the movie Zeus creates Pegasus by gathering up clouds and molding them into a horse. Borrowing from the myth of Bellerophon Disney turns Pegasus into a God of his/her own. While Hercules battles everything from Centaurs, Giants, Titans, and Cyclopes, he could have never have defeated all of them without the help of his trusty counterpart Pegasus. The myth however tells the story of Pegasus, son/daughter of Poseiden the horse-tamer and Medusa being created for Bellerophon in the defeat he accomplished over Chimera. Myth has it that Pegasus was created through Medusa, spraying out of her neck when the great Perseus chopped her head off to save Argos. Hercules is lucky to have Pegasus around for his movie.

Then there's the good guy vs. bad guy theme