Before I start, I’d like to say today is my one year anniversary!! 1 year ago today, I started this blog. Now back to our regularly scheduled program.
Overview: The narrators of the musical are 5 muses and open with the story of the gods and how they came into power. Then jump to the birth of Hercules and learn about his uncle wanting him dead and ties to turn him mortal. As Hercules is now mostly mortal, he has to live on Earth and go through his childhood. He learns that he is a demi-god and his father is king of the Gods, Zeus. In order to shed his mortal life, Hercules must become worthy of being a god and Hades wants to stop him so he can be the next ruler. Throwing different monsters at him, Hades tries his best to kill Hercules, who has been trained by a satyr named Phil, a famous (or infamous) hero trainer. In trying to destroy him, he finds a weakness and exploits for everything he can almost bringing an end to Hercules and the fall of the gods. Hercules saves the day, but decides to stay on Earth instead of joining his parents on Mount Olympus.
Opinion: While it is a good fish out of water and under dog story, I also see elements of other Disney movies in it. Tarzan, boy found and adopted by another species (humans instead of gods), Lion King (Uncle has to kill nephew to rule), Mulan (clumsy protagonist has to train to prove himself), Aladdin (becomes so cocky its a downfall). I don’t know a lot of Greek mythology, but this is a sweet story. Of course the true story may be darker, as Disney made a reputation for taking dark stories and making them light. I don’t know Hercules’ true story, but this version is better geared toward children than the other incestuous, bestiality-filled Greek god stories. Disney usually has hidden meanings or a moral behind their movies, an in this one I’m not quite sure what it is. With hero stories it is normally that anyone can be a hero, but here the hero is a god turned mortal. It could be love is worth fighting for but that doesn’t sound right either. Or that famous isn’t the same as being a hero. So history aside, the songs are pretty good for a kids movie. I particularly like “Never Admit I’m in Love.”
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