Due in large part to its comedic approach, Disney's animated film Hercules has naturally taken a number of creative liberties when it comes to Greek mythology. Hercules tells the story of the son of Zeus, endowed with superhuman strength, trying to prove that he is a hero worthy of becoming a god. As part of the Disney Renaissance Hercules combines classic storytelling, bold animation and Broadway-style musical numbers. Alan Menken, who composed the music for The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the beastand Aladdincreated the songs in Hercules that tell the story in a fun and stylized way.
Hercules is known for its comedic tone and whimsical storytelling. Although the story takes place in ancient Greece, the film is full of modern references. From the opening narration, the Muses, stylized as a contemporary gospel choir, take control with a “relax, man”, letting the audience know that this is not boring “Greek tragedy.” The main characters of Hercules it makes plenty of modern references, and these deliberate anachronisms make it a fun, Easter-egg-filled retelling of contemporary pop culture. Current references combined with period definition give Hercules its playful and distinctive tone.
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Hercules The Karate Kid Training Montage References
When Hercules (Tate Donovan) discovers he needs to become a “true hero”To ascend to Olympus, his father Zeus recommends him the best trainer in Greece: Philoctetes, also known as Phil (Danny DeVito). Phil is an eccentric satyr (half man, half goat) who reluctantly agrees to train Hercules. This leads to a montage of the song “One Last Shot” where he trains Hercules through heroic training exercises.
In a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment, the “One Last Shot” montage pays homage to a classic scene from another training montage: The Karate Kid. Against the backdrop of the sunset, Hercules and Phil do the famous “crane kick” from The Karate Kid. This reference reinforces that, like Daniel LaRusso, Hercules is an underdog on a journey that will transform him physically and spiritually. Connecting Hercules' Journey to other famous training montages serves as an effective shortcut, making Hercules it feels modern and relatable despite being about the son of the king of the gods.
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Phil describes Thebes as the Greek city of New York
When Hercules is ready to put his training into practice, Phil takes him to Thebes, an important Greek city. Phil calls Thebes “The big olive“, joking “If you can get there, you can get anywhere.” These are obvious references to the city of New York, nicknamed the Big Apple. Upon arriving in Thebes, they cross a busy street with pedestrians and carriages. The flow of traffic is controlled by a vase with a green man walking on one side and a red stop on the other, a clear reference to a modern traffic light.
These allusions to a modern metropolitan city add a lot of humor, but also context. Without needing to know anything about ancient history or mythology, viewers can see the difference between Thebes and the small town where Hercules was before. The stop sign joke and description of Phil are funny, but they also ground the audience. Hearing residents complain about the crime rates in Thebes or discuss the possibility of moving to Athens is a touch of topical humor.
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“Someone call IX-II!”
Hades (James Woods), determined to kill him, lures Hercules into a trap. Hades' two minions, Pain (Bobcat Goldthwait) and Panic (Matt Frewer), pretend to be children trapped under a rock. They are asking for help, shouting: “Somebody call IX-II!” Of course, with his supernatural strength, he easily frees them.
This joke is a clever marriage between the modern and Greek systems. In Roman numerals, which is what the characters in Hercules would use, IX-II is 9-1-1. Asking anyone to make a call, let alone 911, in ancient Greece is anachronistic, but the subtlety of the joke captures the spirit of the entire film. Hercules is full of fun Easter eggs for attentive viewers.
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Hades treats the competition like modern sporting events
Hades sends creature after creature to kill Hercules, but Hercules overcomes them all. Hades is clearly a sports fan, as he comments on battles using contemporary sports language. Hades uses the 1980s boxing phrase: “Let's get ready to make some noise!” when Hercules meets the Hydra. Hades also says: “Yeah'It's just a break”, “My favorite part of the game: sudden death”, “Game. Set. Match.” and “Enough with the preliminaries and now let's get to the main event.!”
Hercules fighting the Hydra is a very tense scene. Hercules cuts off head after head, but even more grow, quickly filling the screen. This may be too intense for a children's film, but Hades' comments and glee over the battle provide some much-needed comic relief. As King of the Underworld, Hades is portrayed as a fast-talking antagonist, mixing humor, menace, and charisma in a way that feels menacing but still appropriate for younger audiences who Hercules was longing for.
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Pegasus sketch makes a constellation have a Marilyn Monroe moment
Hercules has a classic Disney animal companion: a flying horse, Pegasus. At one point, Hercules is flying Pegasus, and they fly so high they pass the stars. As they pass by a constellation of a clothed woman, the wind from Pegasus's wings blows up her skirt. This is an homage to Marilyn Monroe's similar moment in The Seven Year Itch.
A world with literal gods is naturally heightened, but the sight of flying so high it touches the stars is a magical moment. Any tribute to Marilyn Monroe is fun, but this happens when Hercules is quickly becoming the most famous person in Greece. Referencing Monroe, who was the biggest star of his time but still unhappy, is a foreshadowing that although Hercules is gaining fame as a hero, he has not yet achieved the emotional breakthrough necessary to become the 'true hero' he aspires to. to be.
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Montage “Zero To Hero” from Hercules makes reference to Grauman’s Chinese Theater
“Zero to Hero” chronicles Hercules’ rise to fame and fortune in a montage. In a brief moment, Hercules and Pegasus press hand and hoof prints into the wet cement. This is a tribute to a celebrity tradition at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Los Angeles. The Chinese Theater invites Hollywood's elite to leave handprints and write a message. Hercules even addresses his signature “For Sid,” a reference to the theater’s founder, Sid Grauman.
This is a sly and swift gesture to a long-standing Hollywood tradition. For those who understand, this contextualizes the size of the impact that Hercules had, uniting ancient Greece with modern celebrity culture. It's a visual joke that could also be a little wink to Oscar voters, since Hercules would be nominated for Best Original Song for “Go the Distance.”
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Hercules treats its hero like a modern celebrity
In the “Zero to Hero” montage, Hercules gains fame and acclaim with each creature he defeats. The film portrays the classic Greek hero as a modern celebrity, complete with merchandise. Hercules gets his own brand of sneakers, Air-Hercs, the Hellenic Air Jordans. Hercules endorses everything from a “Greek Express“credit card for a branded drink,”Hercules.” Fans ask him to carve his autograph into their stone tablets. As the Muses sing: “From appearance fees and royalties, our Herc had money to burn.”
Condensing the famous Twelve Labors of Hercules into one captivating musical montage was a stroke of genius. Contextualizing Hercules as the Greek Leonardo DiCaprio or Brad Pitt is a funny point of reference. Satirizing celebrity endorsements and over-the-top merchandising has only become more relevant over time. The comic ease with which Hercules defeats the beasts, combined with the gospel musical accompaniment, perfectly captures the indelible tone of Hercules.
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A tour guide mentions a gift shop at the Hercules-themed property
After Hercules becomes “the most famous person in Greece”, the film shows an establishing scene of his sprawling estate. Off-screen, a tour guide is saying the next step is “Pecs and Flex Gift Shop, where you can buy the great hero's 'Buns of Bronze' 30-minute workout.'”O”Bronze Buns” is the ancient Greek version of the popular 1980s home workout video, Steel Buns.
Hercules continues to showcase its title character as a modern star, transforming his estate into a tourist spot, like Elvis's Graceland or Dolly Parton's Dollywood. The addition of a guided tour gives the impression of a theme park. This clever framing helps audiences contextualize his megastardom in relatable terms.
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Hercules' script antiquates modern phrases
Hercules deftly applies a Greek twist to common contemporary phrases. Instead of saying “oh my God” or “honest with God”, characters from Hercules to say “oh my gods” or “honest with Zeus.” A clever example is when a character calls something “the best thing since they put a pocket in the pita”, which is a reformulation of the phrase “the best thing since sliced bread.”
These loving details are not only funny, but they also help create an engaging and distinct world. Hercules It's a unique blend of a contemporary feeling in an ancient world. These linguistic flourishes are a delightful treat for eagle-eyed viewers. The film treats the mythological and language with a playful irreverence.
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Hercules sneaks into some Disney Easter eggs
During the song “I Won't Say I'm In Love”, the Muses organize themselves in a way that is very reminiscent of the singing busts from the Disney Haunted Mansion tour. In another moment, Hercules is painting his portrait and is wrapped in an animal skin that turns out to be the scar from The Lion King.
Hercules It's a Disney movie, and Disney does synergy better than anyone. Disney is known for planting Easter eggs in its various projects. Meta references add a layer of humor and make Hercules feel part of the Disney universe. The film's self-conscious approach to merchandising may even be a subtle nod to Disney's own practices. Disney Easter eggs in Hercules reinforce the playful tone of the film, which shows Hercules as a classic and pop culture hero.