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"The former is something of a cult favorite for its dark imagery and excellent villain song. And the latter is a favorite for being awesome and involving a woman who actually does stuff."

You say that like Esmeralda didn't.

Well, I loved the Hunchback of Notre Dame because of the excellent characters (Except the Gargoyles), memorable villain, wonderful animation and cinematography, great plot and very strong themes and emotions. But yeah, the darkness and STELLAR villain song help.

I actually got into Greek Mythology thanks to Age Of Mythology (The game made it clear the devs did a TON of research into Mythology, and I loved reading the bios for each Myth unit), and I still like it alot. For other works based on Greek mythology, The Percy Jackson series is very promising to me, because even though I have only read the first book, it had a very clever and well written take on Greek Mythology in the modern era, and did keep to accurate conventions, even making Hades into a Neutral Party. It sure would suck if that got undermined by any adaptation! Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha HA HA HA HA HAURGGG.

Here's a bizarre connection:

The movie's art direction is credited to Gerald Scarfe, who provided the deranged animation for Pink Floyd's The Wall. I found a "music direction" credit for Erdal Kızılçay of all people, a David Bowie collaborator who worked on Never Let Me Down, The Buddha of Suburbia, Outside, and played all the instruments on "When the Wind Blows". The When The Wind Blows soundtrack is mostly recorded by Roger Waters and the Bleeding Heart Band. Talk about Pink Floyd-David Bowie connections!

And now I can't stop thinking how much better the soundtrack would've been if it was written by Bowie, Kızılçay, Reeves Gabrels and Gail Ann Dorsey. Or even better, Bowie, Kızılçay, Gabrels, Dorsey AND Waters!

Produced by Brian Eno and Tony Visconti!

Been a while since I watched the movie, but your description of Hades reminded me of Maleficient. And yeah, he's pretty much the only memorable character in the entire movie.

So far, so good. Somehow I have read this in Film Brain's words.

You're the worst kind of reviewer, the pathetic nit picker

If they wanted to make an animated Superman movie, I'm sure DC would have been more than happy to lend them the license.

WRONG!! (Couldn't resist. Sorry) At this time, I am pretty sure that Warner Bros held the rights to DC content. And anyway, Superman the Animated Series had already ran, and I think that Dini and Timm had monopolised the DC Superhero scene.

Also, if you are going to bring up "KOMEDY!" in a 90's Disney Animated film, you are REALLY going to have your work cut out.

You know, had it not been for the Critic's review of the Superman cartoon, that comparison wound never have clicked in my head until you pointed it out. I got the connection at the quote.

Your little rant on Odysseus being put down in favor for Hercules to be The Hero was awesome.

It's Looney Tunes, not Looney Toons.

Hell, that whole thing about Hades not knowing Hercules was dead was so dumb they Retconned it in the Animated Series.

Saying that none of them could 'go the distance' is wrong, but to be fair... the Ancient Greeks and Ancient Romans did consider Hercules better than the rest. That's why he was the only one of them to become an Olympian after his mortal life ended. Achilles was the best warrior at Troy and fought their for 10 years with 1000 . Hercules conquered Troy a generation or two before that with 6 ships in less than a year. Jason and Odysseus sailed all over the eastern Meditteranean between Itally and the Black Sea. Hercules sailed as far west as the Atlantic past Spain, as far east as India and as far south as Ethiopia. Perseus killed Medusa, Atlanta killed the Calydonian Boar, Theseus killed the Minotaur and Bellerophon killed the Chimeral. Hercules killed the Nemean Lion, the Hydra, the Erymanthean Boar, Giants, the Cretan Bull etc..

^*100 ships.

It's just one of many traits Disney took out of Satan and put into Hades to make Greek Mythology a little more like Christianity. Though I bet you already know that.

And personally, the "My Favorite Part Of The Game: Sudden Death" quote does sound epic.

You know, a remote control umbrella actually would have a niche market for wheelchair-bound people with limited ability to move their arms, assuming the electronics for the wheelchair were properly waterproofed.

I think it was referred somewhere that the lion skin Herc was wearing in-universe was the Nemean Lion. It's just drawn to look like Scar for the sake of shoutout.

Funny you mention that about James Woods, because in Recess: School's Out, he actually DID play a villain who was at least somewhat threatening, thanks to his acting while performing the character. This was balanced out by his character having what could possibly be the DUMBEST, pettiest, and all around overblown evil plan I have ever seen in a work of fiction. It's up there with Dr Doom's "Absorb knowledge from Elementary School Kids" plan in terms of sheer badness.

But anyway, great Liveblog. I think you shouldn't have been THAT hard on the comedy aspects, as that stuff was ingrained in ever single Disney film at that era, even when it wasn't appropriate at all *Cough* Hunchback Of Notre Dame *Cough*, and some of the comedy scenes still make me laugh, but otherwise you touched upon alot of moments that were just badly executed, badly thought out, contradicted the message and could have easily been fixed.

This was a very well done Liveblog and I'm glad I've read it. Thank you.

Everything you've said is absolutely and completely true and yet on the whole I still enjoyed the film. Perhaps Woods as Hades carried for me; I also found Phil rather amusing and I actually enjoyed at least a couple of the songs.