Jason and the Argonauts (1963, Todd Armstrong, Patrick Troughton) 

With incredible special effects from maestro Ray Harryhausen Jason and the Argonauts is based on the Greek legend of Jason’s search for the Golden Fleece and has been publicly venerated by none other than Tom Hanks as the best film ever made. It is generally considered as the greatest of all live action/animation composites.

As Jason (Todd Armstron), son of King Aristo of Thessaly, goes in search of the Golden Fleece and its incredible healing powers, his progress is both helped and hindered by an array of Greek Gods on Mount Olympus.

Harryhausen really pushed the boat out with this extravaganza of effects creating a terrifying bronze titan and a swarm of sword-wielding skeletons in this epic production. The fight scene alone between seven skeletons and three actors took four and a half months to finish and so complicated was it that at times he could only produce less than a second of film a day.

production details
UK – USA / 104 minutes / 1963

Director: Don Chaffey
Writers: Jan Read, Beverley Cross,

cast
Todd Armstrong as Jason
Patrick Troughton as Phineas
Niall MacGinnis as Zeus
Laurence Naismith as Argos
Nancy Kovack as Medea
Honor Blackman as Hera
Jack Gwillim as King Aeetes
Nigel Green as Hercules
John Cairney as Hylas
Gary Raymond as Acastus
Michael Gwynn as Hermes
Douglas Wilmer as Pelias
Andrew Faulds as Phalerus
John Crawford as Polydeuces (uncredited)
Ferdinando Poggi as Castor of Sparta (uncredited)
Ennio Antonelli as Dmitrius, Drummer on Argo (uncredited)

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