Certainly, a lot of editing was done for a short film for children but there's still some stuff that somehow got Crap Past the Radar. Anybody who watched Hercules: The Legendary Journeys may think it sucks or it has been watered down. Yes, this Hercules was created but I prefer it over the Disney version. However, we must realize that alterations from the original myth (which was way more messed up) exist. Also, it's amazing that both Jetlag's production AND Hercules: The Legendary Journeys were in 1995. Hercules: The Legendary Journeys came out on January 16 and the Jetlag adaptation came out on February 6, 1995.
I think a downside of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys is that it took a long time for Hera to show up. Also, it's never explained why Hera hated Hercules more than any bastard children of Zeus. Was it because Zeus messed up his lineage with Io and that Perseus' mother was also a descendant of Zeus and then so was Alcmene in the myths? Take note that messy family tree isn't always mentioned. Hera only spoke in an angry tone voiced by the late Joy Watson. 1998 finally gave Hera the appearance she badly needed and delightfully played by Meg Foster.
The Jetlag version keeps Hera as Hercules' jealous stepmother. Jetlag showed Hera inher human form and spoke to Eurystheus directly. I personally even felt Jetlag's Hera had a better design than Hera had in Hercules and Xena: Battle for Mount Olympus. Hera's been cheated by Zeus for the nth time and that's what it shows. Alcmene is referred to as the former king of Mycenae. In short, it's possible that Jetlag secretly copied the plot from Hercules: The Legendary Journeys where Amphitryon had died. So where's Iphicles in this short film? I guess the producers didn't want to complicate things so Iphicles - the son of Amphitryon and Alcmene was cut out. Ares was also cut out presumably because it'd be hard to fit him into the Jetlag version. In the myth, Ares was involved since the Amazon queen Hippolyte was his daughter (and Hera's granddaughter), and the man-eating mares were owned by Ares' demigod son Diomedes, and the Stymphalian Birds were sacred to Ares. Apollo is also consistent with the myths by NOT being a jerkass god-like in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. Hermes was fat in the TV series but Jetlag gave him his traditional image.
The Jetlag version keeps Hera as Hercules' jealous stepmother. Jetlag showed Hera inher human form and spoke to Eurystheus directly. I personally even felt Jetlag's Hera had a better design than Hera had in Hercules and Xena: Battle for Mount Olympus. Hera's been cheated by Zeus for the nth time and that's what it shows. Alcmene is referred to as the former king of Mycenae. In short, it's possible that Jetlag secretly copied the plot from Hercules: The Legendary Journeys where Amphitryon had died. So where's Iphicles in this short film? I guess the producers didn't want to complicate things so Iphicles - the son of Amphitryon and Alcmene was cut out. Ares was also cut out presumably because it'd be hard to fit him into the Jetlag version. In the myth, Ares was involved since the Amazon queen Hippolyte was his daughter (and Hera's granddaughter), and the man-eating mares were owned by Ares' demigod son Diomedes, and the Stymphalian Birds were sacred to Ares. Apollo is also consistent with the myths by NOT being a jerkass god-like in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. Hermes was fat in the TV series but Jetlag gave him his traditional image.
Jetlag has Eurystheus and Copreus. For some reason, Eurystheus wasn't included in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. The 12 labors were done though the myth said it was supposedly 10 labors but two more were added. Hercules had help from Iolaus (son of Iphicles in the myth) and he accepted wages for cleaning the stables of Augeus. One doesn't really see Hercules finishing off the Hydra but only fighting it. The song "Never Give Up" summarizes his other labors. Hera decides to get more spiteful and make them more difficult. In the end, he and Eurystheus reconcile. However, the myth painted a more sinister portrayal of Eurystheus. Eurystheus would try to kill off Hercules' descendants but was soon killed in battle.
Pretty much, it was meant to be a one-shot film. It definitely deviated from the myth but kept some things really cool. However, Phelous considers it an abomination of a film. I beg to disagree. I find this film a watchable mess. It's not the best voice cast but it's definitely not awful. It's not much but it's still an interesting adaptation more watchable than Disney. The film did mention that Hercules would join the gods. However, no sequel was made presumably because Jetlag didn't intend to.
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