Culture news “To make even more profits”: this Disney film has driven an entire people crazy, it would distort the culture and history of their country!
Published on 03/21/2024 at 07:45
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In the 90s, Disney released a number of prestigious cartoons, among which Hercules proudly figures: however, when it was released, the film caused a real bad buzz in Greece.
Muscles and good sound
Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Mulan and even Tarzan: the 90s are full of absolutely cult cartoons from Disney and even then, that's without counting the films of Pixar animation like Toy Story which also had a huge impact on modern culture. And in this pretty pile, we also find Hercules, who revisits the myth of the famous demi-God with lightness, warmth and good music against a backdrop of catchy gospel.
For many, Hercules is a real little nugget that still looks great today. The evolution of the hero, the strong character of his companion Phil, but also an extraordinary villain Hades (not to mention a VF which left its mark!) should provide a nice cure for nostalgia for some… Alas, the latter is not necessarily shared by those mainly concerned: the Greeks themselves, whose culture and mythology served as raw material for the feature film.
When it arrived in theaters in 1997, Hercules indeed hit the headlines in Greece, but not for the right reasons: he would simply not respect the culture of the country. The Daily Telegraph thus relayed an article from a local newspaper, the Dsmevtos Typos, accusing Disney of distorting the history of their civilization:
This is yet another example of a situation where foreigners distort our history and culture simply to fulfill their commercial interests.
To top it off, they now want us to use Pnyx Hill and our history as launching pads to make even more profit.
Therefore, to say, the preview of Hercules, which was to be shown outdoors at the Pnyx (one of the ancient centers of Athens) was even canceled in the face of controversy. On the other hand, we can also wonder how Disney could have faithfully adapted the real Greek mythology for the general public, in which Hercules, seized by a murderous madness, murders his own children and his own wife (hello Kratos!) to then think about suicide.
Revisiting its myth with humor and parody – we can see many nods to the modern era, Hercule launching his own brand of drink or donning sneakers – was perhaps more judicious…? Or do you think that Disney should never have touched Greek mythology so as not to rush anyone?
Remember that Disney should offer a Hercules film in 2025, this time in live-action.
Buy Hercules Blu-Ray on Amazon
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