Hercules The Legendary Journeys - Season 1
by Bill L. Norton
from Starz / Anchor Bay
Forget Steve Reeves and all those Italian strongmen who played stiff, humorless versions of the mythic demigod in 1960s Saturday matinee fodder. Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (a cluster of 1990s television films followed by a syndicated series) re-imagines and re-introduces Hercules--son of Olympian chief Zeus and an earthbound, mortal mother--as a laidback but focused hero of ordinary folks with extraordinary problems. Played with casual grace and ironic wit by Kevin Sorbo, the new Hercules wanders through an equally entertaining, revisionist view of ancient Greece as, well, charming and accessible--not exactly Homeric. There are gods and monsters aplenty, but if this was the cradle of civilization, well....
This eight-disc volume includes five movie-length adventures, thirteen one-hour episodes, and numerous bonus features. Narratively, the unfolding story finds Herc doing good deeds wherever he's needed, though his backstory is more interesting, including a dubious relationship with his all-powerful dad (a sweet performance by Anthony Quinn)and a tendency to feel the wrath of Zeus's wife, Hera, simply because Hercules is the philandering old man's illegitimate offspring. The movie cycle ends with Herc in a state of domestic bliss; the subsequent, regular series darkens him considerably but then thrusts him repeatedly into adventures with redemptive possibilities.
Nifty special effects make one believe once again in centaurs, many-headed serpents, a Minotaur, a Cyclops, and several other fantastic species not included in standard references to Greek myths. The regular or recurring cast include Michael Hurst as Hercules's vain, comic-foil buddy, Iolaus; Tawny Kitaen as the hero's wife; and Lucy Lawless in a pre-Xena role (in Hercules and the Amazon Women) and then as the Warrior Princess herself for multiple episodes. All together, this is a show that turned out to be smarter and funnier than anyone might have expected in the mid-'90s, and which holds up very well today. --Tom Keogh
Long ago In a time of myth and legend, when ancient gods plagued man with suffering - only one man dared to challenge their power. Hercules! This spectacular collection brings together all five full-length action-packed movies starring Kevin Sorbo as Hercules and Anthony Quinn as Zeus and includes the entire debut season in one epic collector's set. Kevin Sorbo's fresh, hip and good-natured spin on the legendary hero carried this witty, adventure-filled action drama to high critical acclaim. Smartly combining ancient myth with contemporary sensibilities, the series became one of television's highest rated programs. Hercules: The Legendary Journeys Season One Collection Includes All Five Action-Packed Hercules Movies And All 13 Season One Episodes!
Hercules: The Legendary Journeys: The Xena Trilogy - The Warrior Princess, The Gauntlet, and Unchained Heart (Hercules & Xena)
by Bruce Seth Green
from Universal Studios
Hercules The Legendary Journeys - Season 6
by Michael Hurst
from MCA Television
The Final Season: Why is Aphrodite riding naked through the countryside like Lady Godiva? Why are the man- hating Amazons waiting hand and foot on the men of the village? Did Autolycus really rob the first bank of Greece? How can Hercules and Iolaus kill off an army of the undead if that army is already dead? Spell-stricken Amazons, bloodthirsty vampires, and a feuding Queen Nefertiti are among the eclectic band of characters Hercules faces until he and his faithful friend and side-kick, Iolaus, march off into the sunset in the poignant series finale of the Sixth Season, "Full Circle
I'll Make You Happy
by Athina Tsoulis
from Ariztical
A comedy set in Auckland's red light district about a feisty, teenage prostitute, Siggy, who has big plans. Motivated by love, greed and anger, she comes up with a plan to highjack her sleazy pimp Lou's money-making scheme. Siggy convinces her friends to break out of their mundane lives and join in on her plan. With a team of unlikely thieves, including agoraphobic Lester, mild-mannered Drew, dominatrix Fran and sex workers Mickie and Mel, Siggy pulls off a heist involving sexual distractions, decoy cops, misleading code words and a few narrow escapes. Bringing together an unlikely couple Siggy and Lester, who reach a new understanding and discover that they may have a future together. Special guest appearance by Lucy Lawless.
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