• Walt Disney Pictures' 35th full-length animated feature, "Hercules," is an epic comedy and the Studio's first animated film to draw its inspiration from classical mythology. Taking an extremely irreverent and hilarious approach to the amazing adventures of the legendary super-hero, the film follows Hercules on his exciting journey from "zero to hero" as he discovers what it means to be a true hero and regains his rightful place among the gods of Mount Olympus. Along the way, he matches wits with one of Disney's most cunning and comical villains, a hot-head named Hades who will stop at nothing in his hostile takeover bid for control of the Universe. Despite his many labors battling mythical monsters of every shape and size, it is the labor of love that has the most profound impact on Hercules as he discovers that a true hero is not measured by the size of his strength but by the strength of his heart.
• Overseeing the production of "Hercules" is the distinctive and dynamic filmmaking team of John Musker and Ron Clements, who serve as directors, producers and writers on the film. Following their directing debut in 1986 with "The Great Mouse Detective," they continued to play a major role in the revitalization of Disney feature animation by directing, producing and writing "The Little Mermaid" (1989) and "Aladdin" (1992). With their trademark brand of wacky humor, broad caricatures and stylish art direction, Musker & Clements have once again come up with an animated film which breaks the mold and is sure to please moviegoers of all ages. Producer Alice Dewey worked with the directors as production manager on "Aladdin." In addition to an extensive background in theater, she also served as associate producer of Disney's 1994 animated blockbuster, "The Lion King." Kendra Haaland is the associate producer.
• Also reuniting with Musker & Clements on this project is eight-time Academy Award®-winning composer Alan Menken, who had previously worked with the team on "The Little Mermaid" and "Aladdin." Providing lyrics to Menken's melodies this time around is Tony Award-winner David Zippel ("City of Angels"). Adding to the fun and entertainment of "Hercules," the songwriters use a pastiche of styles with a gospel influence.
• Musker & Clements selected "Hercules" as their latest project in the Fall of 1993, after reviewing nearly 30 ideas in various stages of development at the Studio. The directors were immediately attracted to the mythological aspects of the Hercules story and felt that not only hadn't it been done before at Disney (except briefly in the Pastoral segment of "Fantasia") but it would be great for animation because of its fantasy elements, larger-than-life characters and strong potential for anachronisms and satirical humor. Most importantly, they saw Hercules as a "common man's hero" with tremendous possibilities because of his demi-god (half-man, half-god) status.
• Over the next nine months, Musker and Clements collaborated on an outline, several treatments and eventually drafted an initial script for the film. During that time, art director Andy Gaskill ("The Lion King") joined the team and began overseeing visual development on the film. Taking actual pages from the script, he illustrated them with rough images suggesting layout and color possibilities. This jump-started the creative process and helped to get the film ready for storyboarding and animation. Barry Johnson also came on board at an early stage as head of story. Writers Bob Shaw & Don McEnery and Irene Mecchi brought additional humor and definition to the script.
• Rounding out the creative team are artistic supervisors Tom Cardone (Background), Rasoul Azadani (Layout), Nancy Kniep (Clean-Up), Mauro Maressa (Effects Animation) and Roger Gould (Computer Generated Imagery). Tom Finan and Jeff Jones serve as editors.
• Another major influence on the look of the film came from renowned British artist/political cartoonist Gerald Scarfe, who was brought in initially to assist with the character design. Musker had been a long-time fan of the artist's work for The London Sunday Times, The New Yorker and other leading publications. Scarfe's credits also include production design for the 1982 Alan Parker film, "Pink Floyd - The Wall," for which he also directed the animated sequences. Expanding on his original role as a conceptual artist, Scarfe remained very involved throughout the production and functioned as an ongoing artistic advisor to the animators. Just as the distinctive style of legendary caricaturist Al Hirschfeld inspired the design elements for "Aladdin," Scarfe's bold, expressive linear style gave the filmmakers a new and exciting look for their characters. Musker describes Scarfe's drawings as having "an innate and anarchic energy that seem to explode off the page. He draws from the shoulder with big swoops, so there are these big, strong shapes which have a bold and immediate impact."
• To further prepare for the artistic challenges that the production presented, Dewey, Musker & Clements led a group of their key department heads on a tour of Greece and Turkey in Summer, 1994. There, they soaked up the ancient sites and scenery and heard expert accounts of the classic Greek mythology. They filled notepads with sketches and took extensive photos and video to further inspire them.
• Animation on "Hercules" began in early 1995 with a team of nearly 700 artists, animators and technicians ultimately contributing to the finished film. Disney's excellent animation facility in Paris joined in the effort (as they had on "The Hunchback of Notre Dame") and provided nearly 10 minutes of animation, including the film's exciting finale with the rampaging Titans and Hercules' daring descent into the Underworld.
• Walt Disney Feature Animation continues to use the latest breakthroughs in technology to enhance the scope and excitement of its films and "Hercules" is no exception. The Studio's acclaimed CGI Department (Computer Generated Imagery), which had previously created a swirling ballroom for "Beauty and the Beast," a roller coaster "Cave of Wonders" for "Aladdin," a wildebeest stampede for "The Lion King" and a living, breathing crowd scene for the "Festival of Fools" in "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," came up with some new tricks for this film. Under the direction of artistic supervisor Roger Gould, a team of specially trained animators and technicians helped to create an awesome 30-headed Hydra, the mythical monster that sports multiple new heads to replace each severed one. Artistry and technology join forces here to lend a sense of drama, fantasy and excitement that would not have been possible with traditional techniques. The film's other CG elements include morphing Olympian clouds which form Baby Hercules' crib and a reclining chair for Zeus.
• "Hercules" represents the latest artistic achievement for Walt Disney Feature Animation. Over the past decade, under the leadership of Peter Schneider, president of Feature Animation, the Studio's animation department has expanded from 150 employees to nearly 1,700 worldwide with Studios in Florida and Paris. A second major animation building opened in Burbank in December, 1996 to accommodate the vast number of projects currently in development and production. Among the exciting and diverse upcoming slate of animated features is "Mulan," a Chinese fable filled with comedy and adventure, which will be the first feature completely animated at the Studio's expanded Florida facility. Also in production is "Tarzan," a delightful new animated version of the Edgar Rice Burroughs' classic; "Fantasia '99," an updated version of Disney's innovative 1940 experiment with sight and sound; and "Dinosaur," a bold new adventure in CG animation.
THE STORY
• Our story begins with a blessed event on Mount Olympus, the heavenly home of the Greek gods, as Zeus and his wife Hera throw a palatial party to celebrate the arrival of their newborn son, Hercules. The tike's strength is enormous, as evidenced by his vice-like grip and a propensity for tossing around his father's lightning bolts. As a special gift, Zeus presents his son with a loyal companion named Pegasus - a winged horse created from cloud formations. Everyone is in a jolly mood except for one gloomy guest named Hades. This disgruntled god, who hates his job as Lord of the Underworld, is tired of hanging around with a bunch of deadbeats and has been secretly plotting a hostile takeover of Mount Olympus.
• Back in the Underworld, the fiery Hades commiserates with his two dim-witted and demonic, shape-changing sidekicks, Pain and Panic, and consults with the Fates, a trio of wizened women who use a common eyeball to gaze into the future, to find out what impact Hercules may have on his plans. They tell him that in 18 years the planets will align and the time will be right to unleash the Titans and topple Zeus. They add: "A word of caution to this tale; should Hercules fight, you will fail." Not wanting to tempt the Fates, Hades dispatches Pain and Panic to Mount Olympus to abduct the child, give him a potion which would render him mortal and then dispose of him. But after bringing Baby Hercules to Earth, the sidekicks bungle their mission and fail to administer the last few drops of the potent "Grecian formula," which leaves the infant with god-like strength but human mortality. Figuring that Hades will be none the wiser, Pain and Panic take off and Hercules is found by a mortal couple, Amphitryon and Alcmene, who raise him as their own.
• Unaware of his origins, Hercules grows into a gawky teen but increasingly feels that he doesn't quite fit in. His uncontrollable strength wreaks havoc and further alienates him from the townsfolk. Determined to "go the distance" and find his place in the world, Hercules is unsure what to do until Amphitryon tells him that he was adopted. A medallion, the symbol of the gods, offers one clue to his origins, so Hercules decides to go to the Temple of Zeus to seek some answers. There, a statue of Zeus springs to life and father and son are reunited. Zeus tells the boy that only gods can live on Mount Olympus and the only way he can return home is to prove himself a "true hero" on Earth. His father suggests that he seek out a trainer of heroes named Philoctetes ("Phil" for short) to help him in his mission. Zeus also brings Hercules together with his childhood companion, the flying Pegasus.
• Flying to the Island of Idra on Pegasus' back, Herc locates Phil, a sarcastic satyr, who advises him that he's retired from the hero-training racket. Still reeling from his latest failure, a heel named Achilles, Phil is "persuaded" to take the lad on as his "one last hope" to coach a champion. An intense training period follows whereby Herc learns to harness his strength and prepare for the task of becoming a hero.
• Phil and Herc head to Thebes, the toughest town in Greece, but are sidetracked by a damsel in distress. The woman is a Grecian beauty named Megara (or "Meg") and she appears to be at the mercy of a self-centered centaur named Nessus. After a shaky start, Herc conquers the beast only to find that Meg wasn't in danger afterall. She is tough, resourceful, witty and unlike any woman he has ever met. After Herc and company depart, Meg is joined by her "boss" Hades, who wants to know why she failed to enlist the services of Nessus. When she explains the snafu and mentions the name of her rescuer, Hades has a cosmic meltdown at the realization that his nemesis is still alive. After a heated exchange with Pain and Panic, he begins making new plans for eliminating Hercules.
• Meanwhile, in the "Big Olive" (Thebes), a hapless metropolis plagued by disasters and monsters, Herc sets about building his "rep" as a hero. When Meg arrives seeking assistance for "two boys" (actually Pain and Panic in disguise) trapped behind some rocks, Herc moves into action unaware that it is all part of Hades' scheme. On the scene, Hercules is drawn into battle with a Hydra, a ferocious monster that sprouts multiple heads to replace any that are severed. With Phil's coaching, Herc manages to save the day and is hailed as a hero. Hades mounts an offensive and sends a slew of monsters in every shape and size (wild boars,
sea serpents, a Minotaur) to challenge our hero. Each new victory adds to Hercules' fame as he catapults from "zero to hero" and instantly becomes a household word, a merchandising sensation and a heartthrob.
• With a string of heroic labors under his belt, Hercules returns to the Temple of Zeus to tell his father he is ready to return home. Zeus explains that being famous isn't the same as being a true hero and tells him to look inside his heart for the answers.
• With the moment he has waited 18 years for rapidly approaching and Herc still at large, Hades becomes increasingly stressed and desperate. Against her will, Meg is sent to uncover Herc's weakness, but in the process she begins to realize just how strong her feelings are for him. It doesn't take Hades long to figure out that Meg is Hercules' weakness. Hades gets Hercules to agree to give up his strength for 24 hours in exchange for Meg's safety and freedom. As a parting shot, he tells Hercules that Meg has been part of his team all along and that her affection for him was part of the charade. In addition to feeling weak, he now feels betrayed.
• As the planets align, Hades frees the massive Titans -- a fearsome foursome made of rock, wind, lava and ice -- from a giant cage where they were imprisoned by Zeus back when the world was new. Rampaging across the land, Hades leads them to Mount Olympus to exact their revenge on Zeus and the other gods. Meanwhile back in the city, Hades has sent a giant Cyclops to finish off the weakened and dispirited Hercules.
• There's plenty of excitement, surprises and dramatic action in the film's climax as Hercules struggles to rekindle his belief in himself. Against overwhelming odds, he bravely fights back and ultimately discovers what it takes to be a true hero.
THE MUSIC
• Eight-time Academy Award®-winning composer Alan Menken (whose spectacular credits for Disney include "The Little Mermaid," "Beauty and the Beast," "Aladdin," "Pocahontas" and "The Hunchback of Notre Dame") teams up with Tony Award-winning lyricist David Zippel ("City of Angels," "The Goodbye Girl") to create six winning new tunes for "Hercules."
• Adding to the film's overall entertainment and uniqueness, the directors decided from the inception not to use the obvious choice of Greek instrumentation or musical themes but rather to incorporate pop and gospel influences into the songs. Musker explains, "Gospel music is very exhilarating and is often associated with hope, idealism and larger-than-life things. This seemed to be the perfect kind of music for our Muses because their traditional role is to tell of the gods' heroic accounts."
• The film's opening number is "The Gospel Truth," a spirited spiritual with lots of energy and drive, in which the Muses set the musical stage for the adventure that is to follow and reveal how the Titans came to be imprisoned by Zeus back when the world began. Later in the first act, teenage Hercules (sung by Roger Bart) gets a chance to express his heartfelt desire and determination to find his place in life with the beautiful anthem, "Go the Distance." Grammy-winning recording artist Michael Bolton has recorded a pop version of this song which appears over the film's end credits.
• A skeptical satyr named Phil, who is enlisted as Herc's personal trainer, gets his moment in the musical spotlight with "One Last Hope," a lively comical song in which he tells of his previous disappointments and guarded optimism about his latest prospect. When Hercules finally does establish himself as a popular hero with all the fame and hype that goes with it, the Muses return to sing "Zero to Hero," a delightful Gospel-tinged tune that chronicles his meteoric rise to the top.
• The beautiful Meg is moved to song when she finally realizes her true feelings for the heroic Hercules. The song, "I Won't Say," complete with vocal backings by the Muses, captures Meg's mixed emotions as she attempts to come to grips with what she is feeling.
• Rounding out the musical bill is a knock-out Gospel flavored finale, "A Star is Born," which is sung in high style by the Muses as they testify to Herc's status as a true hero.
THE CAST OF CHARACTERS / VOICE TALENTS
• HERCULES (HERC) -- This handsome, stong and trusting Greek hero is the stuff that myths are made of and he has the kind of face and physique that looks great on a vase. Fighting monsters and saving distressed damsels is all in a day's labors for this brave and popular muscle man but he quickly learns that becoming a "true hero" involves more than just being famous. Actor Tate Donovan (who starred in the NBC series "Partners") lends his mighty voice to adult Herc while Joshua Keaton and Roger Bart are the respective speaking and singing voices for the adolescent hero. Renowned supervising animator Andreas Deja, who has designed and animated such memorable characters as Scar ("The Lion King"), Jafar ("Aladdin") and Gaston ("Beauty and the Beast"), is in top form here as he brings this incredible super-hero to life with credibility and entertainment. Randy Haycock supervised the animation of Hercules as a baby and a teen.
• MEGARA (MEG) -- With a tough exterior and a heart of gold, this Grecian beauty is one of Disney's most complex, comical and fascinating female leads. Although her soul belongs to Hades, she remains an independent spirit who learns to say what's in her heart when she meets a caring hunk named Herc. Susan Egan, the "Belle" of Broadway who received a Tony nomination for her role in Disney's stage production of "Beauty and the Beast," lends her exquisite singing voice and versatile acting talent to the speaking voice of "Meg." Supervising animator Ken Duncan is the skilled hand who helped to create this captivating character's personality and movements.
• HADES -- This fast-talking, quick-scheming, underhanded lord of the Underworld is "dead tired" of looking after a bunch of stiffs and is hot to takeover Zeus' cushy job on Mount Olympus. After 18 years of waiting impatiently for the right moment, this god of gloom and doom is ready to make some ungodly moves to make sure Hercules doesn't get in his way. Adding plenty of sizzle and sly humor to the vocal performance of this fire-y figure is acclaimed actor James Woods ("The Ghost of Mississippi," "Salvador"). Veteran Disney animator Nik Ranieri, whose credits include overseeing Lumiere for "Beauty and the Beast" and Meeko for "Pocahontas," was responsible for supervising this vibrant villain.
• PHILOCTETES (PHIL) -- When it comes to training heroes, this surly satyr (half man, half goat) is the best in the biz, but after a string of disappointments (Odysseus, Perseus, Theseus and Achilles) he's down to one last hope. A tough taskmaster, Phil trains Herc for the challenges that lie ahead but is unable to prepare him for the labor of love. The incomparable Danny DeVito gives voice to this hilarious character who helps to make a hero out of Hercules. Eric Goldberg, the acclaimed supervising animator who brought the Genie to life in "Aladdin" and served as co-director of "Pocahontas," is the enormously talented artist behind this memorable comic creation.
• ZEUS -- This mighty ruler of the gods controls the universe yet is powerless to bring his missing son, Hercules, back to Mount Olympus. However, this proud papa's fatherly advice sets Herc on the right path for a heavenly homecoming and the two ultimately join forces to save the planet from Hades' hostile takeover bid. Adding heart, humor and strength to the vocal performance is actor Rip Torn (currently seen as "Arthur" on HBO's Emmy Award-winning hit, "The Larry Sanders Show"). Disney veteran Tony DeRosa was the supervising animator.
• HERA -- Hercules' Mom is an elegant goddess and a protective parent who cautions her infant son about teething on lightning bolts. Samantha Eggar (an Oscar® nominee for "The Collector") provides the maternal voice and Tony DeRosa was once again in charge of overseeing the character's animation.
• PAIN AND PANIC -- If you want the job done right, don't send for this dim-witted demonic duo. As Hades' misguided minions, these frisky fellows are always ready, willing but not necessarily able to lend a claw and do his dirty work. Although they can morph into any shape imaginable, they still manage to leave things in worse shape than they found them. Wacky comedian Bobcat Goldthwait provides the long-suffering and hilarious vocal performance for Pain while actor Matt Frewer ("Max Headroom") creates a comic panic as the easily agitated Panic. Supervising animators James Lopez (Pain) and Brian Ferguson (Panic) were in charge of bringing this comic couple's wild antics to the screen.
• PEGASUS -- This high-flying stallion has enough horsepower to wing his master to wherever his heroic services are needed. Loyal, protective and always ready to horse around, Pegasus' one drawback is that he is saddled with the brain of a bird. Ellen Woodbury (who also gave wing to a hornbill named Zazu in "The Lion King") was the supervising animator.
• HERMES -- Hovering close by the side of his commander-in-chief, Zeus, this merry messenger is the life of the party even when he has to deliver bad news. Master musician and sidekick extraordinaire Paul Shaffer (of "The Late Show with David Letterman" fame) lends his distinctive voice and persona.
• AMPHITRYON AND ALCMENE -- Herc's adoptive parents try to give their growing boy some proper grounding and provide him with a real down-to-Earth home. Hal Holbrook and Barbara Barrie lend their voices to the kindly couple and Richard Bazley was the animator.
• THE MUSES (CALLIOPE, THALIA, CLIO, MELPOMENE AND TERPSICHORE) -- As goddesses of the arts and proclaimers of heroes, this a-muse-ing quintet narrates the story of Hercules with style and song and serve as a very soulful Greek chorus. With animation supervised by Mike Show, the voices for these lively ladies are provided by Lillias White (Calliope), Vaneese Thomas (Clio), Cheryl Freeman (Melpomene), LaChanze (Terpsichore) and Roz Ryan (Thalia).
• THE FATES (CLOTHO, LACHESIS AND ATROPOS) -- There's nothing you can tell this all-seeing, all-knowing trio of prognosticators that they don't already know. They control some mighty important strings (the threads of life) and Hades plans to profit from their prophecies. Amanda Plummer (Clotho), Carole Shelley (Lachesis) and Paddi Edwards (Atropos) provide the Fate-ful voices and Nancy Beiman was the animator.
• THE TITANS -- This ferocious foursome of titanic troublemakers were imprisoned by Zeus back when the world was new, but thanks to Hades, they're back and ready to rumble. Volcano Titan, Rock Titan, Tornado Titan and Ice Titan are disasters waiting to happen and they happen to be heading for a showdown with Zeus on Mount Olympus. Corey Burton, Jim Cummings and Patrick Pinney are heard as the Titans. Animation for these characters was done at Walt Disney Feature Animation France under the supervision of Dominique Monfery.
THE FILMMAKERS
• JOHN MUSKER (Director/Producer/Writer) has played a major role in the revitalization of Disney feature animation over the past two decades through his creative contributions as a director, producer, writer and animator. His previous credits as director include "The Great Mouse Detective" (1986)," "The Little Mermaid" (1989) and "Aladdin" (1992). Born and raised in Chicago, Musker first came to Disney in 1977 after completing a two-year stint in the character animation program at CalArts. Following an assignment as assistant animator on the featurette, "The Small One," he served as an animator on "The Fox and the Hound" and contributed to the story development for "The Black Cauldron." He made his directing debut on "The Great Mouse Detective" (which he also co-wrote) and received credits as producer/director/writer on both "The Little Mermaid" and "Aladdin." Last year, Musker extended his commitment to Disney Feature Animation by signing an exclusive new long-term agreement.
• RON CLEMENTS (Director/Producer/Writer), a 21-year veteran of Disney's Feature Animation Department, has helped to create several of the Studio's most popular films of all-time and has been an integral part of animation's exciting new era of growth and achievement with his impressive contributions as an animator, writer, director and producer. Previously, he has directed "The Great Mouse Detective," "The Little Mermaid" and "Aladdin." A native of Sioux City, Iowa, Clements began his career at Disney with a two-year apprenticeship under the legendary animator Frank Thomas and subsequently animated on "The Rescuers," "Pete's Dragon" and "The Fox and the Hound." For Disney's 1986 animated release, "The Great Mouse Detective," Clements served as co-writer and co-director with John Musker. The duo repeated those same roles for "The Little Mermaid" (1989) and "Aladdin" (1992). In 1996, he renewed his commitment to Disney with an exclusive new long-term contract.
• ALICE DEWEY (Producer) has been a key player on Disney's Feature Animation production team since 1990. Her previous credits include associate producing "The Lion King" (the Studio's most successful animated release of all-time) and a role as production manager on the 1992 animated blockbuster, "Aladdin." Her first assignment at Disney was on the animated featurette, "The Prince and the Pauper," which teamed her with the Studio's legendary star, Mickey Mouse. A native of Milwaukee, Dewey's career highlights prior to Disney include nine years of stage managing major productions for such prestigious New York venues as the Manhattan Theater Club, the Ensemble Studio Theater and the WPA as well as a stint with the Hartford Stage Company. Her Broadway touring production credits include such major hit plays as "Amadeus," "42nd Street," "Big River" and "Les Miserables." Her educational background includes an MFA in Directing.
• For additional information about the production please see the complete information included in the download text document or see the "Hercules Production Notes" file in the TEXT folder on the CD-ROM.
