132 – Hercules

After ascending the heights of Notre Dame, film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Sam Summers are blasting back to Ancient Greece for an anachronism-heavy superhero-deity mash-up: 1997’s Hercules. And – ding ding ding! – it’s the first film in Disniversity history that finds our duo with wildly differing opinions… Strap in for a spicy trip to Mount Olympus and back, exploring the way Disney conflates Hercules with the Superman myth, its then-contemporary explorations of fame and sporting celebrity, its distinctive visual identity, the push-and-pull of idealism vs cynicism, and the film’s Americanisation of the unhinged original Greek stories. Plus, delve into Sam’s deep love of extraneous lore, Ben’s formative pantomime-based memory – and pray a decade-plus friendship isn’t broken along the way. Warning: contains wild tales of milk, murder, and melting potions. Next up: Mulan Disniversity is brought to you by Ben Travis (@benstravis) and Sam Summers (@samsummers0), with art by Olly Gibbs and music by Nafets. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @disniversity. This podcast is not affiliated with Disney. — Welcome to Disniversity, the podcast crash course through the history of Disney’s animated classics, with film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Dr. Sam Summers. Each week, we’ll be moving forward in time through the legendary Walt Disney Animation Studios catalogue, watching every feature film in chronological order – from Snow White to Strange World. Watch along with us, and listen as we explore each film’s historical context, advances in animation and lasting legacy, and talk about how they stand up today.