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BBP wrote:Meg is half-evil really, she teams up with Hades to bring down (as in: kill) Hercules.
I can't stand Hercules, pretty much since I took mythology class and, when asked what myth Pegasus was from, the group replied en masse "Hercules", while the answer was Bellerophon.

#2 is Esmeralda (Hunchback f/t Notre Dame), #5 is Sleeping Beauty.

Thanks BBP!

You know, I can't stand the modern over-simplifcation of Hercules. Especially the kind of Hercules portrayed by this moron: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hercules_Iolaus.jpg . I don't mind sword-and-sandal flicks, particularly if they're done well, but this isn't it. And to top it off, it then becomes 'trendy'. Ugh.

Anyway, back on thread... I thought Hades (in the Greek mythology) was not EVER supposed to be an evil character? Just pitiless and deaf to sentiment or compassion, but not actually cruel or evil. Am I right?

If so, whoever wrote that Disney flick made another blunder in making Hades evil. But that's Disney for ya.

In Greek mythology, Hades is definitely not evil. A little grim, maybe, but not cruel. And he isn't stone-coled either, since he deeply cared for his wife, Persephone, or pitiless, since he allowed Orpheus to save Eurydice, even if the poet then failed and turned around when he wasn't supposed to.

OK, my mistake. Hades is not pitiless or deaf to compassion.

So WTH is it with 'modern' treatments trying to make Greek characters something that they're not (e.g. making Hades evil)? I can cut Disney some flack - after all, they're writing lies-to-children - but what's the point in trying to re-write Greek mythology and make a character 'evil', particularly when the mythology is already so full of villains (e.g. Circe, Cyclops, Hera etc.)?

***WARNING: Greek mythology spoiler alert***

I have to say that Agamemnon is a borderline villain. He launches a war because Paris stole his brother's wife, and then sacrifices his daughter to ensure favourable winds. That just screams 'VILLAIN'. However, he's on the side that wins in the end. Paris could be considered a borderline villain, since kidnapping Helen starts the whole mess, but I reckon he's too vain and arrogant to be a villain.

On the other hand, in the story of Jason and the Argonauts, Medea is a definite villain - she kills her brother, and then later manages to kill Jason's new bride, as well as her two children by her former husband, as a revenge for his disloyalty. However, I would say also that Jason, by his disloyalty and coldness towards his wife, is also a villain (if only a borderline one).

Comments?

Rath Darkblade wrote: So WTH is it with 'modern' treatments trying to make Greek characters something that they're not (e.g. making Hades evil)? I can cut Disney some flack - after all, they're writing lies-to-children - but what's the point in trying to re-write Greek mythology and make a character 'evil', particularly when the mythology is already so full of villains (e.g. Circe, Cyclops, Hera etc.)?

It's because the intended movie audience is far more familiar with monotheistic religions, particularly Christianity and Judaism.

This means the writers can make one of two choices: attempt to explain Greek mythology within the narrow confines of a two-to-three hour movie (in addition to actually telling the main story) or simply turn Zeus and Hades into poorly formed analogies for God and the Devil.

It's not accurate by any means, but since when has Hollywood actually cared about that?

That's true, Hollywood doesn't care. But they could care, and that's why it's irritating.