My aim with this blog is to look at the once explicit myths that influenced the lives, beliefs and art of many Ancient Greeks to what they have become today. Today we see these intriguing mythical Greek Gods and their stories in children’s television movies – the one I’ll be focusing on is Disney’s Hercules.
If these Gods, that were responsible for countless deaths, wars, diseases, natural disasters, trickery, seduction, lust, and so much more unfavourable outcomes, were put into a movie for their original myths, they would get a rating of nothing less than an 18+.
I’m not saying that the ancient Greek myths and Gods are meaningless grotesque objects of overactive imaginations! These myths are our window to the ancient Greek world that reveals to us the intricate culture, religion, and belief systems of the people of this era.
What I am interested in is how we are able to transform and revise these explicit stories into something that is child appropriate. It would seem almost impossible to mould the brutally flamboyant Greek myth characters into an enjoyable form of entertainment while still holding true to few of the many aspects that make up these Gods and their myths.
See the original Disney Hercules trailer:
From Ancient Depictions of Greek Gods Found in Art to Modern Day Entertainment 