Synopsis

Separated from his divine family as an infant, Hercules grows up on Earth with extraordinary strength but no understanding of his origins. After learning that he is the son of Zeus, he begins training with the satyr Phil and sets out to become a true hero. Along the way, Hercules faces the scheming Hades, falls for Megara, and discovers that heroism depends on selflessness rather than fame or physical power.

Factoids & Trivia

• Released on June 27, 1997, Hercules was Walt Disney Feature Animation's 35th full-length animated feature.

• The film is loosely based on the Greek hero Heracles, although it uses the Roman name Hercules and substantially reshapes the myths for a comedic musical adventure.

• British cartoonist Gerald Scarfe served as the production designer and created more than 700 character and visual development drawings. His sharp, exaggerated style helped give the film its unusual graphic look, inspired in part by Greek vase painting.

• The animation team traveled to Greece and Turkey in 1994 to study ancient sites, local landscapes, and traditional interpretations of Greek mythology.

• The film is noted by Disney as the first animated production to use computer-assisted morphing, particularly for transformations and other fluid visual effects.

• The Hydra battle combined hand-drawn character animation with computer-generated effects. The sequence was among the production's most technically ambitious set pieces.

• Alan Menken's score and David Zippel's lyrics use several musical styles, including gospel, pop, and Broadway-inspired numbers. "Go the Distance" received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song.

• Hercules received four Annie Awards for its 1997 release, including honors for producing, effects animation, and character animation.

• Disney later expanded the property with the direct-to-video prequel Hercules: Zero to Hero and the television series Hercules: The Animated Series.