Recess: School's Out

Disney decided to theatrically release another one of their hit shows in 2001. Recess: School’s Out starred Rickey D’Shon Collins, James Woods, Andrew Lawrence, Jason Davis, Paul Willson, Melissa Joan Hart, and Jim Nabors. With a budget of $10 million, it ended up making $34 million.

The school year is over and TJ (Lawrence) is looking forward to spending his summer with his friends (Collins, Davis/Robert Goulet, Ashley Johnson, Courtland Mead, and Pamela Segall). However, they’re all going to different summer camps. Bored and lonely, he notices something strange going on at the school. No one believes him, causing him to make his sister pick up the gang from their camps. They find out the diabolical plan of a former principal (James Woods) and have to thwart his plans.

This is quite an enjoyable film. TJ is very relatable at the beginning of the film, where he wants to spend time with his friends, but no one’s around. As for the plot, it’s really weird, where a crazed former educator wants to raise test scores by getting rid of summer vacation. But not only is it told well, it does a great job of evoking nostalgia in its viewers.

The villain, Philliam Benedict is perfectly crazed with a crazy desire, which is only made better by the simple fact that he’s voiced by James Woods. Woods may be typecast as short tempered, yet sharp and affable but he always pulls off his characters well. Many times becoming the best part of his films.

I’d have to say the oddest part of the film though would be in its song choices: 1960s psychedelic acid rock. Seriously, songs from the film include, “Purple Haze,” “Let the Sunshine In,” “Nobody But Me,” and “Incense and Peppermints.” I’m not complaining, they’re good songs, but there’s only one scene that takes place in 1968, and it’s a flashback. The rest of the film is set in the late 90s/early 2000s. However, I did say the film did well in evoking nostalgia. They might have been chosen for the adults watching it back in 2001. Problem is, they really just seem out of place.  

#30

Hercules: Zero to Hero

As with most Disney Renaissance films, Hercules received a sequel. Basically a pilot for the television series,Hercules: Zero to Hero was released August 31, 1998. It kept most of the original voice cast, plus a few new characters and replaced Danny DeVito with Robert Costanzo.

The film consists of Megara going through Hercules’ high school yearbook, where he regales her with stories about what his high school life was like.

Of all the films to get a sequel and television series, Hercules was the one that needed it the least. This movie and the resulting series tears a hole in both Hercules’ character and the plot itself.

As for our resident protagonist, the film is before he becomes famous and his ego becomes so inflated. But in the original film, Hercules wanted to prove himself. Here, he gets the gods to do everything for him. Sure, it makes for a good “divine intervention” joke at one point, but having Aphrodite bring to life a girlfriend for him?

Also there’s an issue with Hades. As in the first film, he’s the primary antagonist. But this drives a semi through the original plot. Hades didn’t know Hercules was even alive until he showed back up. Yet here, he’s fighting him all the time.

There’s not much else to say about it other the supporting cast is underwhelming and the art is ok. I will say though, reminiscing through a yearbook is interesting. But it could have been so much better. 

#50

Hercules

The next film in the Disney Renaissance was based off of Greek mythology. Released June 27, 1997, Hercules starred Tate Donovan, Danny DeVito, James Woods, Bobcat Goldthwait, Susan Egan, and Rip Torn, with a cameo by Charleton Heston. While it didn’t match the success of the early Renaissance films, it made $252 million worldwide. It would later get a direct-to-video prequel and be featured in Kingdom Hearts.

Zeus (Torn) is the ruler of Mount Olympus, home of all Greek Gods. But Hades (Woods), ruler of the Underworld plans to throw him out with the help of the Titans. However, the three Fates wan him that his plans will be derailed if Hercules (Donovan), Zeus’ son is still around by the time he tries his attempt. So Hades sends his minions Pain (Goldthwaite) and Panic (Matt Frewer) to turn him mortal and kill him. But they fail and leave him on earth with divine strength to be raised as a human. But as he grows up, he learns he is the son of gods and to return to Olympus, he must be a True Hero.

This film is all over the map in terms of tone. It tries to match bizarre designs and animation with Gospel music while making Ancient Greece look like Vegas. It’s a bunch of really odd choices that don’t really go together really well. What this film does have going for it is main characters.

All Hercules really wants is to join his father with the gods, but Zeus won’t tell him what makes a True Hero. He’s got to figure it out himself and his journey to do so makes for good character development. After achieving success, fame and fortune as a hero, it goes to his head and he thinks he’s got everything under control. But he still doesn’t understand what being a True Hero entails until he realizes he’d rather have Megara than all the perks of fame. This development works because it’s not all spelled out for the audience. The viewers don’t know what Hercules will do that makes him a True Hero. And best of all, He doesn’t dive after Megara with the intention of the status. He does it because he loves her.

And Megara is an interesting leading lady. She’s extremely jaded because of her past and working with Hades hasn’t really helped in that department. But after Hercules actually treats her right, she realizes love isn’t completely for fools. Her song is actually not bad either.  

Hades is quite different than any villain Disney has put out. Mainly because he’s a fast-talking schmoozer who won’t make a deal unless he’s sure he can come out on top. And when it became clear he couldn’t kill Hercules, the deal he made with him WOULD have given him success. He just didn’t foresee Megara intentionally putting herself in harm’s way. Disney’s version of Hades is what would happen of the god of death was a Hollywood producer. Or a defense attorney. James Woods also had the perfect voice for him.

Unfortunately, the rest of the characters aren’t all that great. Phil is ok, but there’s not much more too him than the angry trainer who’s come out of retirement.

I have a feeling this film could have been better had the tone been more consistent, but with what we were given, it could have been much worse. #10