Hercules Killed his Wife and 6 Sons - The Legend of Hercules (2014) Discussion

[–] Paradox93 11 years ago

I thought hera killed them? I mean *beep* she sent snakes to kill him when he was a baby

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[–] DarkHallows 11 years ago

If you want to be technical it was Juno since Hercules was the son of Jupiter. Also wasn't it only 3 sons not 6 that Hercules killed? Not that it makes it any better lol.

But yes Juno sent a serpent to kill Hercules in his cradle, he strangled it and lived which made Juno upset so she set out to drive him insane and in the process he killed his entire family.

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[–] CountVladDracula 11 years ago

If you want to be technical it was Juno since Hercules was the son of Jupiter. Also wasn't it only 3 sons not 6 that Hercules killed? Not that it makes it any better lol.

I think this film is using the Greek mythology but the Roman name, most people do that anyway so it's not a big deal, the names are similar enough. What I don't understand is the use of the Roman costumes, and the Spartacus reenactment.

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[–] Mithrandir-Olorin2 11 years ago

What annoys me is when they use Hercules, but the Greek names from everyone else.

"When the chips are down... these Civilized people... will Eat each Other"

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[–] CountVladDracula 11 years ago

Sadly that's how pop culture remembers him. I can't think of any film or TV adaptation that doesn't use the Roman name. I think for many people the Roman name just rolls off the tongue easier, for some actors it just might be easier to say like turning Tristran's name into Tristan for the movie Stardust.

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[–] member-id 11 years ago

Its not pop culture, my websters dictionary's definition for Heracles is Hercules, and the definition of Hercules only mentions the Greek version of him. How long this has been going on,I don't know, but it would be interesting to know when it started.

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[–] Reading_Rainbow 11 years ago

omg i actually agree with you on this CoutVlad.

i'm a HUGE Greek and Roman Mythology lover and this movie makes me want to die inside.

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[–] CountVladDracula 11 years ago

Sadly I think the spoofish but fun Hercules: The Legendary Journeys was more respectful to the mythology than what is depicted here. It looks like they got a hold of some of the sets and costumes from Starz Spartacus, as well as some of it's actors, and recycled some of it's dialogue. I saw nothing mythical or supernatural in the trailers and yet Hercules is supposed to be the half-son of Zeus, with a goddess trying to kill him. And if he does kill his family he goes on an impressive quest of atonement Instead what is here is "This guy coveted his brother's wife and he's REALLY strong. Now he's a gladiator even though that's completely the wrong culture and country..."

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[–] Reading_Rainbow 11 years ago

okay you need to stop now. i can't handle a world in which we agree on so many different fronts.

i was crying foul the moment i saw a GREEK legend taking part in ROMAN gladiator games. bullsh!t.

i mean, don't get me wrong, Hercules was important to the Romans. in fact one of their oldest religious ceremonies is about him. that said, his influence in Roma was from a time looooong before the gladiators. most people forget that Rome was a city for like 2,700 years and that gladiators didn't come along until later in its timeline.

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[–] CountVladDracula 11 years ago

Sadly, yes. I'm on your side here. Scary, isn't it?

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[–] superturbo4 11 years ago

What annoys me is when they use Hercules, but the Greek names from everyone else.

^It would be great one day if a TV or film production was named after his Greek name like; 'Heracles' instead and take a chance of adapting the myths properly for a change!

ST4

Look man F&%k Google and Yahoo, ask me!

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[–] slayerjmk95 11 years ago

What i find funny, is how the other Hercules film coming out this year starring Dwayne Johnson sounds infinitely better, and not a single photo has been released. Plus, they do have focus on the death of Hercules' wife and sons, which already makes the movie a little better. The only thing i am worried about with Johnson's Hercules movie is Brett Ratner in the director's chair. Other than that, the film seems promising. More so than Harlin's CG abomination, with the CG looking like something from a Syfy Channel original film

"All men dream, but not equally."
- T.E. Lawrence, Seven Pillars of Wisdom

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[–] 11 years ago

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[–] CountVladDracula 11 years ago

When did I ever say it was not?

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[–] 11 years ago

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[–] CountVladDracula 11 years ago

Umm... That wasn't my post... For starters I only end posts with lol when I'm mocking some idiot who would end their post with lol, I find that obnoxious.

That was DarkHallows post. You replied to the wrong person. But yes, Juno and Hara are the same person. One's the Roman equivalent. This film is using the Greek names except for Herculues, but most people only remember his Roman name anyway. It probably just slides off the tongue easier.

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[–] greatbritaink3 11 years ago

Herakles is the Greek name, Hercules is the Roman name.

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[–] 11 years ago

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[–] eifler121 11 years ago

Juno is Hera. Jupiter is Zeus. The Romans were obsessed with Greek culture and adopted their mythology. The wealthy used to enslave Greeks to be cultural tutors.

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[–] jayzullo 11 years ago

And then not to metion Marries her (Hera also kinda like his step mom) Daughter Hebe his Half sister. Wth

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[–] DarthBill 11 years ago

I guess the powers that be in Hollywood still haven't figured out how to sell a story about a man who was tricked into killing his family and then has to atone for it... :shrugs:

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[–] CountVladDracula 11 years ago

I guess the powers that be in Hollywood still haven't figured out how to sell a story about a man who was tricked into killing his family and then has to atone for it... :shrugs:

The Hercules the Legendary journeys version kept in that he killed his wife and children because he was under a spell that drove him mad. And it worked, he was still on a quest of atonement. Not a gladiator, not a Spartacus knock off.

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[–] DarthBill 11 years ago

The Hercules the Legendary journeys version kept in that he killed his wife and children because he was under a spell that drove him mad. And it worked, he was still on a quest of atonement. Not a gladiator, not a Spartacus knock off.

It's been a while since I watched Hercules: The Legendary Journeys so my memories of that are pretty rusty.

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[–] CountVladDracula 11 years ago

I watched it all the way through in the 90s and caught some of the reruns on The Hub. Also the Encore channels And Movie plex sometimes show the TV movies.

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[–] DarthBill 11 years ago

I watched it on & off, but they kept changing the time slots so I could never keep up with it. Hell, I think it even switched channels a bunch of times.

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[–] CountVladDracula 11 years ago

Hercules The Legendary Journeys was Syndicated. In New York it was on WPIX which later became WB and now the CW. So it was pretty stationary but I know other people dealt with channel shifts.

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[–] jgraham1-892-422691 11 years ago

I won't defend this movie, because its pedigree, its trailer and Hollywood's penchant for dumbing down in the service of more effects dooms it from the outset. I won't blame Harlin, as the guy did "Long Kiss Goodnight."

I will say that Hercules is associated with the founding of Rome and was deified by the city. Even the 12 labors had Roman connections, according to some Greeks. It's all confusing, as Rome borrowed heavily from the Greek canon, and since they ruled most of Europe and North Africa, the Roman version often dominates in lore.

The gladiatorial rubbish shows the makers don't give a damn about their source. They're going to do a mash-up of "Gladiator," "Spartacus," and "Clash of the Titans" and make lots of money off of teenagers who don't care, either.

This genre hasn't been done well since "Jason and the Argonauts" in the 60s. It took many liberties, but its spirit was in the right place. (Yes, I liked "Troy," but its removal of the gods relegates it to pop culture fluffery, too.)

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[–] Reading_Rainbow 11 years ago

Hercules also got drunk and accidentally smacked some poor slave who was filling his glass. killed him.

bottom line, Hercules was an oaf who just happened to be super strong. he never used his intelligence to solve problems and was even seen as sort of a joke to many Greeks. a strong, heroic joke, but a joke nonetheless.

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[–] CountVladDracula 11 years ago

bottom line, Hercules was an oaf who just happened to be super strong. he never used his intelligence to solve problems and was even seen as sort of a joke to many Greeks. a strong, heroic joke, but a joke nonetheless.

That's why I kind of like the Legendary journeys version. They gave him a heart and a little more brain power but kept the basic myths relatively in tact. At least during the TV movies and first season. Then it kind of went off and did it's own thing but it wasn't bad.

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[–] Hulksmash247 11 years ago

I knew all of this from reading it as a child. Hercules constantly raped both men and women and murdered god knows how many innocent people. That is why it is still funny to me when I see Hercules the Legendary Journey's and the way that they completely cleaned him up on that show. If the series had been based on the true Hercules, it would have never gotten on the air.

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[–] CountVladDracula 11 years ago

I will say that Hercules is associated with the founding of Rome and was deified by the city.

That would be the twins Romulus (For whom Rome is named) and Remus. They were twins nursed by a wolf.

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[–] Reading_Rainbow 11 years ago

actually Vlad (here's my chance to fanboy all over you for a change) Hercules WAS associated with the foundation of Rome as well.

long before Remus and Romulus ever came into the picture, Hercules killed the monster Cacus who was terrorizing the small trading post that would someday become Roma.

there are even some ancient stairs on Palatine Hill called The Steps of Cacus because the monster lived in a cave on the hill until Herc slew him.

from that ledged sprung one of Roma's oldest shrine the Ara Maxima. accompanying the shrine was a yearly ceremony dedicated to Hercules and the deed he did for Roma.

further more, Rome gets its name from its seven hills which resembled breasts to the early tribes which traded along the Tiber. in their ancient tongue Ruma meant boobies and it changed along the way to Roma and then Rome.

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[–] CountVladDracula 11 years ago

The gladiatorial rubbish shows the makers don't give a damn about their source. They're going to do a mash-up of "Gladiator," "Spartacus," and "Clash of the Titans" and make lots of money off of teenagers who don't care, either.

The clothes, sets and even some of the actors come from Starz Spartacus.

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[–] srb-3 11 years ago

1. Yes Herakles is the correct Greek spelling but almost everyone uses the Roman Hercules even if it's supposed to be Greek. I'm used to that crap by now.

2. Yes the Hercules of myth killed his wife and kids on his wedding day. He was provoked by Hera or Juno if you prefer.

3. Hercules: the Legendary Journeys was campy crap fest. Biggest insult to the Classical Myths.

4. Disney 's Hercules wasn't much better despite brilliant animation.

5. Hallmark 's take was only a little better.

6. If this movie and the other Hercules movies coming out an make us forget 3, 4, 5 I will be very happy.

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[–] CountVladDracula 11 years ago

I sincerely doubt this will even surpass the campy 90s show. Here we have Hercules coveting his brother's wife and sold as a gladiator.

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[–] Reading_Rainbow 11 years ago

you're insane. you sound like a crazy person.

this movie will blow and suck at the same time. i would rather watch and rewatch the Legendary Journeys a thousand times than sit through a second of this sh!t.

that show was a joke but at least it knew it and was honest about it.

this sh!t looks like it's actually trying to take itself seriously. i hate it

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[–] noellian1982 11 years ago

Actually according to mythology Hercules, Heracles or Ηρακλης (Greek name) was killed by his wife Deianeira who was tricked by a centaur(Nessos) Hercules killed.. He told her while he was dying that Hercules wasnt in love with her anymore and if she wanted him to love her again she'd have to use a robe that would have the centaur's blood on. Unfortunately according to the myth Deianeira did it and when Hercules wore that robe it started attaching on his body giving him lots of pain that drove him mad and put his own self on fire on the mount Oiti where he died. The highest peak of that mountain today is called Pyra (Πυρά) which means fire.

And yes im Greek and though i have seen only the trailer of this film it makes me wanna puke..

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[–] 11 years ago

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[–] Darknessviking 11 years ago

wow that sounded alot like kratos in god of war games, now i understand where they got that inspiration :)

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[–] leedirectsmusicvideos 11 years ago

Its a movie made for entertainment. This film isn't a biopic on hercules and his life. It was an amazing and entertaining film, it was epic as f#*@

You did see the movie before criticizing it right??

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[–] jcfgbl 11 years ago

Just finished to watch it. One of the worst crap i've seen in a decade.
I won't even comment the fact that it has nothing to do with the mythological story. But if you just take the entertainment point of view as you do, well it was completely ridiculous.
SPOILER:
At the end, Hercules' wife comitted suicide and the next scene she has a baby?
END OF SPOILER.
The whole movie is nonsense, the acting is really bad, the special effects are shamefull and so fake.
It's like they tried to copy Starz Spartacus for the gladiator scenes, 300 for the slow motion battle moves...and so on.
Well it's a pure lack of creativity, intelligence, a scenario so poor...a total waste of time.

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[–] ChuckFinnley 11 years ago

Driven mad by Hera, Heracles slew his own children. To expiate the crime, Heracles was required to carry out ten labors set by his archenemy, Eurystheus, who had become king in Heracles' place. If he succeeded, he would be purified of his sin and, as myth says, he would be granted immortality. Heracles accomplished these tasks, but Eurystheus did not accept the cleansing of the Augean stables because Heracles was going to accept pay for the labor. Neither did he accept the killing of the Lernaean Hydra as Heracles' nephew, Iolaus, had helped him burn the stumps of the heads. Eurysteus set two more tasks (fetching the Golden Apples of Hesperides and capturing Cerberus), which Heracles performed successfully, bringing the total number of tasks up to twelve.
Not all writers gave the labors in the same order. The Bibliotheca (2.5.1-2.5.12) gives the following order:
Slay the Nemean Lion.
Slay the nine-headed Lernaean Hydra.
Capture the Golden Hind of Artemis.
Capture the Erymanthian Boar.
Clean the Augean stables in a single day.
Slay the Stymphalian Birds.
Capture the Cretan Bull.
Steal the Mares of Diomedes.
Obtain the girdle of Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons.
Obtain the cattle of the monster Geryon.
Steal the apples of the Hesperides (He had the help of Atlas to pick them after Hercules had slain Ladon).
Capture and bring back Cerberus.

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