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The Golden Fleece DVD

aka The Golden Thing, Edgar Reitz, Nicos Perakis, Ula Stockl, Alf Brustellin, 1972

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Film Details

Directed by Edgar Reitz, Nicos Perakis, Ula Stockl, Alf Brustellin

Produced in 1972

Main Language - German with English subtitles

Countries & Regions - European Film, German Film

Genres

Contemporary Action & Adventure • Contemporary Family Films • Contemporary Drama • Contemporary Period, Costume, Historical Film • European Film • German Film • Action & Adventure - Drama • Action & Adventure - Period, Costume, Historical • Contemporary Family Films • World Cinema Family Films

Film Description

An adventure film based on the great journey of the Argonauts, the Golden Thing is set in a time when mankind was still in a state of childhood and features a cast of 10 to 12 year-olds. It sees the 11 year-old Jason go searching for treasure on his ship, the Argo, along with Hercules, Castor, Pollux, Orpheus and a crew of other Greek princes. In contrast to the traditional saga the Argonauts don't overcome their dangers through their heroic courage or help from the Gods. They survive by virtue of their good sense. Divine powers are explained logically away and the Argonauts reach their goal because they have used the natural intelligence they have, rather than leaving it up to the Gods.

The directors' aim was, after intensive study of the sources of the myth of the Golden Fleece, to create something understandable and exciting, as well as to demystify the saga. As Ula St�ckl says, 'most of the ancient heroes were actually children. By the time they were 15 or 16 most of them had their most significant heroic acts under their belts. Theseus, for example, who doesn't feature in our film, killed the Minotaur at the age of 15.' This is the reason why the roles of the young princes were filled with teenage actors.