Tom Hanks made comments once at the Oscars that surprised many fans when he revealed what he considered one of the best movies of all time. Hanks has been one of Hollywood’s top stars for decades now. Over his career, he has received six Oscar nominations for acting, winning twice. He is Hollywood royalty.
The film he listed as a version of Citizen Kane and Casablanca is a fantasy movie from the 1960s, and not a film usually mentioned on the best of all-time lists. The announcement came when Hanks presented an honorary Oscar to Ray Harryhausen, a man to whom the fantasy movie genre owes much of its success.
Tom Hanks Had High Praise For Jason And The Argonauts
1963’s Jason and the Argonauts is a fantasy movie by Don Chaffey, which follows the story of the mythical warrior Jason, the son of the murdered King Aristo, who was destined to avenge his father’s death. He was sent into hiding as a child and then had to find his way back for revenge, while the gods conspired against him.
What makes Jason and the Argonauts culturally influential is the stop-motion animation visual effects by Ray Harryhausen, who is considered the grandfather of practical creature effects. At the 1992 Academy Awards, Tom Hanks honored Harryhausen with a lifetime achievement award for his work in the film industry.
When he honored Harryhausen with the award, Hanks had some high praise for the artist when discussing the best movies of all time (via The New York Times):
“Some people say Casablanca or Citizen Kane. I say Jason and the Argonauts is the greatest film ever made.”
Why Jason And The Argonauts Is One Of The Most Important Fantasy Films Of All Time
Ray Harryhausen is the man who most practical effects artists today look to as the inspiration for their careers. Before he made the monsters for Jason and the Argonauts, Harryhausen had already worked on The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, It Came from Beneath the Sea, and The 7th Voyage of Sinbad.
However, it was with Jason and the Argonauts that Harryhausen helped create his masterpiece. Based on the Greek poem from the 3rd century BC, Argonautica, the movie brought the Greek gods to the big screen, along with the mythical creatures that were unveiled in these stories.
What Harryhausen accomplished here was magnificent. A highlight of the fantasy movie was the fight scene with the seven skeleton warriors. The monster Talos is often referenced alongside King Kong as one of the greatest in film history, and that is all thanks to Harryhausen’s hard work.
Jason and the Argonauts has also regularly been noted as one of the best fantasy movies ever made. It has influenced everything from The Lord of the Rings and Corpse Bride to Wallace and Gromit movies and Jurassic Park. Its legacy ensures that Tom Hanks and others will always hold this film in high esteem.
Sources: The New York Times
