Hercules in New York

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Movie
German title Hercules in New York
Original title Hercules in New York
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1969
length 89 minutes
Age rating FSK 6
Rod
Director Arthur Allan Seidelman
script Aubrey Wisberg
production Aubrey Wisberg
music John Balamos
camera Leo Lebowitz
cut Donald P. Finamore
occupation
synchronization

Hercules in New York is an American B-movie made in 1969 under the direction of Arthur Allan Seidelman , which became known in particular as the first feature film with Arnold Schwarzenegger in a leading role. Despite the rather poor quality, the film has a kind of cult status, especially among fans of Arnold Schwarzenegger due to its involuntary comedy.

action

Hercules , son of Zeus , is getting bored after all these years in ancient Olympus . To give his life a little variety, he decides, against the will of his father Zeus, to go on a trip to earth. A ship finds Hercules floating in the sea and takes him on board - the crew assumes they have a shipwrecked man in front of them. After the boat has docked in the port of New York City , Hercules disembarked without permission and was immediately involved in a solid fight in which he asserted himself against six dock workers.

The action is watched by Pretzie, a skinny man in his 40s who makes a living selling pretzels. Amazed by the strong stranger, he joins Hercules and organizes a taxi with which the two of them flee from the scene. Later in the day they reach a sports field, where a university professor becomes aware of the unusual duo when Hercules steals the show from the athletes who train there with his superhuman performances. He invites the two of them to his home for tea.

During the next time, Hercules spends his days with the attractive daughter of the professor and lets her show her around the city. Pretzie is meanwhile being forced by a group of three criminals to sign a contract for Hercules as a wrestler with them - Hercules had previously made some money by wrestling on Pretzie's advice and was celebrated in the local press.

Meanwhile, Zeus, the supreme god of Olympus, assigns Nemesis to punish Hercules for his disobedience. However, through an intrigue, Hercules is deprived of his divine power on earth. He only realizes this while participating in a televised competition. Since he didn't win, he and Pretzie are hunted by the three criminals and their henchmen, with whom they have the forced contract. There is a chase through the city and a subsequent battle in the Empire State Building . Hercules does well, but threatens to succumb to the large number of opponents against whom he must fight at the same time. But Samson and Atlas are sent to help him from Olympus . His father Zeus, who observes everything in his magical sphere, finally gives Hercules back the divine powers so that the criminals are defeated.

On the viewing platform of the Empire State Building, Hercules finally turns to his father, confesses his selfishness and disobedience, and asks to be taken back to Olympus. Zeus fulfills his wish and lets him return.

Pretzie is amazed at the disappearance of Hercules and returns sadly to his apartment, where he hears a message from Hercules on his radio, in which he thanks Pretzie and encourages him. The film ends with Zeus leaving his crown on the throne after the tales of Hercules and, like his son at the beginning, makes his way to earth.

Voice actor

Others

  • The film was listed in the " IMDb bottom 100", the ranking of the 100 worst films of all time, but was recently "overtaken" by other films. It is considered a bumbling work in all respects and therefore has its own, rather involuntary comedy.
  • The film shows Arnold Schwarzenegger - shown as "Arnold Strong" in the credits of the film - in his first role.
  • In the original version of the film, in a scene that takes place in Olympus, you can hear cars passing by and children playing at the location, as it is Central Park.
  • Schwarzenegger, who had just arrived, had not invested any money or energy in a language course at that time and therefore constantly featured in the film with strange, but nevertheless extremely entertaining comments.
  • Since Schwarzenegger's Styrian accent was so pronounced, it was decided to synchronize his voice for the English version as well. Only years later was the original version published with Schwarzenegger's voice.
  • In the film, names of Roman and Greek deities are used wildly in confusion. Likewise there is Samson , who is actually a biblical figure.
  • Hercules in New York had its US premiere on December 16, 1969 . The film was released on video in the Federal Republic of Germany in 1985 and was first broadcast on German television on February 1, 1987 on RTL plus .
  • Oliver Kalkofe wanted to include the film in the SchleFaZ series in 2016 , but Schwarzenegger did not allow the film to be broadcast on television at that time.

Reviews

“The boredom that this cinematic byproduct spreads is indescribable. The camera seems to have been held by an amateur, and Arnold Schwarzenegger's part could just as well have been played by a little man from the Augsburger Puppenkiste . Most of the “actors” who were involved in the creation of this emetic wisely refrained from being identified by an indication of their role. Cunning, Cunning! "

- Dictionary of fantasy films

"(...) a product of rare stupidity."

- (Rating: FLOP) - Adolf Heinzlmeier and Berndt Schulz in the lexicon "Films on TV"

"An undemanding advertising film raised as an adventure story for athletic demonstrations, weightlifting competitions and bodybuilders in America."

- Lexicon of international film

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ https://www.synchronkartei.de/?action=show&type=film&id=16947
  2. ↑ https://www.synchronkartei.de/?action=show&type=film&id=5749
  3. ↑ Hercules in New York in the Internet Movie Database (English)
  4. ↑ a b Hercules in New York. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed September 5, 2019 .Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used 
  5. ↑ http://www.dwdl.de/interviews/56806/da_kom_man_an_den_rand_der_fassungsocket/
  6. ↑ Ronald M. Hahn , Volker Jansen, Norbert Stresau : Lexicon of Fantasy Films. 650 films from 1900 to 1986 . Heyne, Munich 1986, ISBN 3-453-02273-4 , p. 218.
  7. ↑ (extended new edition). Rasch and Röhring, Hamburg 1990, ISBN 3-89136-392-3 , p. 357