This is one of the best Peplum or sword and sandals film from the history , retelling the legend of Jason in search of the famous fleece for uncharted sea . The film deals about the myth Jason (Roland Carey) , he travels in search for the fabled Golden fleece located in the Colchis . It's based on a poem of Greek poet named Apolonio of Rodas titled ¨The Argonautika¨ (250 B.C) . In order to stifle the anger of Zeus and other Gods and with volcano's eruption included , Jason must retrieve the magical calf housed from distant land of Colchis and bring it toward city of Iolco . Meanwhile , his nephew Adrasto (Alberto Farnese)and underling Antinoo (Raf Baldasarre) have usurped the kingdom , taken his throne and imprisoned his spouse queen (Rodan) named Creusa (she's actually Medea who later to be revenged Jason , killing their sons) . Jason assembles a motley , brave crew formed by a valiant band as Orpheo (Massimo Girotti, father of Terence Hill or Mario Girotti) , Euristeo (Luciano Marin) , among others . Jason has to climb an enormous sculpture where is the Golden fleece . Jason successfully leads his crew of would-be heroes throughout a series of outstanding adventures . They're confronted by a heinous witch named Gaia at an island of women called Lemmos . Besides , he embarks in the ship a stowaway named Atlanta , she's condemned to death but the philosopher , musician Orpheo , a love expert , saves to her(as the poem says , Orpheo actually accompanied the Argonauts though his love for Euridice was much later) . They sail unharmed along sea storm , suffering thirsty , famine and incredible adventures , encountering a giant monster (made by Carlo Rambaldi : ET) and a scheming witch . The film even rips off from Homero's Odyssey , when there appears a giant bearded Cyclops (such as Kirk Douglas in Ulysses by Mario Camerini) and Jason hurls a lance into his only eye .
As usual in Musclemen films here appears the choreographic girls dancing and lots of action with several adventures including spectacular fights , storms , witchery, and some good effects . This elaborate recounting is well directed by Riccard Freda although with little relation with the poem by Apolonio of Rodas . The film contains an evocative and spectacular music by Carlo Rustichelli . Fun for the whole family though it tends toward the ponderous at times but for the most part , it's a marvelous movie . Other adaptations about this classic story are the following : Jason and the Argonauts (1963) by Don Chaffey with Todd Armstrong and for TV (2000) by Nick Willing and with Jason London.
