Country: New Zealand | Our Mythical Childhood Survey

Ray Ching

These are Aesop’s Fables adapted, illustrated and set in New Zealand, substituting native fauna for Aesopian characters. There are forty seven fables in Ching’s Aesop’s Kiwi Fables.The Cat & The Cockerel upon a Journey; The Blackbird & His Tail; The Kiwi at the River; The Huhu Beetle & His Shadow; The Kiwi & The Goose; The Old Tuatara & the Possum; The Cat & the Kiwi Chick; The Kiwi & the Jewel; The Thoughtful Kea; Huia & Kokako of Old; The Old M(...)

literary

YEAR: 2012

COUNTRY: New Zealand

TAGS: Aesop Fable

Bernard Beckett

Genesis

Dystopian speculative fiction for young adults, with a philosophical focus. Set in the "Republic," an island country that has survived global turmoil (war between continental powers, and plague). Protagonist Anaximander is undergoing examination for entrance into the "Academy," and therefore into an elite life of inquiry and culture. Her special topic is Adam Forde, a rebel from a previous period in history and a hero from an early stage of the Republic. As a coastal guard, A(...)

literary

YEAR: 2006

COUNTRY: New Zealand

TAGS: Anaximander Bible Eve Greek Philosophy Pericles Socrates

Diana Noonan , Margaret Power

Hercules

Nine-year old Sam lives with his parents in a small seaside community. His mother is expecting a baby boy, and there is much talk in the house about what to name him. Sam suggests Hercules as a name, explaining “He’s a character from Greek mythology.Our teacher’s reading us a book about him. He was clever and strong and he could take care of himself in all sorts of situations.” His parents are not interested, but Sam thinks “I thought Hercules was a good name for so(...)

literary

YEAR: 1996

COUNTRY: New Zealand

TAGS: Hercules

Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert, Christian Williams

Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (Series, S00 – Season Zero)

Title of the Works: Hercules: the Legendary Journeys – Hercules and the Amazon WomenHercules: the Legendary Journeys – Hercules and the Lost KingdomHercules: the Legendary Journeys – Hercules and the Circle of FireHercules: the Legendary Journeys – Hercules in the UnderworldHercules: the Legendary Journeys – Hercules in the Maze of the MinotaurThe Hercules: The Legendary Journeys franchise, starring Kevin Sorbo in the titular role, is b(...)

audiovisual

YEAR: 1994

COUNTRY: New Zealand United States of America

TAGS: Afterlife Alcmene Amazons Ancient Sacrifice Centaur(s) Cerberus Charon Chiron / Cheiron Deianeira Elysian Fields / Elysium Hades Hera Heracles Hercules Hippolyta Hydra Immortality Iolaus Katabasis Labyrinth Lydia Minotaur Nessus Omphale Prometheus Sea Monsters Sea-Serpent Styx Troy Twelve Labours of Heracles Underworld Zeus

Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert, Christian Williams

Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (Series, S00E01): Hercules and the Amazon Women

The narrative of Hercules and the Amazon Women is loosely based on Hercules’ labour to get the belt of the Amazon Queen Hippolyta. The film opens with Hercules and his companion Iolaus walking through the woods where they encounter a young girl who then transforms into the Hydra. In adherence with general mythological tradition, the pair defeat the beast by using fire to burn the stumps of the monster’s head(s), preventing new ones from sprouting. Once the Hydra is slain, a peac(...)

audiovisual

YEAR: 1994

COUNTRY: New Zealand United States of America

TAGS: Alcmene Amazons Hera Hercules Hippolyta Hydra Iolaus Twelve Labours of Heracles Zeus

Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert, Christian Williams

Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (Series, S00E02): Hercules and the Lost Kingdom

This film’s narrative finds little direct precedent within ancient mythology but draws upon several identifiable themes/tropes for inspiration. After successfully saving a village from a giant, Hercules is approached by a messenger who asks for the hero’s help: his people have been forced out of their home-town, the “lost kingdom” of Troy. Zeus reveals that Hera caused the disappearance of Troy and, in order to find it, Hercules requires the “true compass”. &n(...)

audiovisual

YEAR: 1994

COUNTRY: New Zealand United States of America

TAGS: Ancient Sacrifice Deianeira Hera Hercules Lydia Omphale Sea-Serpent Troy Zeus

Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert, Christian Williams

Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (Series, S00E03): Hercules and the Circle of Fire

This film takes inspiration from several mythological themes, such as Prometheus providing fire for mankind and the wounding of Chiron (with Hydra blood) by Hercules, and combines these into a largely unique narrative. The film opens with Hercules, plagued with premonitions that the world will be covered in ice, on a quest to defeat a witch who has (apparently) been sapping the life force of the local men. Hercules follows a young man into the witch’s cave but becomes suspicious that (...)

audiovisual

YEAR: 1994

COUNTRY: New Zealand United States of America

TAGS: Centaur(s) Chiron / Cheiron Deianeira Hera Hercules Immortality Prometheus Zeus

Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert, Christian Williams

Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (Series, S00E04): Hercules in the Underworld

This narrative is based loosely on a combination of several known mythological tales: the rape of Deianeira by Nessus, the labour of Hercules capturing Cerberus in the underworld, the death of Hercules and Orpheus’ catabasis. The film begins in an undisclosed village where the ground opens up to create an eerie fissure from out of which a strange green light and mist emerge, destroying all who come into contact with it. Meanwhile, in Hercules’ own village, the hero is forced out of &(...)

audiovisual

YEAR: 1994

COUNTRY: New Zealand United States of America

TAGS: Afterlife Centaur(s) Cerberus Charon Deianeira Elysian Fields / Elysium Hades Hera Hercules Immortality Katabasis Nessus Styx Twelve Labours of Heracles Underworld Zeus

Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert, Christian Williams

Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (Series, S00E05): Hercules in the Maze of the Minotaur

This final pilot-movie is essentially a collection of clips from the previous four films loosely grouped together by an overarching narrative which appropriates the figure of the Minotaur into the adventures of Hercules. Hercules has now retired from “heroism” and is focused on settling down with his family for an ordinary life. Upon witnessing his sons fighting, Hercules explains that fighting should only be done to help other people, telling them the story of Eryx the boxer (from H(...)

audiovisual

YEAR: 1994

COUNTRY: New Zealand United States of America

TAGS: Deianeira Hera Hercules Iolaus Labyrinth Minotaur Zeus

Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert, Christian Williams

Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (Series, S01E01–13)

The Hercules: The Legendary Journeys franchise, starring Kevin Sorbo in the titular role, began in 1994 with a collection of five feature-length, television-movie, pilot-episodes, the popularity of which then ensured the franchises’ continuation via an established television series. The series ran for a total six seasons (1995-1999) and picked up the narrative from the where the films had concluded. The series became even more popular than the films and several spin-offs ensued, inclu(...)

audiovisual

YEAR: 1995

COUNTRY: New Zealand United States of America

TAGS: Ancient Slavery Ares Centaur(s) Cyclops / Cyclopes Dionysus / Dionysos Gladiator Games Gods Hera Heracles Hero(es) Iolaus Tiresias

Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert, Christian Williams

Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (Series, S02E01–24)

The second season of Hercules: the Legendary Journeys utilizes the same basic structure as the first season (see relevant entry) but builds upon the momentum of the franchises’ popularity to expand the number of episodes to almost double that of the first season (13 and 22, respectively). Each episode is self-contained and depicts Hercules and his companion, Iolaus, embarking upon a quest to defeat a villain/bad-guy and/or to resolve an issue of injustice that plagues a town/village. (...)

audiovisual

YEAR: 1995

COUNTRY: New Zealand United States of America

TAGS: Admetus Alcestis Alcmene Aphrodite Barbarians Centaur(s) Demeter Echidna Giants Gods Golden Fleece Hades Hera Heracles Hercules Hero(es) Iolaus Iphicles Jason Judgement of Paris Medea Midas Orestes Persephone Prophecy Salmoneus Sisyphus Sparta Typhon / Typhoeus / Typhaon

Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert, Christian Williams

Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (Series, S03E01–22)

Season three of HTLJ, consisting of twenty-two episodes, maintains the successful format of the prior two seasons: a series of self-contained narrative episodes that derive inspiration from tropes associated with both the ancient world and fantasy genres. Examples of the former include episode 2 (Doomsday) in which Hercules assists the inventor Daedalus with his grief over the death of his son Icarus (who famously died when the pair tried to escape Crete – see, e.g., Ovid Met. 8); epi(...)

audiovisual

YEAR: 1996

COUNTRY: New Zealand United States of America

TAGS: Aphrodite Ares Atlantis Cupid Daedalus Echidna Gods Hera Heracles Hercules Hero(es) Icarus Iolaus Jason

Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert, Christian Williams

Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (Series, S04E01–22)

Season four of HTLJ, consisting of twenty-two episodes, does little to change the successful format of the serial established by the prior seasons: i.e., the season’s arc presents a series of self-contained narrative episodes that derive inspiration from tropes associated with both the ancient world and fantasy genres. Indeed, certain episodes in this season tread over familiar narrative territory: for example, episode 11 (Medea culpa) includes another example of a dragon slaying quest (he(...)

audiovisual

YEAR: 1997

COUNTRY: New Zealand United States of America

TAGS: Gods Hera Heracles Hercules Hero(es) Iolaus

Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert, Christian Williams

Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (Series, S05E01–22)

The fifth and penultimate season of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys maintains the same structure as the earlier seasons with 22 stand-alone episodes depicting Hercules’ battle against ‘evil’ (in all of its various guises) and, in his role as champion of the people, his righting of the wrongs performed against the innocent. Certain tropes established in seasons three and four are now cemented as recurrent features: in particular, the modern, metatheatrical take on the clip(...)

audiovisual

YEAR: 1998

COUNTRY: New Zealand United States of America

TAGS: Caesar Gilgamesh Gods Hera Heracles Hercules Hero(es) Iolaus Katabasis Norse Mythology

Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert, Christian Williams

Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (Series, S06E01–08)

This final, sixth, season of HTLJ has a much shorter run than any prior season with only 8 episodes. With the ancient evil Dahak having been defeated at the end of season 5, these final episodes focused on returning to the original formula of the show (see below and analysis) in order to wrap up the narrative arc of the serial (this is hinted at by the title of the final episode: Full circle). Promotional material for the show referred to this season as "the last Legendary Journey&rdqu(...)

audiovisual

YEAR: 1999

COUNTRY: New Zealand United States of America

TAGS: Amazons Antigone Aphrodite Ares Creon Gods Hephaestus Hera Heracles Hercules Hero(es) Iolaus Oedipus Tartarus Thebes Titans Zeus

Ken Catran

Neo’s War

In this “boys’ own”-style time-slip novel, contemporary New Zealand teenager Neo (Neil) Torrens experiences the final days of the Trojan War as the hero Neoptolemus from ancient myth. It is a coming of age novel, in which 14 year old Neo’s experiences as a soldier in Bronze Age Troy help his modern persona mature. The parts of Catran’s novel set in antiquity take place in the time between the Iliad and Odyssey, after Achilles’ death and just before and during (...)

literary

YEAR: 1995

COUNTRY: Australia New Zealand

TAGS: Achilles Agamemnon Diomedes (Son of Tydeus) Neoptolemus Odysseus / Ulysses Polyxena Priam Trojan War

Jessica Townsend

Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow

Nevermoor is a novel set in an elaborate magical world, filled with people with super-natural abilities and magical creatures. These elements and the fact that the protagonist has to fulfil a series of quests, remind the reader of stories from Classical myth, and several figures have Classical names (Jupiter, Fenestra). The novel is a fantasy pastiche drawing on many inspirations, ancient and modern (e.g. C.S. Lewis, J.K. Rowling, L. Frank Baum, P. Pullman). Morrigan Crow is a cursed child and d(...)

literary

YEAR: 2017

COUNTRY: New Zealand

TAGS: Prophecy

Andrew Dettmann, Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert, Daniel Truly

Young Hercules

The Young Hercules franchise (cf. the 1998 serial of the same name, starring Ryan Gosling) is a spin-off/prequel to the Hercules: the Legendary Journeys franchise. The Young Hercules film also serves as a prequel to the Young Hercules serial (see here) and thus seeks to establish the main characters who appear in this latter production (i.e. Hercules, Iolaus, Jason, Ares, Discord and Cheiron). The narrative of the Young Hercules film is a re-telling of Jason and the Argonauts’ voyage to ob(...)

audiovisual

YEAR: 1998

COUNTRY: New Zealand United States of America

TAGS: Ares Argo Argonauts Chiron / Cheiron Gods Golden Fleece Heracles Hercules Iolaus Jason

Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert

Young Hercules (Series)

The Young Hercules franchise (cf. the 1998 direct-to-video film of the same name, starring Ian Bohen) is intended as a spin-off/prequel to the Hercules: the Legendary Journeys franchise (henceforth, HTLJ) and its spin-off, Xena: Warrior Princess (XWP). The Young Hercules television serial follows on from the film’s conclusion, exploring Hercules’ adventures as a teenager during his time at the academy of the centaur Cheiron (a sort of training/finishing school for warriors and heroes(...)

audiovisual

YEAR: 1998

COUNTRY: New Zealand United States of America

TAGS: Amazons Ares Centaur(s) Chiron / Cheiron Gods Heracles Hercules Iolaus Jason

John Mackey, Sabrina Malcolm

Zeustian Logic

This is a YA novel in which tales of Classical myth (in connection with astronomy) help a New Zealand teenager come to terms with his father’s death. Zeustian Logic is about a family trying to deal with their grief, after the death of their father and husband. The novel is set in Wellington, New Zealand. Its protagonist is 14-year-old schoolboy and hobby astronomer Tuttle Theodorus, whose father Jamie has died in a mountaineering accident on Mount Everest. Jamie was a famous mountaineer an(...)

literary

YEAR: 2017

COUNTRY: New Zealand

TAGS: Achilles Andromeda Castor Centaur(s) Chiron / Cheiron Constellations Gods Hades Helios Heracles Hero(es) Jason Lycaon Mars Mercury Phaethon Pollux Saturn Sirius Venus