Hercules the Legendary Journeys: "Faith" screencaps

[marycrawford]

I finally made screencaps for 'Faith', the fifth season opener for Hercules: the Legendary Journeys, which kicks off the whole Dahak arc, and also for 'Revelations', the ending episode - because hey, after the heartbreak I needed the hug at the end *g* - but for some reason, the 'Revelations' screencaps look like crap. I don't know if it's a bad DVD transfer or my computer or what, but they look bleached and grainy and fuzzy and...crappy. So I might try to do another take of those.

In the meanwhile, the 'Faith' screencaps are here, all twenty pages of them. :cough:



Michael Hurst directed this episode, and in the commentary he talks about his choices - shots, lighting, everything. He also mentions that the script for Iolaus' death scene had a lot of speech for his final moments, almost a monologue where he asks Hercules to remember him, etc, and Hurst cut all that and instead chose to die saying Hercules' name, because he thought it was more powerful.

Oh, was it ever. And it still feels utterly right and affecting that even though Nebula is also there, all his energy, his last smile, his last breath is focused on Hercules.

Digression: by the time I saw this episode, I had been forewarned by the weeping and wailing of American fans on mailing lists. And I think most of them knew before the season started that there were rumors about Iolaus dying and not coming back. But rewatching the episode, I have to wonder what it was like to watch this unspoiled. The opening is classic Hercules stuff, full of lighthearted bickering between the guys, with Iolaus voicing some objections to the idea of going to Sumeria - and his fabulous line, "“Well, that’s it. We go down in history as the guys that ticked off all the gods” - but even by the time Hercules starts to have unsettling dreams, I still wouldn't have thought this would be the episode that turned the whole show upside down.

The first half, with Iolaus and Nebula getting close and Hercules helping Gilgamesh find his chalice, is still such familiar ground - and then, boom, they find the chalice and things go pearshaped. Some gorgeous shots of Tony Todd as Gilgamesh here; man, does he have presence. I can't tear my eyes away from him, and I wish they hadn't given him silly contacts and things later on to mark him as Teh Evil. Ditto with Michael Hurst as Dahak, btw. I feel that if you've got a good actor, then let him act to show that he's undergone a personality change (or in Iolaus' case, a transplant *g*) - over the top makeup is the easy way out, and much less satisfying for the viewers. But this is a pet peeve of mine (Dark!Willow, anyone? Harpy!Galadriel?) so I should probably stop right there.




Iolaus towing Hercules away for a little private chat about whether going to Sumeria is really such a good idea. I love the resigned look on Hercules' face. It's just one of those 'they are so married' moments. *g*




Iolaus lets himself be talked into it. Bad move, Iolaus.




They are so adorable here, Iolaus watching Nebula armwrestle with her crew (no, really) and Hercules fondly watching Iolaus watch Nebula. And then:

Hercules: “You like her.”
Iolaus: “What, are you nuts?! She’s stubborn and singleminded, hot-headed-”
Hercules: “That’s enough about you. Let’s talk about her.”

Hee hee.




OK, this is just before Hercules has his scary dream about pyres and daggers and himself in a white tablecloth, but what a fabulous shot. Iolaus' hand dangling down toward Hercules' shoulder, the sword lying across his chest, and Hercules sleeping close beside him. Also, I love that Hercules is the one on the floor. *eg*




Nebula is so very, very gorgeous, and she and Iolaus have amazing chemistry. And yes, I still need to write a Hercules/Iolaus/Nebula story. *g*




:melts:




So. Gorgeous.




This is one of the Tony Todd shots that I love. Michael Hurst and Kevin Sorbo talk about Tony Todd as an actor, in the commentary: the way he seems to be moving almost in slow motion, his grace, the way he uses his hands so expressively. (He was also in the H:tLJ episode 'Gladiator', and IMO he was equally good there.)




The moment after Hercules destroys Gilgamesh and before he rushes to Iolaus' side - some part of him already knows.

And then, the ending. I have nothing to say here, I just tear up every time I watch it. :sniffle:

Comments

[ltlj.livejournal.com]

Your caps are fantastic.

I remember this episode wasn't that big of a shock, because we were expecting Iolaus to get brought back to life in the next few episodes. I thought it would be a 2 or 3 episode arc at most. Then it kept going on. I remember very clearly finding out that Iolaus was supposed to be dead permanently, as it happened literally right after I found out that my mother had been diagnosed with alzheimer's.

I wonder if the reason the Revelations caps turned out so badly was because the film quality wasn't as good, since they were cutting the budget back drastically. I remember Bonnie had the same problem when she was doing caps.

[marycrawford.livejournal.com]

I remember very clearly finding out that Iolaus was supposed to be dead permanently, as it happened literally right after I found out that my mother had been diagnosed with alzheimer's.

Ack, yes. That must have been a horrible time.

I wonder if the reason the Revelations caps turned out so badly was because the film quality wasn't as good, since they were cutting the budget back drastically. I remember Bonnie had the same problem when she was doing caps.

Oh, thanks, I didn't think of that. I'll try to make a few more caps and compare them - if they're just as bad as the others, it's definitely the film quality, since the Faith ones turned out fine. And if so, whoa, what a bad decision to cut back that much - but then, this was the season of bad decisions.

Thanks for the kind words. :-)

[dbw.livejournal.com]

These screencaps are just wonderful and so are your comments. It's interesting to read them, because I wasn't a fan when this episode originally aired. Reading others talk about what it was like to see the episodes from a different perspective fascinates me.

I didn't actually start watching the show until somewhere in the middle of season 5. Weird, I know, but I think the first episode I saw was the very odd (now that I look back at it) Just Passing Through -- the one with Autolycus and the metal panther. I was intrigued enough by the flashback bits with Hercules, Iolaus and Autolycus to seek out the earlier seasons in syndication. I'd catch up on several old episodes in the week(s) between the "new" season eps. So, I've always thought my experience of season 5 was a bit weird when compared to other long-time fans.

[marycrawford.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'm also always interested in how everyone else came to the fandom. I remember you talked about this in email (or comments, or something *g*), about watching Just Passing Through first. Such a weird introduction to the series, but hey, it still worked!

Plus, one notices that you were intrigued by the flashbacks with the real Iolaus, and perhaps not so much by the Jester...

Mary, grinning

[zoesmith.livejournal.com]

Mmmmm.... Hercules/Iolaus/Nebula!!! That sounds very very interesting!

You Know I mostly read Harry Potter fan fiction but lately I've been really really enjoying Herc ff. Especially Hercules/Iolaus!

Your stories are great!

kisses

[marycrawford.livejournal.com]

Hey, thanks! Cool that you've been reading H/I. And yeah, I really need to get back to that threesome story. But then, I need to get back to all of them. One day. *g*

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Gorgeous, gorgeous, especially that remarkable sleeping shot. Looking at these images and reading yout wonderful commentary, it's like reliving it all again. Augh!

[marycrawford.livejournal.com]

it's like reliving it all again. Augh!

So sorry! *g*
Thanks for the kind words, and I hope the trauma passes. If not, I find that looking at the sleeping shot helps...:-)