In 1962, a feature-length film based on the tale was released starring Kerwin Mathews. Henry Fielding, John Newbery, Samuel Johnson, Boswell, and William Cowper were familiar with the tale. One scholar speculates the public had grown weary of King Arthur and Jack was created to fill the role.
Jack's story did not appear in print until 1711. Jack and his tale are rarely referenced in English literature prior to the eighteenth century (there is an allusion to Jack the Giant Killer in Shakespeare's King Lear, where in Act 3, one character, Edgar, in his feigned madness, cries, "Fie, foh, and fum,/ I smell the blood of a British man"). Jack's belt is similar to the belt in " The Valiant Little Tailor", and his magical sword, shoes, cap, and cloak are similar to those owned by Tom Thumb or those found in Welsh and Norse mythology. Some parallels to elements and incidents in Norse mythology have been detected in the tale, and the trappings of Jack's last adventure with the Giant Galigantus suggest parallels with French and Breton fairy tales such as Bluebeard. Giants are prominent in Cornish folklore, Breton mythology and Welsh Bardic lore.
The tale is characterised by violence, gore and blood-letting. Which only leaves nostalgic adults and the 6-10 age group left to enjoy this movies' many charms- a shame." Jack the Giant Killer" is a Cornish fairy tale and legend about a young adult who slays a number of bad giants during King Arthur's reign. Older kids will probably find it a bit too corny for their tastes.
#Jack the giant killer imdb movie
Younger children will find this movie too frightening, even now when kids see a lot of things they should'nt. On the down side, the monsters in "Jack" are rubbery and unconvincing- which is unfortunate, and does make some of the scenes look very fake indeed, and in this respect, the film is no match at all for the beautiful models on display in "Voyage"- but the optical colour effects when spells are cast, and especially the nightmarish blue tints during the scary witches' attack on the boat, are breathtaking and look very magical, and there is also a fabulous finale when the evil "Pendragon" turns into a dragon and fights to the death with Jack. There is a cruel streak running through this film which is totally absent from "The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad", and which makes this movie more like a horror film than a childrens fantasy.This fact was obviously picked up on by the film censors in the UK who gave it an "A" certificate (children to be accompanied by an adult) way back in 1967 when it hit the cinemas here- it was also cut by around two minutes of the more violent moments. The story is typical fairy tale stuff, a poor farmers' son rescues a princess from the evil clutches of a sorceror, but it somehow transcends this simple tale and becomes something so much darker, and scarier than it's more famous rival.
Unfortunately, it is relatively unknown, (especially in the UK where it cannot be found on DVD or video, and it has never seen a release on either of these formats to my knowledge- it does however, show up every 5 years or so on Channel 4-so look out for it there.) It also seems to be compared unfavourably with "The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad", which is a shame, as it surpasses this admittedly fine film in many ways. This is one of the most interesting and entertaining fantasy movies ever made.
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