48 min. / English / Burbank Films Australia / dir. Geoff Collins and Warwick Gilbert
A low-budget adaptation of Homer made for television. It begins with a council of the gods, who review the highlights of the Trojan War and discuss the fate of the hero Odysseus. It then cuts to his adventures as he attempts to get home to Ithaca.
The first adventure is that of the Cyclops, after which Zeus gives Poseidon permission to hinder Odysseus’ journey home. A storm blows the ship to the island of Circe, where the men are turned to pigs. Odysseus is helped by Athena to resist Circe’s magic; afterward Circe gives him a map to Hades, where he is to consult Tiresias about how to get home. He crosses a suspension bridge and talks to Cerberus, then throws a pebble into a bloody lake to get Tiresias to appear. Tiresias tells him he will face the Sirens, Charybdis and Scylla (who will eat six of the crew), and then reach the Island of the Sun God, where they are not to touch the sheep or cattle. Poseidon causes an earthquake which damages Hades and Odysseus narrowly escapes.
The canonical adventures proceed as promised by Tiresias, though Poseidon does show up to create another storm on the Island that compels the men to kill the cattle. Zeus punishes the men by creating an eclipse and striking the ship with lightning. Odysseus is saved by Athena, and recalls his adventures in flashback before washing up on the shore of an island where he encounters the princess Penelope!
From this point, things get pretty weird, in a mash-up of a various mythical traditions: Odysseus is brought to the king and queen of Phaeacia who welcome him as a famous hero. But soon word is brought that Poseidon is demanding his annual sacrifice of a young girl to ensure smooth sailing, and this year he demands Penelope. Odysseus appeals to Athena for help. She tells him the princess will be tied to a stake in a cove and Poseidon will emerge to take her back under the sea. He will reduce his size to that of a mortal and at that point Odysseus can grab him and hold on to him as he shapeshifts, then ask him to grant him a wish. After transforming into multiple animals, Poseidon agrees to leave off the annual maiden sacrifice and to let Odysseus live in peace. Odysseus then asks Penelope to be his wife and sail home to Ithaca with him. The film ends with the gods discussing the outcome, and acknowledging that Odysseus will have more adventures in the future, and that only he among mortals can deceive a god.
More: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0821800/
Animated Antiquity 
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