Orpheus

So…. Let’s talk about Orpheus.

This was all new to me, but it turned into an interesting rabbit hole. Orpheus – the man, the myth, the legend. According to ancient Greek mythology, he was musician, poet, and all round adventurer. His music could tame the wild beasts, and even stones. The legend probably had its roots in a real man, living several generations before Homer (8th century BC).

His main sweetie was Eurydice, and when she checked out early (from a snakebite), Orpheus headed down to the Underworld to get her out. Lots of variations to this story, but for the most part, things don’t go well.

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The Orpheus archetype of the mystical poet/musician has survived the centuries, and was popular in medieval art.

The Collector has the story of Orpheus told in masterpieces spanning 750 years.

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Black Orpheus

The Orpheus myth has made it into modern cinema.

Black Orpheus is a 1959 Brazilian romantic tragedy.

It is an interesting movie in many ways: travelogue, anthropological study, hints of colonialism and poverty and class struggle.

It brings out the joy of being alive, the ecstasy of dance, the simple pleasures of song and family and friends.

Black Orpheus has universal themes of love and destiny and the fleeting, cyclical nature of life.

But… it is not a typical Hollywood movie, and it takes some time to settle into the pace of the film.

There are chickens and goats and puppies and cats, and a snarling dog named Cerberus who temporarily blocks Orpheus from entering the underworld.

Some interesting trivia:

• Orpheus is played by Breno Mello (1931-2008). He played soccer for Renner and Fluminense, and also for Santos FC, where he met Pelé. Mello was walking in Rio de Janeiro, when director Marcel Camus stopped him and asked if he would like to be in a film. Camus cast Mello to star in the classic 1959 film Orfeu Negro (Black Orpheus), in which Mello played the role of Orfeu.
  – Wikipedia
• Eurydice is played by Marpessa Dawn (1934-2008) was Born on a farm near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

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Black Orpheus would be the perfect movie include on the next Voyager Golden Record.

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Caution: French Avant-Garde Film Alert

At the other end of the spectrum, we have the 1950 French film of Orpheus.

A couple of thoughts while watching:

• just 5 years prior to the making of this movie, France was an occupied country
• this would have been a great original Twilight Zone episode
• great special effects, for the day
• interesting take on the underworld
• absolutely absurd story line – the tortured, pampered, rich, self-absorbed rock-star poet?

Death is personified as a creepy femme fatale, with lots of high-maintenance ex-girlfriend vibes.

The dialog is mostly self-indulgent nonsense – and it’s all in French. According to Death, “If this were our former world, I’d say, ‘Let’s have a drink.'”