Reviews (26)

A celebration of the human spirit, even if you are not Greek
Since I am leaving today for a trip to Greece I figured I should watch "Zorba the Greek" since this 1964 film is considered the quintessential "Greek" film. I have to admit my first reaction was to be glad I was not going to Crete, because the way the locals treated the beautiful widow (Irene Papas) and Madame Hortense (Lila Kedrova), the old prostitute, were outright horrific. But this is why people like us and young Basil (Alan Bates) need to meet up with somebody with a zest for life like Alexis Zorba (Anthony Quinn).

Basil is an Englishman of Greek extraction who goes to Crete to check out a mine he has inherited. Zorba attaches himself to Basil, ostensibly as a cook but clearly as a guide to the joys and tragedies of life. In terms of Quinn's performance the only thing you can really say is that before there was Robert Begnigni there was Zorba the Greek when it comes to Mediterranean men who provided inspirational madness. As Zorba tells Basil: "Dammit, boss, I like you too much not to say it. You've got everything except one thing. Madness! A man needs a little madness, or else...he never dares cut the rope and be free." +

When they arrive on Crete it becomes clear the mine is not going to pan out for anybody. They move in with Madame Hortense, who is wooed by Zorba, who insists Basil go after the beautiful local widow. After these tragedies all that is left is Zorba's plan for bringing trees down from the top of the mountain, an endeavor obviously equally doomed to failure. This is why in the end there is only one thing a man can do, and it is in this cathartic conclusion that any and all sins of this film are absolved.

"Zorba the Greek" is written and directed by Michael Cacoyannis, based on the novel by Nikos Kazantzakis. The film won three Academy Awards: Lila Kedrova for Best Supporting Actress, Best Art/Set Direction, and Best Cinematography. Quinn did not win the Oscar for what is clearly his most memorable role in a long and distinguished film career, but that is usually the case with actors and their greatest roles. Marlon Brando did not win for Stanley Kowalski and Quinn did not win for Alexis Zorba. What is a man to do in the face of such a fate but dance?

¿Will you teach me to dance?¿ .... plz
Basil, a young English writer of Greek ancestry, meets an older, free-spirited Greek peasant named Zorba on the island of Crete. While Zorba pursues a relationship with Madame Hortense, an aging French courtesan, the inhibited Basil summons up the courage to court a young widow. When Hortense comes down with pneumonia, the impoverished locals descend upon her like vultures, as she lies dying in Zorba's arms. Later, Basil inherits a mine, and he and Zorba plan to reopen it and use their earnings to help alleviate some of the area's poverty.

Winning seven Academy Awards, this classic black and white film also starred Irene Pappas and Lila Kedrova and was based upon the Nikos Kazantzakis novel.

Must see movie.... Excellent cinematographie!

Full Screen Idiocy
Why on earth are they releasing the DVD for this great film in Full Screen. Haven't people gotten used to wide screen yet? I don't want to see 65% of a film when the director meant me to see 100%. The company releasing this needs to have its head examined.

Foxy scam!!!!!
The note is for the studio who, not only doesn't show any respect for intellectual & artistic property, but, as well, is selling only half of this movie, since the original format is 2.35:1. The full screen being an added option is understandable; not proposing the original screen ratio is inexcusable, whatever the price.

From A Greek About A Greek
Definatly a great movie to watch, but it really portrays the backward Greece of several decades ago. The movie portrays Greeks in a somewhat harsh and distorted way, sometimes painting a very bad picture.

After reading many of the reviews it seems as if people still think the Greeks are wearing togas, worshipping the Gods and spending all day studying philosophy. This isn't the case, it hasn't been for over fifteen hundred years and if that is what you are expecting, then find out more about modern Greeks before watching this movie or you will be very surprised. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An emotionally distant version of Euripides's "Trojan Women"
"The Trojan War" was written by the Greek tragic dramatist Euripides as a plea for peace after the Athenians had slaughtered the populace of the island of Melos for refusing to aid Athens in the war against Sparta, and as preparations were being made for the ruinous expedition against Syracuse. Consequently there is a strong rhetorical dimension to the play, which prophesies that a Greek force would sail across the sea after violating victims and meet with disaster. However, there the play also has a strong literary consideration in that the four Trojan Women all appear in the final chapter of the "Iliad," mourning over the corpse of Hector, retrieved by his father Priam from the camp of the Acheans. Following the episodic structure of Greek tragedy, we begin with the lamentations of Hecuba (Katharine Hepburn), queen of the fallen city, then have the wild prophecies of her crazed daughter Cassandra (Geneviève Bujold), and then have to watch Astyanax, the son of Hector and Andromache (Vanessa Redgrave), be ripped away from her mother's arms so he can be thrown from the walls of Troy. When the beautiful Helen (Irene Papas) is brought out, Hecuba tries to convince Menelaus (Patrick Magee) to kill his unfaithful wife. The tragedy ends with the women of Troy being taken to the ships of their captives.

This 1971 film was directed by Michael Cacoyannis, who is best known for directing "Zorba the Greek," but who also did an excellent version of another Euripides play "Electra" in 1962 with Irene Papas in the title role. Cacoyannis tries for something a bit more naturalistic than that previous effort, but the end result this time around creates an unfortunate distance between the characters and the audience that puts these performances in a weird sort of limbo. This is rather surprising because we are talking some formidable talent with these four actresses (who represent four different countries of origin). I first saw this film in high school, when I had absolutely no understanding of the forms and conventions of classical Greek tragedy, and I found I have less appreciation for the film today. Understand that I am a Katharine Hepburn fan of the first order and teach Greek tragedies at any and all opportunities, but I am just not inspired by this film. Hepburn's performance is overly animated, Bujold's is mannered affectation, Redgrave's is understated at the expense of the situation, and only Papas manages to bring some fire to her role that rings true.

"The Trojan Women" reflects the cynicism of Euripides at its most strident. In this play the Greeks do more than enslave the women of fallen Troy: they have already slain a young girl as a sacrifice to the ghost of Achilles and they take a little boy and kill him. Even the herald of the Greeks, Talthybius (Brian Blessed), cannot stomach the policies of his people. The play also reminds us that Helen was a most unpopular figure amongst the ancient Greeks, and there is no satisfaction in her saving her life. Your ability to enjoy this play, whether we are talking about watching the film or simply reading the text, is going to be based on how much you know about Homer's epic poem "The Iliad" and the entire story of the Trojan War. Final Note: Edith Hamilton, author of a classic book on mythology that I use in my Classical Greek and Roman Mythology course, did the English translation for the film. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Cacoyanis one of the giants directors in any age
Irene Papas as Elektra gives probably her finest perfomance ever. Cacoyanis made an exceptional translating process with this drama from Euripides.
The fundamental atmosphere of the female chorus and all the haunting drama hidden about the revenge to make justice is told
brilliantly.
Cacoyanis shows us why he was blessed by the Gods .
Acquire this superb masterpiece.

those who live greatly ......
must greatly suffer - something along that line - but that quote belongs to the Sophocles version - this one's a little more method - although slightly too emotional [but then - there goes ther movie and the performances!] Always bearing in mind that these great works were written as rituals - not as .... entertainment. [This version is slightly too close to the kitchen sink - smatters of that great Juliette Greco vehicle "The Crack in the Mirror"].

BUT for what this version is worth IRENE PAPAS is spectacular as the misbegotten daughter seeking revenge - choreography of the chorus is superb as is the bleak, bleak cinematography.

Perfect and no doubt authentically researched costume design.

Powerful drama
Interesting that this 1962 film's director, Michael Cacoyannis, also directed Zorba the Greek and that the latter film also starred Irene Papas who plays the title character in Electra. It easily demonstrates Cacoyannis' artistry as a director, for in this film, he does a masterful job of interpreting the Euripides drama.

Filmed naturalistically in Greek settings, Electra does not disappoint. The great hero and king Agamemmnon is brutally murdered near the beginning of the story by his wife Clytemnestra and her lover Aegisthus. Electra and her brother Orestes, children of the royal couple, are both thrown out of their palatial home--Orestes is exiled, and Electra forced to marry a commoner and live in a hovel.

The term "Electra Complex" refers to a daughter's unnatural love for her father and while this is not overtly portrayed here, the hints are certainly in place. Even when her mother tells Electra of the king's infidelities the daughter defends him, citing the queen's own as proof of the latter's treachery.

Electra and Orestes take revenge on the couple who have killed their father--not without great remorse.

Cacoyannis' skill is demonstrated in his choice to film this work in black and white, accentuating the starkness of the tale, which contains numerous stretches of silence, an effective Greek chorus of village women (all clothed similarly in black), and an equally effective score by the great Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis who also composed the music for Zorba the Greek. The story is pure drama--the emotional elements are laid bare in the stripped to the bone dialogue that wastes no words.

The cinematography as well emphasizes the basic elements of earth and sky; black and white has seldom been used as well in a drama as it is here. Earth is the land of man where we live and die; sky is the land of the gods to whom we appeal for everything we want that we don't have. And whether or not we get what we want--who can say?

Highly recommended.

LOVE+PASSION+GREEKS=REAL MOVIE
Greek director Michael Cacoyannis brings Euripedes' classic tragedy to the screen with great liberties. Taking off from the murder of Agamemnon, this version of the tragedy sticks to the basic story of Elektra marrying and the ensuing double murder. Yet, Cacoyannis has stripped away much of the original dialogue in favor of stark cinematography and silent stretches. Irene Papas is outstanding as the doomed heroine. Pure Cinematography...excellent film

The Greeks knew their psychology!
This screen version of ELEKTRA shows how ancient Greek culture knew instinctively so much about human psychology long before Freud came along to carry on the good work. It is a deeply moving and cathartic experience that touches upon dark recesses in the human psyche, and too, confronts our philosophic "certainties". Above all, it teaches us that most valuable lesson; that guilt cannot be imagined - the deed has to be performed and then, and only then, does guilt or justification enter into your consciousness. Elektra and Orestes feel totally justified in killing their mother, but, when she gives her side to the story, doubts begin to ebb in, and once the deed is done, nothing can absolve the guilt and shame that descend on their shoulders. A powerful, potent film, superbly made, acted and assembled, and one of the very few, in a long lifetime of movie watching, that I have given my top star rating to! Am delighted that it is at long last available, because it is unjustly neglected and forgotten. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Description

The classic story of two brothers who turn against one another out of selfish greed. A story as timeless as the Bible itself. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Not so Good
This wasn't really worth the money.The sets were basic and the makeup on Potipher's wife was laughable---Joseph wouldn't have wanted her. The video of Joseph starring Ben Kingsley was far better and you could skip Jacob altogether.

The Story of Jacob and Joseph, TVM
This is a very good, albeit rather basic account of the Biblical stories of Jacob and Joseph. It gives a fine account of the two Patriachs, in one part each, with very little poetic licence or interpretation. It was shot on location in the Middle East, and many of the actors speak with a very distinct accent on their English, which adds enormously to the film's sense of 'long ago and far away'. This is especially true of Laban and Pharoh. The only critisism is that the second part-Joseph- probably deserved a little longer running time and budget, with the sets and costumes not quite up to the true spectacle of ancient Egypt. But overall this production is a very worthy portrayal of the events. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A Beautiful and Poignant Film!
A Matter of Dignity is a film I thourougly enjoyed watching. I had never seen a Greek movie before, and this story made me want to see more. Chloe is a young woman torn between duty to her family and duty to herself. I could relate to her and her story without any difficulty. It was easy to put myself in her place and think: What would I do if I were faced with her dilemma? The scenes of her trying to blot out her pain with laughter, dancing and a few drinks are very powerful. The ending could have been different. Chloe's mother is, I think, typical of upper class women then and now. I would certainly watch this movie again.

Classic... must c !
The beautiful daughter of an upper-class Greek family realizes what she must do to survive as her family sinks into a morass of debt and dishonesty concocted to preserve their reputation.Cacoyannis creates a cynical portrait of Greek upper class life. A wealthy family is on the verge of bankruptcy, and driven by the paranoid and superficial mother, struggle to maintain a facade of security at the cost of strong family bonds. An exceptional drama that is beautifully acted and typical of Cacoyannis' masterful direction.

A Postcard from Post-War Athens
A fascinating snapshot of the Athenian aristocracy in the 1950's, impoverished and corrupted by decades of war. Michael Cacoyannis' leftist political leanings are not coveyed with any subtlety, but his direction, on shoestring budget (as usual for this era of Greek film), is impressive. The lovely Ellie Lambeti is also excellent as the lead. A Matter of Dignity is a short and thought-provoking film worth considering as an initial taste of the Greek cinema.

To Telefteo psemma ( The Last lie)
Classic Greek movie theme. Summary: The daughter of an Athenian aristocrat strives to escape the dishonesty of her family, who is struggling to maintain a facade of wealth while they are actually on the verge of bankruptcy. Greek Language with English subtitles(Dolby Digital Mono). Full Screen format, filmed in B&W, No region code. Relative good quality of picture and sound. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Shows the Naked Truth About This Tragedy
This documentary lays bare the aftermath of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974. No excuses are made for the Greek military junta and the mistakes they made in Cyprus. But the crude savagery of the Turks wreaked unspeakable pain and suffering on the innocent Greek Cypriots. The Turks did the same thing to millions of Armenians, and today they continue to deny their barbaric acts. Anyway, this film makes the viewer feel like he or she is right there in the streets and refugee camps of Cyprus. Most importantly, this film shows the underlying humanity of a couragious people in the face of tremendous brutality.

Interesting yet not objective
It is a mildly interesting work but it lacks objectivity. I would prefer a more objective piece of documentary due to the violent nature of relations between the Greeks and the Turks.

Bias Embodied!
Where is objectivity? This is a single-sided projection of history... Always a failure!

one sided tragedy???
blame it on the Turks not the Greek junta? still hatefull? still racist?? the documentary fails to reflect the torment of both nations and focuses on only one. shame on all that follow this path. shame on you and your humanity.

Good!
I have to admit that the producer did a wonderful job in describing the 1974 events in Cyprus. He provided the details of the coup organized by Greece and its aftermath along with Turkey's intervention. This shows that he is not trying to blame Turkey for everything happenned in Cyprus. His work involves interviews with real people who went through real events. I was moved by his interview with Greek Cypriots who lost their relatives or houses right after the Turkish intervention. This movie helped me a lot to understand the sufferrings of Greek Cypriots and every Turkish Cypriot should watch it in order to understand that we are not the only ones who sufferred in Cyprus. The only critism I have is that the producer never mentioned the period between 1963-1974 and Turkish Cypriot sufferrings and acted as if Turkey intervened Cyprus just because of Greek organized coup, which is not true. He should have explained the events (mainly EOKA attacks against Turkish Cypriots) that led to Turkish intervention. A Turkish Cypriot movie showing the sufferrings of Turkish Cypriots during 1963-1974 will be a perfect complement to this movie.
It is a very powerful documentary because it is so real and everyone with slight interest in Cyprus history should watch it. ... Read more