MEDEA

Denmark, 1988, 105 minutes, Colour.
Udo Keir, Kirsten Olesen, Giulia Pagano.
Directed by Lars Von Trier.

Medea was made for Danish television by celebrated director Lars von Trier (The Element of Crime, Zentropa, The Kingdom, Breaking the Waves. Dancer in the Dark, Dogville).

The film was based on an original screenplay co-authored by classic Danish director Carl Theodor Dreyer. Dreyer never made the film. Von Trier has adapted it for the '80s audience while keeping the austerity of Dreyer's vision. The film also relies on the foundation given by the text from Euripides.

The look of the film, its colour schemes, with emphasis on browns and yellows, seems to be the trade mark of von Trier's films. To that extent, it is distinctively a von Trier film.

The film relies, not so much on dialogue, but on the style of performance and the style of photography as well as the direction of the actors, especially in creating visual tableaux. The film has a stylised presentation of the background, the city, the sea, the shore, land, though it also has atmosphere of naturalism. This counterpoint between the two gives the classic look and dimension to Euripides' play. Udo Keir, a regular in von Trier's films, plays Jason.

1.The popularity of Euripides' play over the centuries? The mythological background? The story of Jason, the marriage to Medea, his desertion of Medea and his search for power, the king and politics, the king's daughter and her marriage? Medea's being deserted and wreaking her dreadful vengeance? The relevance of the play and its themes to contemporary audiences?

2.The Danish locations, the sea, shore? The re-creation of ancient palaces? The musical score?

3.The colour schemes and design of the film? The pervading browns and yellows? The lack of such primary colours as green and blue - even bright reds? The impact of this kind of colour?

4.The design of the film: naturalistic landscapes, stylistically photographed - the sea, Medea's emerging from the sea, the interior tableaux, the tunnels, Jason lost in the forest, the wind moving the grass photographed from above...?

5.The portrait of Medea: the opening, her despair, in the waves? Her experience, the love for Jason, the children? The motivation of revenge, her becoming more vindictive, her grief and laments? The poisoning of Jason's new wife, wreaking havoc on the state? The sequences with her children, their preparation for death, the hangings? Her own despair and madness?

6.Jason and the introduction to the film, the explanation of his background? The Argo and the Argonauts? The legend of the Golden Fleece? The marriage to Medea, the children? His wayward ways? The political marriage? The courting of the king's daughter, the preparation for the marriage, his tenderness towards her, his contempt for Medea? The prospects of power and rule? His response to Medea's vengeance, the death of his wife, the disruption of the kingdom? His riding in pursuit, lost in the forest, his despair and death?

7.The daughter of the king, her love for Jason, the preparation for the wedding, her attendants? Her love, contempt for Medea, Medea and the poisoning, her death?

8.The king, his plans? Despising of Medea? Using Jason, the marriage of his daughter, his grief?

9.The portrait of the children, the long sequence of their preparation for death, the hanging of the younger boy, the older son? Medea sacrificing her children and her love for them for the sake of vengeance?

10.The translation of ancient stage plays with their particular literary and theatrical devices to the contemporary screen? For television audiences?