IPHIGENEIA

Greece, 1977, 127 minutes, Colour.
Irene Papas, Tatiana Papamoschou.
Directed by Michael Cacoyannis (Mihalis Kakogiannis).

Iphigeneia is Michael Cacoyannis’s adaptation of Euripides’ play, Iphigenia in Aulis. It was filmed on location in Aulis.

Cacoyannis had directed Irene Papas as Electra in 1962. In 1971 Cacoyannis directed The Trojan Women by Euripides, with a star cast led by Katharine Hepburn, Vanessa Redgrave, Genevieve Bujold and Irene Papas as Helen of Troy.

Cacoyannis is able to convey the Greek tragedy, drawing on the style of performance traditional with the plays of Euripides. This means that the film is both poetic and tragic.

Audiences familiar with the Trojan War will recognise the characters, Agamemnon as the leader of the Greeks, avenging his brother Menelaus for the departure of Helen for Troy. Clytemnestra is the wife of Agamemnon. (The tragedy of this couple is to the fore in the plays by Aeschylus and Sophocles.)

Cacoyannis also introduces a number of characters, familiar from the war, but not in the play: Odysseus, Achilles.

The film offers audiences an opportunity to appreciate classical Greek tragedy through a modern medium.

There is a score by Mikis Theodorakis, who regularly wrote for Cacoyannis’s films, and is best known for the music for Zorba the Greek.

1. The work of Euripides? The classic status of his drama over millennia? Poetry, tragedy, dramatic interactions? A modern version of the staging of a Euripidean play?

2. Audience knowledge of Greek history? The Trojan War? The characters? The family relationships? The Greeks, the Trojans? The religious background? Myths? The stories in their times, religious interpretations? Later interpretations of the human condition?

3. The conventions of Greek tragedy, the hero, the crisis, the gods, the Deus ex Machina? As seen in this version?

4. The cinematic style, the visuals, the scope, the staging, the editing and pace? Colour photography? The musical score? Costumes, location photography?

5. The contrived nature of the tragedy? The blend of the stylistic and the realistic? The cathartic effect for the audience?

6. The Greeks, their reaction against the Trojan behaviour, the war, their motivations, Agamemnon, Menelaus? Agamemnon as leader? Menelaus and his wife? The warlike attitudes of the Greeks? The army, the boats? The role of Achilles? Of Odysseus? The points of view of the men? Attitude towards Helen and women? Warlike attitudes and greed, vengeance? Heroism and honour? The army and its being becalmed – and the imperative for something to happen so that they can sail from Aulis?

7. The picture of the army, army life, tensions because of the calm? Eagerness to go to war?

8. The religious leaders, in themselves, their attitude towards the truth of the situation, the pressure from the leaders? The rituals, superstitions? The question as to where are the gods?

9. Agamemnon as leader, his hold over Menelaus? The attitudes of Odysseus? The maintenance of order? The warships?

10. Agamemnon, hunting the deer? The displeasure of the gods? The decision about the sacrifice of Iphigeneia? Why? Hurt? The plots? The pressure from Menelaus, from Odysseus and Achilles?

11. Iphigeneia in herself, her age, at home, Agamemnon’s daughter? Clytemnestra and her love for her daughter? The hopes? Mycenae? The possibility of marriage? Achilles? Joy, the journey?

12. The fatalism about Iphigeneia? The fates, the gods? Her mother’s role, the dilemma for her mother, her love for her husband, the death of her daughter, the success of the battles?

13. The journey, the intercutting of the events, Iphigeneia’s sacrifice?

14. The building up of tension, in Iphigeneia herself, joy and sorrow? Her submission? Agamemnon, weak, the false build-up?

15. The role of the servant, telling Iphigeneia the truth, the effect?

16. Iphigeneia’s death, the consequences for Clytemnestra, vengeance against Agamemnon?

17. Achilles, strong and yet weak, his dilemma, not saving Iphigeneia?

18. The final impact? The portrait of Iphigeneia, her joy, girlish, happy, her father, learning the truth, her fears, alone, her dignity, her long march to death? And the reactions of the leaders and the army?

19. Audiences admiring Greek tragedy, the power and the poetry, the drama? As presenting past times, mythological times? Yet as presenting universal stories with contemporary relevance?