BLACK ORPHEUS
France/Italy/Brazil, 1958, 106 Minutes, Colour.
Breno Mellof, Marpessa Dawn, Adhemar Da Silva, Lourdes De Oliveira.
Directed by Marcel Camus.
Black Orpheus won the Academy Award in 1959 for the Best Foreign Language Film. It was popular as well as a critical success and this popularity has continued over several decades. The film captured something of the atmosphere of Brazil, the poverty of the cities, the odd blend of old religions, superstition and aspects of Catholicism. Carnival, with its swirl and colour, is a good occasion for this kind of exploration of Brazil. The use of the Orpheus legend is striking - accounted for by carnival and its costumes as well as the forcefulness of the original and legendary story and its themes. The music is vibrant and the main theme has been frequently recorded by orchestras over the years. The film is the work of a Frenchman, Marcel Camus. In the late 70s, he tried to re-create the magic of Black Orpheus in Otalia de Bahia but was only partially successful.
1. This film is considered a classic. Why? A film of the 50s, a film made by a Frenchman, the capturing of Brazil and its atmosphere?
2. The importance and use of colour, the vibrancy of the music and the songs, as background and for themes? The atmosphere and look of Rio?
3. How was the film a carnival film? The use of music and dancing, the continued movement and dancing, the joy of people and people on the move, crowds? Carnival and its background as beginning of Lent? A time of joy before a time of sorrow? A symbol of the events in the film? Carnival and the ethos of South America and Brazil? Its effect on people, their dressing up, gaiety, stopping all reality and business? A transition from real to fantasy?
4. How well did the film portray the classic Orpheus legend? How ingeniously was it applied? The atmosphere of pagan festivals and the carnival? The identification of the mythical characters with the real characters of Rio, eg. Hermes, Orpheus and Eurydice? The mythical locations, especially Hades and Death? What is the significance of the original legend? In terms of religion and mystery, carnival and vitality, the atmosphere of the Underworld and Death? Insight into the meaning of life, love, death? How pessimistic is the original legend? How pessimistic this version? The final rising of the sun and the children repeating the myth?
6. How important was the emphasis on 'black'? The atmosphere of the Third World? The links in the universality of human nature from Ancient Greece to the modern Third World?
7. How attractive and credible a character was Orpheus? His work on the tram, his ability with music? As a Rio type, with his girlfriend? The encounter with Eurydice? His helping her, sharing her outlook, the love and its consummation? How genuine was the love between the two?
8. The use of dance as part of the plot for the exhilaration for their relationship? Its meaning?
9. How credible and attractive was the character of Eurydice? Her arrival from the country, guidance by Hermes, arrival at her cousin's place? The object of jealousy? The pursuit by the character of Death? The gentleness and fulfilment of her love for Orpheus? Her being the substitute of the dance? Her being captured and hounded? The horror of death? The coldness of her lying in the morgue?
10. The contribution in terms of character and plot and vitality of Orpheus's original girlfriend, Eurydice's cousin?
11. The presentation of death: the mask, the voicelessness, the mime?
12. The dramatic tension of the search? The clash between the old carnival Rio atmosphere and the modern world of ambulances and hospitals, elevators and morgues? The voice and Eurydice's looking back? Orpheus's inability to face the fact that she was dead?
13. The build-up to the climax? The atmosphere of these characters on the top of the mountain? The pathos of Orpheus’s death?
14. The contribution of the minor characters, such as Hermes, the sailor?
15. The children and their presentation of Orpheus and his getting the sun to rise? The atmosphere of myth and legend? The heritage he passed on to them?
16. How significant and symbolic that the children appeared so often during the film? The symbolism of their acting out the same kind of romance in the atmosphere of dancing at the end? The fact that the sun came up again?
17. How did audiences feel at the end of this exploration of myths and relationships? The achievement of this film in presenting universal myths in modern settings for modern audiences?
