Black Orpheus
Composition and literature December, 1, 2010 Film: “Black Orpheus “ Marcel Camus The film black Orpheus portrayed some of the essential elements of the ancient myth very well and in a peculiar matter. Whiles watching the movie certain parts of the myth were very different and not depicted well. There were three parts of the movie in which really caught my eye in which had deviated from the myth. They were Orpheus and Eurydice initial relationship, the role of death and Hades. These three factors deviated slightly than the original Greek myth.
In the original myth Orpheus and Eurydice were originally together and everyone was happy for their love. Their relationship was blossoming and all was good till a snake bite Eurydice and she dies. In the film” black Orpheus” on the other hand Orpheus and Eurydice are strangers and Orpheus is engaged to Mira. There are a lot of struggles before they are finally able to get together. In the myth everyone is happy for their love in the movie though they spend so much time trying to hide from Mira. In the ancient myth death was represented through the snake, which just bit Eurydice. n the movie death was a reoccurring figure in which continually kept searching for Eurydice. Death in the movie even was able to warn Mira not to harm Eurydice claiming she was his property . In the movie death was given too much power compared to the ancient myth. in the movie death continually haunted Eurydice eventually causing her own death. In the myth she was not haunted by death she just got bitten by the snake and died. In the film death was given too much power. The third and final thing that wasn’t well depicted in the movie was the role of Hades.
In the original myth Orpheus goes down to the underworld with Hades and through music convinces the whole under world to allow him take Eurydice back to the world of the living. In the film Hades is represented as a mere janitor. Orpheus never tries convincing the janitor though music. The janitor feels pity on him and leads him to the Macomb ritual. In the myth Hades is the only person who has the main say on whether Eurydice can leave the underworld and it takes much convincing though great music from Orpheus .
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In the film Hades level of respect and honor has been reduced to a mere janitor who doesn’t provide Orpheus with the answer but actually leads him to those who can help . The relationship between Orpheus and Eurydice, the role of death and Hades were all poorly depicted in this movie. It was a great attempt but one watching the film without knowing the myth might be confused about the original myth. The film could have made better attempts at making these three things more like the ancient myth. The film attempted to capture the significance of the myth but failed in actually conveying that to its viewers.
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