Black Orpheus DVD

Studio: Criterion

Oct 14, 2010 Web Exclusive By Hays Davis Bookmark and Share


The reason why Black Orpheus had such an impact at the time of its release is basically the same as why the actual citizens of its setting, Rio de Janeiro, disdained the film.

Black Orpheus recasts the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice during Carnival in Rio, and the movie teems throughout with music and movement. The celebratory air begins in its first few seconds, opening with an explosion of music and dancing bodies as the camera moves through a long sequence featuring locals living along the coast. As a ferry lands, pounding drums accompany a crowd dancing en masse that eventually leaves the boat while still moving in a giddy shuffle.

Coming at the end of the staid 1950s, many moviegoers were enraptured by the unstintingly joyous nature of the film and the powerful effect of the music, which led to a bossa nova boom. As the story unfolds, following its star-crossed lovers toward a fate that seems unwilling to allow their bliss, there is a sense that the story is taking place in a mythical paradise, even though it's clear that the ongoing activity is a part of Carnival. Reportedly, some of the actual citizens of Rio felt that that the film created an unrealistic depiction of its citizens as party-happy denizens, though it's likely that most saw Black Orpheus for what it was: a vibrant, life-affirming event.

This two-disc edition includes archival interviews with director Marcel Camus and lead actress Marpessa Dawn, along with new video interviews and a French documentary focusing on the film's impact. (www.criterion.com/films/344-black-orpheus)

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