#achilleas

You wanted Greek productions for antiquity?

Take one! Full movie, English subs, and all!

Iphigenia (Greek: Ιφιγένεια) is a 1977 Greek film, filmed in Greece and directed by Greek Michael Cacoyannis. He adapted the film and the lines from his stage production of Euripides' play "Iphigenia at Aulis". The score was composed by the legendary Mikis Theodorakis!

It's Michael Cacoyannis' third movie in his "Greek tragedy" trilogy (after the release of Electra in 1962 and The Trojan Women in 1971).

The movie was nominated for one Oscar, Best Foreign Language Film. It was also nominated for the Palme d'Or at the 1977 Cannes Film Festival. Iphigenia received the 1978 Belgian Femina Award and received the Best Film Award at the 1977 Thessaloniki Film Festival, where Tatiania Papamoschou also received the Best Leading Actress Award for her role as Iphigenia. ___________________________________________________________

My comments after watching it:

I highly recommend this movie, DUH! For many reasons!

➡️ It just feels SO Greek!

It was filmed in Greece and they captured the blinding midday light and sound of the Greek summer (cicadas, finally!!!) and you can feel the scorching heat through the film. It was filmed in the ruins of a Mycenaean palace (you can see the lion's gate, for example) and other ancient sites.

It has an (almost) all-Greek cast. We see the abundance of Greek actors in their refined but natural appearance (with hair, beards, memorable faces) and in full Greek emotion. The boredom of hundreds of Greek men waiting on the beach is sheer, palpable. You understand why they put Agamemnon under so much pressure to do this sacrifice.

The slogan singing was reminiscent of those we yelled in school and on the football field, and it makes the experience so much closer to today's Greeks! It felt so real, I got whiplash! I thought "shiiit ancient people existed here and they were human like us!" The honest feeling and the intensity are still there when we hear songs by Greek men and women (*chef's kiss*, I promise!)

Some actors even speak with a palatal n (sounding like ñ) and l (think of it with a tilde. The sound of ñ but in l)! It's a type of old Greek accent that fades with time but listening to Agamemnon and Achilleas unapologetically deliver great lines with this accent just adds more authenticity to them. (Besides, is even Agamemnon a standard Greek countryside patriarch if he doesn't speak "with n and l"??)

➡️ Glorious acting!

The intensity! The poetic epic style of words! It's amazing! And why wouldn't it be? The scenario is a direct adaptation of the original Euripides' play! The extremely talented actors bring the lines to life. Chances are, you will cry. If you cry just by reading the play, you are GUARANTEED to cry!

CLYTEMNESTRA'S LULLABY OF TO IPHIGENEIA, I AM CRYING

the dialogue between Iphigeneia and her father, I AM TALKING ABOUT TEARS

"Iphigenia" herself? Heartwrenching performance! Bring tissues because these cute shining eyes are going to haunt your soul like you drew the knife on her!

➡️ Great moments!

(Cl.) We will leave in the morning (Iph.) But Father writes- (Cl.) Let him write. He is a man, what does he know?

The Greek phrase literally goes: "A man he is, he only knows so much"/"A man he is, that's what he knows" (aka, not much)

(yesss 100% Greek traditional wife xD "Oh, yes, my husband, my master! But I will kick your ass if you displease me, you hear me!")

Clytemnestra's character... what a goddess! She goes from "I drink the bitter glass of obedience drop by drop" to "No, by Hera, I' will not listen to you! The whole world is your dominion, so rule it! But in my household, I am the ruler!" in just a minute.

That's Greek traditional wives for you, I can't even bring myself to call it unrealistic xD

Another fave moment: Achilleas to Clytemnestra "- but forgive me, I haven't learned how to talk to women" and running away AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA xDDD

Honorable mention: the fast, very horny friends of Iphigeneia 😂

➡️ Miscellaneous

The haunting soundtrack

The clothing is very close to accurate and follows ancient depictions (of ancient statuettes) and when they got creative with it they did it in a realistic way!

➡️ "Negatives"

Unfortunately, Achilleas doesn't have the mythical blond mane but I suppose darker-haired men were more in fashion in 1977. 😂 But it seems like they robbed him of one of the most distinct features that made him seem special, like a demigod. Plus, he doesn't look very mighty. But the actor's voice and poise restore some of that glory.

There might be some lag in the video and for that, I apologize but it's what I could find. If you have better sources, you can post them in the reblogs! You might be able to find the movie on other sites.

Yesh, I headcanon that Valentine (Lea's mom) is a normal human, and Lea is a normal human until she tried lycan serum

Aegean Sea outside Skyros

FB Achilleas