Black Orpheus (1959)

original title: Orfeu Negro
directed by: Marcel Camus
written by: Marcel Camus and Jacques Viot,
based on the play "Orfeu do Carnaval" by Vinicius de Moraes
photography by: Jean Bourgoin
edited by: Andrée Feix
music by: Luiz Bonfá, Antonio Carlos Jobim
cast: Breno Mello, Marpessa Dawn, Lourdes de Oliveira
imdb

There are several reasons that make Black Orpheus an interesting movie to talk/write about. But maybe the biggest for me, is that it is so little known in the present day. If you allow me my pre-grandpa story, I remember when I was a teenager and they played Black Orpheus in tv it was quite a must see. I thought maybe it was just my perception, or that my family was specially fond of this movie... But when I checked, I found out that Black Orpheus had won the the Palme d'Or at the 1959 Cannes Festival, and both the Oscar and the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Movie in 1960. So I guess that, for a non english spoken movie, that's the maximum impact possible.

Another example of the impact that Black Orpheus had, is that American President Barack Obama actually refers to it in his memories, Dreams from My Father, where he explains how his mother took him to see the movie and how he read it from an african-american point of view, an unfair analysis for a movie that probably is farther from his world than what he believed just for the color of the skin of the actors and actresses.

But, what is the reason for the oblivion in which Black Orpheus has fallen? My bet is that it really hasn't aged well. To begin with, the kitsch photography, which I personally love, makes it look not only old, but camp (just the opposite to American International or Hammer movies that benefit of it). Also the screenplay is perceived as too naïve, it's sweet vision it gives of life at the favelas... Everything looks now old-fashioned. But, all these fair criticisms that one can make to Black Orpheus shouldn't hide the obvious and undeniable virtues the film holds.

Black Orpheus is based upon the stage play by famous songwriter Vinícius de Moraes, Orfeupheus of The Assumption (Orfeu da Conceição), that adapted Orpheus and Eurydice myth to the Brasil of the 50s, and more precissely to the Carnaval week.

Although it may seem shocking, it is actually a french production. Because in Black Orpheus there are not white characters; even the higher class characters (that were usually played by white actors in north-american cinema, are played by black actors in Black Orpheus). Probably the fact being a french production is the reason for the sweetened image of the favelas, but in the end this is a movie, not a documentary.

The movie is wrapped in a camp magical esthetics.

Despite the merciless effect time has had on Black Orpheus it is still a surprising and advisable movie, both for its esthetics as for its spirit. A completely different movie from the brazilian social cinema we are used to.

Black Orpheus has three different parts: the first is the love story between Orpheus and Eurydice, that reminds sometimes of the bollywood cinema.

The second part are the Death apparitions, looking for Eurydice, that we could compare to the Roger Corman Edgar Alla Poe adaptations series, despite the disguise chosen for the Death (it is Carnival) may be everything but scary.

[POSSIBLE SPOILER] And the third part is the one of the search of Orpheus into the underworld, looking for his beloved Eurydice, y que me atrevería a decir que pudo inspirar a Terry Gilliam algunas escenas de su genial Brazil (1985).