Cinema 100

I first saw this movie about 20 years ago and then relied on vague memories of its wonderfulness as I didn't really think I would ever see it again.

But now with the advent of the internet all these treasures are available to be viewed once again.

If not in my top ten films of all time its certainly a contender and like Cocteaus other masterpiece the Beauty and the Beast it features Jean Marais and it sucks you in to its fevered dream and fully realised fantasy world.

Loosely based on the Greek myth of Orpheus in the underworld its set in the then contemporary world of French poets and coffee houses.

For a film made in 1949 it seems remarkably modern from Marais and his bleached almost beachboy pompadour to the music and look of the pre beatniks in their smoky cafe's it could almost pass for a modern work. Except they don't make movies like this anymore and not that many ever. The only film that has this movie's other worldly feel like the director actually has an insight into the next world is Wings of Desire but as good as that movie is this is more fully realised and consistently interesting.

IMDB Rating: 8.0/10 (1,631 votes)
Runtime: 95 min
Language: French (subtitles included)