Edipo re (1967)

Director:

Pier Paolo Pasolini

Writers:

Sophocles (play)
Pier Paolo Pasolini (writer)

Release Date:

7 September 1967 (Italy)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

In pre-war Italy, a young couple have a baby boy. The father, however, is jealous of his son - and the scene moves to antiquity...

Plot Keywords:

Italy | Queen | King | Sex | Parricide

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Silvana Mangano	...	Jocasta
Franco Citti	...	Oedipus
Alida Valli	...	Merope
Carmelo Bene	...	Creon
Julian Beck	...	Tiresias
Luciano Bartoli	...	Laius
Francesco Leonetti	...	Laius' Servant
Ahmed Belhachmi	...	Polybus
Giovanni Ivan Scratuglia	...	Priest (as Ivan Scratuglia)
Giandomenico Davoli	...	Shepherd
Ninetto Davoli	...	Angelo the Messenger

Also Known As:

Oedipus Rex (USA)

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

Italy | Morocco

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:14+ (Ontario) | Spain:13 | Italy:VM18 | Argentina:16 | Finland:K-16 | UK:15 (video rating) (1990) | UK:X (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Basilica of San Petronio, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy

Company:

Arco Film

Trivia:

First part of Pier Paolo Pasolini's "Mythical Cycle" also including Teorema (1968), Porcile (1969) and Medea (1969).

Movie Connections:

Featured in Wie de Waarheid Zegt Moet Dood (1981)

Read the play, then see the film.

Sophocles' Oedipus Rex is adapted well for the foreign screen. Pasolini, better known for the controversial Salo; 120 Days of Sodom, has kept the intensity level to a minimum while still presenting the perverse qualities for which he would be known for. If you don't know the story (like who doesn't) read the play before seeing the movie - there tends to be a shortage on literature freaks these days. Beautifully filmed, Oedipus Rex begins in modern times, continues sometime BC, and finally ends back in the 20th century; thus presenting a sociological thesis for the viewer. The acting is a bit hammy (seeing Oedipus with a mad streak can be over the top) although the characters are developed well and recite their lines as if on stage. My only complaint is the subtitles seem to blend in with the scenery --- white subtitles against a white background. Therefore, this flaw makes it difficult to enjoy some scenes, and Pasolini's poetry is usually superb. Nevertheless, it's still a great film and is worth a look, especially by people with preconceived hatred for Pasolini's later work -and there's definitely a lot out there.