In connection with Ancient Theater and the Cinema (November 9, 2019–April 5, 2020), we are screening 3 films offering contrasting treatments of stories taken from ancient plays.

• Jules Dassin’s 1962 Phaedra is a retelling of Euripides’ Hippolytus starring Melina Mercouri (Phaedra) and a young Anthony Perkins. (December 12)
• Electra, directed by Michael Cocayannis, was the first film in his Greek Tragedy trilogy. The film is set in ancient Greece and filmed on location. Irene Papas plays Electra. (January 9)
• Federico Fellini’s Satyricon is a wild adaptation of Petronious’ Satyricon, with a lewd play embedded within it reminiscent of a Greek phlyax play. This is the only such treatment in the history of movies. (March 5)

The highly acclaimed film, Electra,  stars Irene Papas as the grieving daughter seeking long-waited revenge for her father’s death at the hands of her mother. The film was entered into the 1962 Cannes Film Festival where it won the award of Best Cinematic Transposition, and was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. The film also won three awards in Thessaloniki Film Festival, for best film and best director (Michael Cacoyannis) and best actress (Irene Papas).

Cost: $5, plus MFA admission

Photo credit: Lopert Pictures presents “Electra” (1963) starring Irene Papas, produced and directed by Michael Cacoyannis @MGM