Audience Member
One of the lesser-known Greek tragedies, Iphigenia holds up to its genre with cheek-smacking confusion and what-the-fuckness. The Greek army is ready, has been ready, for a very long time now, to sail to Troy to kick some Trojan ass. But alas, there is no wind to fuel the ships — I suppose there wasn't the foresight of having oarsmen for the occasion. The oracle, as oracle's always do on the eves of battle, had a message from the gods that Agamemnon (Kostas Kozakos) must sacrifice his eldest daughter for the winds to blow. With the pressure from his brother, Menelaus (Costas Carras), whose sister, Helen, is the cause of all this to begin with, and the army growing impatient and more zealous as each day passes, Agamemnon must make the hardest decision any father could possibly be asked to make — for a Greek tragedy, that is, any sane father would take the non-sacrificial path. What I love about a film shot in 1977 are the practical effects: those are real boats lining the beautiful beach on the Aegean Sea, those are hundreds of real naked, bronzing Greek men lining the beautiful beach on the Aegean Sea. It is a film with a cast of recognizable characters — Agamemnon, Achilles (Panos Mihalopoulos, although black haired instead of the blond associated with Brad Pitt's iteration, is still incredibly handsome), Odysseus (Christos Tsagas), Paris and Helen, who we never actually see — they are not in their typical roles. There is not a single swordfight in the entire film, even at the end, where Achilles looks like he is about to take on the entire Greek army on his own. Irene Papas as Clytemnestra, Queen of Mycenae, who if you asked me to craft a dramatic Greek actress from clay, it would be Irene Papas, is fantastic from start to finish. Of course, can't forget about the titular Iphigenia (Tatiana Papamoschou), who didn't look a day over twelve and is ostensibly summoned to the coast to marry Achilles; Papamoschou was thirteen during filming. She was also delightful in her range of joy, fear, denial, and ultimate acceptance and control of her fate. Although the story is approximately 2,400 years old, I still won't spoil it, but remind you that a Greek tragedy is a Greek tragedy.
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
02/01/23
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Audience Member
The favorability of this rating rests primarily upon the brilliant source material, but the film is well acted and well paced to communicate the tension of the tragedy.
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
01/26/20
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Audience Member
At times I felt that the film is quite outdated but there are a lot of really good aspects in there.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
01/22/23
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Audience Member
Excellent film depiction of a Greek Tragedy. Excellent acting especially by Irene Papas. The end-scene with Papas is hauntingly memorable.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
02/07/23
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Audience Member
'Iphigenia' is the great achievement of Greek Director Michalis Kakoyannis (who died a few days ago 25-7-11). This wonderful film is masterfully adapted for the screen and brought to life by a wonderful cast. Kakoyannis achieved the impossible. He managed to film a Greek tragedy to screen without losing its effectiveness and importance. A great Greek cast helps him in this. Tatiana Papamoschou (newcomer) is extremely impressive as Iphigenia. Equally impressive is Irene Papas, who even though she sometimes seems over the top, it is very realistic. A wonderful Greek film beautifully adapted and directed by Michael Kakoyannis, with an excellent music score by Mikis Theodorakis which is ideal in every scene.
This film and the story it narrates offer considerable insight into the lost world of ancient Greek thought that was the crucible for so much of our modern civilization. It teaches us much about ourselves as individuals and as social and political creatures. Euripides questions the value of war and patriotism when measured against the simple virtues of family and love, and reflects on woman's vulnerable position in a world of manly violence. In his adaptation of Euripides' tragedy, Kakoyannis revisits all of these themes with a modern, clear, and dramatic fashion.
And the big question: Is it a sacrifice or a murder, and how can we tell the difference between the two? By focusing on the violent and primitive horror of a human sacrifice--and, worst of all, the sacrifice of one's own child - Euripides/Kakoyannis creates a drama that is at once deeply political and agonizingly personal. It touches on a most complex and delicate ethical problem facing any society: the dire conflict between the needs of the individual versus those of the society. In the case of Iphigenia, however, as in the Biblical tale of Abraham and Isaac, the father is asked to kill his own child, by his own hand. What sort of God would insist on such payment? Can it be just or moral, even if divinely inspired? Finally, does the daughter's sacrificial death differ from the deaths of all the sons and daughters who are being sent to war? These are many deep questions raised by a two-hour film.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
02/09/23
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Audience Member
A tender and stunningly authentic retelling of a Greek tragedy. Agamemnon's beautiful young daughter Iphigenia must be sacrificed in order for the winds to drive the battle ships to Troy. At times heart-breaking but always buoyed by excellent performances.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
01/17/23
Full Review
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