Testament of Orpheus

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1h 17m

Fantasy

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89%

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9 Reviews

82%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

Realizing he is not long for this world, an aging 18th century poet (Jean Marais) travels through time in search of divine wisdom. In a mysterious, possibly post-apocalyptic wasteland, he has a series of enigmatic and surreal encounters with symbolic phantoms (Roger Blin, Brigitte Bardot, Marie Déa) with whom he muses about the nature of art and his own career. Ultimately, the poet strives to achieve his own rebirth as an immortal celestial being.

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Richard Brody

New Yorker

Cocteau fits a raging confession into a serene, sensuous neoclassical vessel.

Apr 29, 2019

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

... this neglected film is a fitting tribute by a great artist to himself; there’s flashes of magic and genuine insight that make it well worth exhuming...

Rated: 4/5

Jan 23, 2024

Full Review

Carson Timar

ClapperCast

This is so much to take in. It is incredibly dense and confusing, especially on first viewing, but there is so much here that is undeniably poignant.

Aug 17, 2023

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

The 70-year-old Cocteau plays himself as the eternal poet looking back through his films at himself.

Rated: B+

Apr 20, 2013

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Jake Euker

F5 (Wichita, KS)

Rated: 2/5

Feb 18, 2007

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Rated: 4/5

Aug 6, 2005

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Luca D

Definitely my least favorite in the trilogy. The visual effects where lacking for 1960. The set was my favorite part, I like the rawness of the warehouse being used as a set and also the quarry. Probably the only one in be trilogy I wouldn't watch again.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

05/16/24

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Thomas C

The description is incorrect. Although Jean Marais appears briefly in the character of Oedipus, the film's central figure is Cocteau himself.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/08/23

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Courtney K

i did not realize this was a part of a trilogy, so maybe that's why i didn't enjoy it? there's some interesting imagery, but it seemed like they figured out how to play video clips backwards & then that's all they did for the rest of the film... was repetitive & boring. i actually think i did fall asleep for part of it. i won't be seeking out the first 2 films.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

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david l

Testament of Orpheus ended the trilogy with diminishing results. It still looks great and it has some great cameos (the Yul Brynner one was particularly unexpected), but the film reeks of Jean Cocteau's self-entitlement, it felt pretentious, lazily plotted and only sporadically intriguing.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

Some interesting surrealistic imagery, but overall it comes off as an unappealing vanity project.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

02/07/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Jean Cocteau's final film of his "Orphic Trilogy" is "The Testament of Orpheus" stars Cocteau as himself trying to understand the world of an artist. Interseting film full of trick shots and mild surrealism.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/15/23

Full Review

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Jean Cocteau

Director

Jean Marais

Oedipe

François Perier

Heurtebise

María Casares

La princesse

Marie Déa

Actor

Juliette Gréco

Actor

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Synopsis

Realizing he is not long for this world, an aging 18th century poet (Jean Marais) travels through time in search of divine wisdom. In a mysterious, possibly post-apocalyptic wasteland, he has a series of enigmatic and surreal encounters with symbolic phantoms (Roger Blin, Brigitte Bardot, Marie Déa) with whom he muses about the nature of art and his own career. Ultimately, the poet strives to achieve his own rebirth as an immortal celestial being.

Director: Jean Cocteau
Producer: Jean Thuillier
Screenwriter: Jean Cocteau, Jean Cocteau
Production Co: Les Editions Cinégraphiques
Genre: Fantasy
Original Language: French (France)
Runtime: 1h 17m

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