Black Orpheus

Name: Black Orpheus
Genre: Drama, Comedy, Romance, Music
Released: February 24, 2006
Duration: 100 min
Rating: 81
Cast: Breno Mello, Léa Garcia, Lourdes de Oliveira, Marpessa Dawn

2006

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 8 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 19 Ratings

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7.8

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7.8	Your Score
7.8	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 19 Ratings

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Black Orpheus

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Movie Details & Credits

Lopert Pictures Corporation | Release Date: February 24, 2006 | PG

Starring: Breno Mello, Léa Garcia, Lourdes de Oliveira, Marpessa Dawn

Summary: 1960 Academy Award Winner and winner of the Palme d'Or at the 1959 Cannes Film Festival, Marcel Camus's Black Orpheus retells the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice against the madness of Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. With its magnificent color photography and lively soundtrack, this film brought the infectious bossa nova beat to the United1960 Academy Award Winner and winner of the Palme d'Or at the 1959 Cannes Film Festival, Marcel Camus's Black Orpheus retells the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice against the madness of Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. With its magnificent color photography and lively soundtrack, this film brought the infectious bossa nova beat to the United States. (Criterion Collection) … Expand

Director: Marcel Camus

Genre(s): Drama, Comedy, Romance, Music

Rating: PG

Runtime: 100 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Ann Hornaday

A riotous, rapturous explosion of sound and color, Black Orpheus is less about Orpheus's doomed love for Eurydice than about Camus's love for cinema at its most gestural and kinetic. Read full review

Michael Atkinson

Camus's film remains a revivifying experience - and a mid-winter oasis. Born and bred in France, Camus made other films, and lots of French TV, but Black Orpheus may still be the greatest one-hit-wonder import we've ever seen. Read full review

Bosley Crowther

It really is not the two lovers that are the focus of interest in this film; it is the music, the movement, the storm of color that go into the two-day festival. M. Camus has done a superb job of getting the documented look not only of the overall fandango but also of the buildup of momentum the day before. (Review of Original Release) Read full review

Michael Wilmington

A film that art-house audiences in 1959 loved madly. And who can blame them? A buoyant, searingly colorful retelling of the Orpheus and Eurydice myth set in Rio de Janiero, writer-director's Marcel Camus' movie is a romance heightened by its backdrop. Read full review

Staff (Not credited)

Pic is somewhat cerebral, being mainly helped by the fresh playing of the cast, especially Yank actress Dawn. Color is excellent, and director Marcel Camus gives this movement. (Review of Original Release) Read full review

Wesley Morris

This is a movie about the marriage between sound and image, and the sound is wearing the pants in the relationship. Read full review

Dave Kehr

This sort of thing was considered high art not so long ago; now it seems forced and ponderously symbolic. Read full review

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User Reviews

CharlesM.

Feb 27, 2006

This film is a visual and auditory delight, and the "life goes on" ending is absolutely beautiful.

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Jordan

Apr 14, 2006

Though the plot becomes predictable at some point, the visual and aural qualities that ultimately comprise the film's world more that other elements bring joy that's difficult to brush aside. Such joy is more resilient in the end than the simple plot.

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RobertBrogan

Sep 28, 2015

Black Orpheus has one of the best endings in film. Overall, it has the charm, spirit, and talent that one looks for in an indie film. While I am not quite as enamored with it as some other reviewers, nonetheless I believe Black Orpheus was quite good and give it a hearty recommendation.

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lasttimeisaw

Mar 20, 2014

Palme d’Or and Oscar’s BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM (although it should have been rewarded to Brazil instead of France) double-honour is a tremendous wow factor to lure in cinephiles, but sometimes the prestige backfires, the film may introduce Samba and Boss Nova to the world, but how can itPalme d’Or and Oscar’s BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM (although it should have been rewarded to Brazil instead of France) double-honour is a tremendous wow factor to lure in cinephiles, but sometimes the prestige backfires, the film may introduce Samba and Boss Nova to the world, but how can it overshadows an awkward truth, it won over 400 BLOWS (1959, 9/10) in the Cannes competition, a mania of over-exploited exoticism may be the answer......

read the rest of the review on my blog, simply google: cinema omnivore… Expand

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RemyM.

Mar 9, 2006

Grossly overated in its initial release, now the critics have another chance to fawn over this ultra boring nothing with a great theme song.

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