• Medea ends Pasolini’s four film mythical cycle (this is his eighth feature overall) group of films—and it isn’t anywhere near the quality of 1968’s Teorema
  • Noteworthy for being the only film with opera diva Maria Callas (she plays Medea here). She’s not a traditional actress but I think she’s pretty perfect for the model/figure Pasolini needs. She certainly has a screen presence. You may here that she was “dubbed” if you read about the film (or her) and I mean she is—but it is her own voice—in this era in Italian cinema everyone was dubbed (think Leone—even the Italian actors were dubbed in post)
  • Color—the opening credits is a freeze frame on a lens flare
  • The first film for the brilliant production designer Dante Ferretti (Salo, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen Age of Innocence, Casino, Titus)

Medea ends Pasolini’s four film mythical cycle (this is his eighth feature overall) group of films

  • Medea starts with a long monologue opening- eight minute of non-stop talking— but directly after there are fourteen (14) minutes with no talking at all—and much of the first half of the film is silent. I like that Pasolini is always messing with form—but when the last act of the film turns into a talky sort of bedroom chamber drama it comes off as messy more than formal
  • Largely shot in Turkey – and Pasolini is in love with the sand cave dwellings, the landscape and the almost hieroglyphic drawings

Largely shot in Turkey – and Pasolini is in love with the sand cave dwellings, the landscape and the almost hieroglyphic drawings

The first film for the brilliant production designer Dante Ferretti (Salo, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen Age of Innocence, Casino, Titus)

  • Like most of his work on organized religion- Pasolini is mocking ritual, golden fleeces and sacrifice. Some of the shots of the men performing rituals in the sand looks like a lesser version of Beau Travail (Denis, 1999)

Some of the shots of the men performing rituals in the sand looks like a lesser version of Beau Travail (Denis, 1999)

  • A great shot at the 23-minute mark- forward tracking shot blocked by stone
  • At the 57-minute mark a shot from Pasolini behind an elaborate headdress—Pasolini is much less disciplined here than Teorema—he looks almost like a novice or untaught at times—it does make for some interesting shots but again it is messy
  • A very strong reoccurring shot of god—the sun setting on the water through the window- at least five times
  • Ends with a character shouting angrily into the camera like Teorema
  • Recommend but not in the top 10 of 1969