Black Orpheus Movie Review

When it comes to Brazilian film versions of Greek tragic myths, I'd have to say that Black Orpheus comes out on top.

An odd retelling of the myth of Orpheus & Eurydice (you remember: she was kidnapped by Hades, he had to save her but if he looked back on the way out, he would lose her forever... and he looks), this time Orpheus (aka Orfeu, Breno Mello) is a Rio de Janeiro laborer who loves his guitar, has an overbearing girlfriend, and falls in love with the visiting Eurydice (Marpessa Dawn) at first sight. After a drawn-out (and a bit padded) love triangle bit, she is kidnapped by Death himself (actually a weird guy in a funky bodysuit), and sure enough, Orpheus heads to the rescue.

This probably isn't the way you remembered the tale -- set amidst sweaty dancers at Carnaval -- but it's certainly, well, different.

Aka Orfeu Negro.