Mythology is a genre that interests every reader. We all want to know about our culture, rituals, deities, and so on – where and how it all began. Based on mythological tales and characters, writers have written several books and directors have created numerous movies for the big screen. In this article, we are going to read about the 10 best movies based on Greek mythology.
10 Best Movies Based on Greek Mythology:
Helena (1924)
Director – Manfred Noa
Actor – Edy Darclea, Albert Steinruck, Vladimir Gajdarov, Adele Sandrock, and more.
It is a German silent drama film released in the year 1924. The movie (Helena) is based on Homer’s epic, Iliad. Even though the huge expense of the movie caused financial damage, still it is considered Noa’s ‘masterpiece’.
Orpheus (1950)
Director – Jean Cocteau
Actor – Jean Marais, Marie Dea, Francois Perier, Maria Casares, and more.
Orpheus is a French film released in the year 1950. This book is the central part of Jean Cocteau’s Orphic Trilogy, which includes The Blood of Poet (1930), 1950 release Orpheus, and the Testament of Orpheus (1960). Orphee is a poet who gets obsessed with the Princess of Death. Eurydice, Orphee’s wife is killed by a henchman of Princess and Orphee travels to the underworld after Princess. Although they are so much in love, Princess sends him back out of the Underworld to move on with his life.
Antigone (1961)
Director – George Tzavellas
Actor – Irene Papas, Manos Katrakis, and more.
In Thebes, of Greece, King Oedipus kills his father and gets wedded to his mother named Jocasta having two daughters named Antigone and Ismene and two sons named Eteocles and Polyneices. After Oedipus dies gouging out his eye, Eteocles starts to reign Thebes but refuses to leave the throne after the first which led to Polynieices building an army and attacking Thebes, as a result, both of them dies. Creon, the ruler of Thebes decides that Eteocles should have an honorable burial while Polyneices because he is a traitor should be left on the battlefield for the vultures and jackals. Antigone, who is the would-be daughter-in-law of Creon, refuses this order and buries his brother Polyneices. When Creon gets familiar with this deed he sentenced her to be placed in a tomb, alive. Antigone hangs herself and Haemon, Creon’s son tries to get revenge on his father and ended up killing himself with a sword. When Eurydice, Creon’s wife gets to know of his son’s death, she commits suicide leaving Creon all alone.
Electra (1962)
Director – Michael Cacoyannis
Actor – Irene Papas, Manos Katrakis, Giannis Fortis, Notis Peryalis, Aleka Katselli, Fivos Razi, and more.
King Agamemnon is killed by his close ones which also includes his wife Clytemnestra. Electra the daughter was compelled to marry a peasant and then she seeks revenge with bother Orestes and cousin Pylades.
O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)
Director – Joel Coen
Actor – George Clooney, Tim Blake Nelson, John Goodman, John Turturro, Charles Durning, Holly Hunter, Michael Badalucco, and more.
The movie is based on Homer’s Odyssey. It is set in rural Mississippi during the 1937’s Great Depression. Three convicts, Delmar and Pete guided by Ulysses Everett McGill, get away from a chain gang and set out to get back a treasure which according to Everett was buried before the flood.
Troy (2004)
Director – Wolfgang Petersen
Actor – Brad Pitt, Orlando Bloom, Eric Bana, Sean Bean, Diane Kruger, Brian Cox, and more.
It is loosely based on Homer’s Iliad as it covers the decade-long Trojan War which does not only involve the combat between Achilles and Agamemnon, Achilles takes his Myrmidons along with the entire Greek army to invade the city of Troy.
Alexander (2004)
Director – Oliver Stone
Actor – Angelina Jolie, Colin Farrell, Anthony Hopkins, Val Kilmer, and more.
The king of Macedonia and one of the best leaders in the history of warfare, King Alexander the Great captures most of the globe. Torn by the war between his parents which is played by Val Kilmer (Philip II) and Angelina Jolie (Olympias), Colin Farrell (Alexander) left Greece to face huge armies in Persia, India, and Afghanistan, and undefeated.
Clash of the Titans (2010)
Director – Louis Leterrier
Actor – Sam Worthington, Mads Mikkelsen, Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Arterton, Alexa Davalos, Liam Neeson, and more.
The son of Zeus and a demigod, Perseus fights the minion of the Underworld and Hades to restrain them from conquering the Earth and Olympus.
Immortals (2011)
Director – Tarsem Singh
Actor – Henry Cavill, Luke Evans, Stephen Dorff, Kellan Lutz, Isabel Lucas, Freida Pinto, and more.
This movie was formerly named War of the Gods and Dawn of War before it was finalized officially as Immortals. It utilizes motifs of the Greek myths of Theseus, the return of the Titanomachy, the Heraclids, and the Minotaur, but the story does not bear a resemblance to any coherent narrative initiating from Greek mythology.
Wonder Woman (2017)
Director – Patty Jenkins
Actor – Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Robin Wright, David Thewlis, Doutzen Kroes, and more.
In this movie Amazon Princess Diana sets out to end World War I, believing that this conflict was commenced by the longtime adversary of the Amazons, Ares after an American spy and pilot named Steve Trevor crash-lands on their island named Themyscira and enlightens her about it.
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