Pasolini's Oedipus Rex is a remarkable movie, which has a strong thought-provoking effect on the audience. There is a lot to think about when we watch it either as a laic or as a professional critic. From the highly unusual set, to the divisive acting and the symbols' shades of meaning, the viewer has many details to consider.
Firstly, I would emphasize that Oedipus Rex was not made for every age group. It was pure suffering when I watched the movie first time (I was 14 years old) because I couldn't grasp the artistic elements and the intellectual background. My lack of susceptibility and mature mentality made the whole movie unpalatable for me. In conclusion, I recommend Oedipus Rex to a receptive (most preferably to an adult) audience on account of the movie's unique artistic and complex character.
However the plot itself is easy to follow through the entire film. Its first part comprises the story (or myth) of Oedipus from the point of his recovery by the Corinthian shepherd until he claims the throne of Thebes after the sphinx's defeat. The second part includes the actual story of the sophoclean drama, so the investigation after Laios's murderer, the conflict between Tiresias and Oedipus, Jocasta's and Oedipus's relationship, and there is of course the finale when the cursed king blinds himself as he realises his fulfilled destiny.
After the examination of the plot, the most conspicuous element of Oedipus Rex is the set. Although the movie is ought to be set in the ancient Greece, I found the adaptation too frugal. Officially the scenes were shot in Morocco to make us feel like we truly are in the earliest years of greek culture, but I think Pasolini exaggarated with this kind of scenery. On the one hand, according to historians and geologists, ancient greek environment had more green areas with a wide variety of bushes, and fruit trees. Nonetheless Pasolini depicted a harsh, desert-like place which associates with ancient Egypt, or ancient Mesopotamia, more than ancient Greece. On the other hand, the cities' delapidated condition in the movie do not reflect the real greek city states in that age. Besides in reality the oracle of Delphi was established in the 8th century when a whole building was contructed for her, yet it seems Pasolini chose a minimalistic way of depicting her sitting under a sole tree. So without proper historical surroundings, I couldn't indulge in the film as much as I wanted.
In addition, the costumes were shocking, sometimes scandalous for me. The grotesque crown of Laios and Oedipus was ridiculous, not to mention the soilders' armor, and the ludicrous hats worn by other actors (for example: the hat or mask of Delphi's oracle, or the sphinx's mask). I understand that these were symbols, but I still can't accept such superficial and abstract costume design when a director is tasked with making the adequate adaptation of a most significant and honored ancient drama. I believe Pasolini had put so much of his ideas and conceptions into Oedipus Rex, that the movie lost its visual essence and became a totally different modern mess. All in all, watching these awfully constructed, designed, and furnished scenes was a real misery.
On the contrary, Pasolini had prominent positive ideas, such as the usage of original sophoclean text, and conversations or the innovatively presented metaphors. The drama's genuine phrases and words were implemented fabulously and could neatly fit in the scenes. Moreover, I really appreciated the aforementioned metaphors, like the sphinx and his death (it perfectly represented Oedipus's wrath, pure hopelessness and rage), or the three turns the main hero made when he came across a crossroads while he was wandering in the desert (with this method Oedipus sought to avoid his destiny but nonetheless he ended up in Thebes and couldn't omit his fate). These flashes of genious showed Pasolini's real artist character and they were the only reason I continued on watching Oedipus Rex.
And of course the essence, the core tragedy of Sophocles's drama could be found in the exceptionally beautiful mother-son (king-queen) relationship scenes, as well as in the conflicts and the finale.
To sum it up, I think Oedipus Rex is a truly unique creation with deep metaphors, containment of original elements of the world-famous drama and artistic solutions. However the hideous environment, and the austere set destroyed the whole movie's atmosphere so it is extremely hard to enjoy the film if the audiuence is not prepared for a raw artistic illustration of the world-famous drama.
Firstly, I would emphasize that Oedipus Rex was not made for every age group. It was pure suffering when I watched the movie first time (I was 14 years old) because I couldn't grasp the artistic elements and the intellectual background. My lack of susceptibility and mature mentality made the whole movie unpalatable for me. In conclusion, I recommend Oedipus Rex to a receptive (most preferably to an adult) audience on account of the movie's unique artistic and complex character.
However the plot itself is easy to follow through the entire film. Its first part comprises the story (or myth) of Oedipus from the point of his recovery by the Corinthian shepherd until he claims the throne of Thebes after the sphinx's defeat. The second part includes the actual story of the sophoclean drama, so the investigation after Laios's murderer, the conflict between Tiresias and Oedipus, Jocasta's and Oedipus's relationship, and there is of course the finale when the cursed king blinds himself as he realises his fulfilled destiny.
After the examination of the plot, the most conspicuous element of Oedipus Rex is the set. Although the movie is ought to be set in the ancient Greece, I found the adaptation too frugal. Officially the scenes were shot in Morocco to make us feel like we truly are in the earliest years of greek culture, but I think Pasolini exaggarated with this kind of scenery. On the one hand, according to historians and geologists, ancient greek environment had more green areas with a wide variety of bushes, and fruit trees. Nonetheless Pasolini depicted a harsh, desert-like place which associates with ancient Egypt, or ancient Mesopotamia, more than ancient Greece. On the other hand, the cities' delapidated condition in the movie do not reflect the real greek city states in that age. Besides in reality the oracle of Delphi was established in the 8th century when a whole building was contructed for her, yet it seems Pasolini chose a minimalistic way of depicting her sitting under a sole tree. So without proper historical surroundings, I couldn't indulge in the film as much as I wanted.
In addition, the costumes were shocking, sometimes scandalous for me. The grotesque crown of Laios and Oedipus was ridiculous, not to mention the soilders' armor, and the ludicrous hats worn by other actors (for example: the hat or mask of Delphi's oracle, or the sphinx's mask). I understand that these were symbols, but I still can't accept such superficial and abstract costume design when a director is tasked with making the adequate adaptation of a most significant and honored ancient drama. I believe Pasolini had put so much of his ideas and conceptions into Oedipus Rex, that the movie lost its visual essence and became a totally different modern mess. All in all, watching these awfully constructed, designed, and furnished scenes was a real misery.
On the contrary, Pasolini had prominent positive ideas, such as the usage of original sophoclean text, and conversations or the innovatively presented metaphors. The drama's genuine phrases and words were implemented fabulously and could neatly fit in the scenes. Moreover, I really appreciated the aforementioned metaphors, like the sphinx and his death (it perfectly represented Oedipus's wrath, pure hopelessness and rage), or the three turns the main hero made when he came across a crossroads while he was wandering in the desert (with this method Oedipus sought to avoid his destiny but nonetheless he ended up in Thebes and couldn't omit his fate). These flashes of genious showed Pasolini's real artist character and they were the only reason I continued on watching Oedipus Rex.
And of course the essence, the core tragedy of Sophocles's drama could be found in the exceptionally beautiful mother-son (king-queen) relationship scenes, as well as in the conflicts and the finale.
To sum it up, I think Oedipus Rex is a truly unique creation with deep metaphors, containment of original elements of the world-famous drama and artistic solutions. However the hideous environment, and the austere set destroyed the whole movie's atmosphere so it is extremely hard to enjoy the film if the audiuence is not prepared for a raw artistic illustration of the world-famous drama.