The Orphic Trilogy

Number of Movies: 3

Overview

Decadent, subversive, and bristling with artistic invention, the myth-born cinema of Jean Cocteau disturbs as much as it charms. Cocteau was the most versatile of artists in prewar Paris. Poet, novelist, playwright, painter, celebrity, and maker of cinema—his many talents converged in bold, dreamlike films that continue to enthrall audiences around the world. In "The Blood of a Poet," "Orpheus," and "Testament of Orpheus," Cocteau utilizes the Orphic myth to explore the complex relationships between the artist and his creations, reality and the imagination.

Featured Cast

Jean Cocteau

The Poet

Henri Crémieux

The Professor

Françoise Arnoul

Self (uncredited)

Lucia Bosè

Orphée's Friend

Charles Aznavour

The Curious Man

Brigitte Bardot

Self (uncredited)

Daniel Gélin

The Intern (uncredited)

Françoise Christophe

The Nurse (uncredited)

Featured Crew

3 Movies

The Blood of a Poet

January 20, 1932

In a poet’s room, an armless statue abruptly comes to life. It invites the poet to step through a mirror and to discover another world. Strange places and characters present themselves to him. The poet tears himself away from these twisted fascinations and returns, with some difficulty, to his room.

Orpheus

September 29, 1950

A famous poet in postwar Paris, scorned by the Left Bank youth, is in love with both his wife Eurydice and a mysterious princess. Seeking inspiration, the poet becomes obsessed and follows the princess from the world of the living to the land of the dead.

Testament of Orpheus

February 18, 1960

An 18th century poet travels through time in search of divine wisdom. In a mysterious wasteland, he has a series of enigmatic encounters with symbolic phantoms with whom he muses about the nature of art and his own career. Ultimately, the poet strives to achieve his rebirth as a celestial being.

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