To appease offended gods before going to war, a commander must sacrifice his favorite daughter to them, but does so under the pretext of marrying her off.
Radiance Films continues its commitment to underseen world cinema with the 1977 Greek drama “Iphigenia.” Directed by Michael Cacoyannis, best known for the 1964 Oscar-winning film “Zorba the Greek,” “Iphigenia” is the third film of his Euripidean trilogy — following “Electra” and “The Trojan Women.” This is a film that has somehow dropped off the radar despite being nominated for the Palme d’Or and the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.
In “Iphigenia,” Agamemnon (Costa Kazakos) slaughters a sacred deer while waiting with his troops to sail for Troy. To appease the gods, he is told that he must sacrifice his firstborn daughter, Iphigenia (Tatiana Papamoschou), or else the winds won’t blow for their ships to sail. Under the false pretense of a marriage to Achilles (Panos Mihalopoulos), Agamemnon writes his wife, Clytemnestra (Irene Papas), to get his daughter to camp, setting in motion a moral crisis with no escape.
The movie is deliberately paced, slowly building toward its devastating conclusion. The actors do a fantastic job in their roles, especially Papas as the mother, who goes from elation at the idea of her daughter’s wedding to utter turmoil when the truth is revealed. Papamoschou, who was only 12 when filming took place, also plays her role very well, showing restraint and keeping things from becoming over-the-top. Despite the slow pace, this one kept me at attention throughout.
This limited edition features the film on Blu-ray disc. While “Iphigenia” was originally released on Blu-ray in an Olive Films edition, I do not have that edition to compare the two. This disc, however, features a natural-looking filmic transfer with a few caveats. There is occasional, non-distracting print damage; an odd moment about 35 to 40 minutes into the movie when lines appear across the left side of the screen; and some occasional large marks in the center-right, consistent with reel change markers. The audio track is clear and easy to understand.
Extras include a newly filmed interview with Dimitris Papanikolaou and two archival interviews featuring Cacoyannis and Papas. The two archival interviews aren’t that involved, featuring more clips than interviews. The newly filmed Papanikolaou interview is the most engaging of the bunch, featuring some interesting tidbits. This limited edition also features a booklet with new writing on the film from Vrasidas Karalis.
“Iphigenia” is overdue for rediscovery. It’s well made and compellingly told. The extra features on the disc might not be too intriguing, but the movie more than makes up for it. Outside of some technical issues, this is an excellent-looking transfer. Those interested in world cinema should definitely seek this one out.
Available on Limited Edition Blu-ray™ February 24th from RADIANCE FILMS
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