Oedipus The King — Part 9/12
Part of “Oedipus the King” from 1984 TV production with Michael Pennington, Claire Bloom and John Shrapnel. Translated and directed by the late
Don Taylor.
here’s a playlist with all these Oedipus videos in order:
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=422B4AD5E82BE89A
from John O’Connor’s review in New York Times (1988):
Mr. Marks [producer] has explained: ”What we wanted was to find a way for authentic Sophocles to speak directly to viewers in such a way that the two and a half millennia dividing us would melt away. They should be able to see into his mind as he uncannily still seems to see into ours.”
Rather than attempting authentic recreations with masks and so forth, this series aims for an ”indeterminate feel” in setting and costuming. David Myercough-Jones has designed a spare, misty arena outside the gates to the king’s palace. June Hudson’s costumes are plucked from different historical periods, elegant empire gowns for Jocasta, barrister robes for the chorus, a white silk suit for Oedipus.
The concept works. ”Oedipus the King,” unfolding like some eternal mystery, is powerful. Its characters are archetypes embedded in our psyches, filling us with wonder even as we shudder. And the cast is about as good as you’ll get nowadays.
….. Television, it seems, is offering the best theater in town at the moment.
Directed by
Don Taylor
Writing credits:
Sophocles play
Don Taylor translation
Cast
Michael Pennington … Oedipus Rex
Claire Bloom … Jocasta
Michael Byrne … Chorus
Cyril Cusack … Priest
Ernest Clark … Chorus
David Collings … Chorus
Donald Eccles … Chorus
Robert Eddison … Chorus
Edward Hardwicke… Chorus
Denys Hawthorne … Chorus
Noel Johnson … Chorus
Clifford Rose … Chorus
Alan Rowe … Chorus
Nigel Stock … Chorus
John Woodnutt … Chorus
Norman Rodway … Corinthian Messenger
David Waller … Shepherd
Gerard Murphy … Messenger
Produced by
Louis Marks
Original Music by
Derek Bourgeois
Film Editing by
Dave Hambelton
Production Design by
David Myerscough-Jones
Costume Design by
Jane Hudson
Other crew
Geoffrey Lewis …. classical advisor
Duration : 0:9:40
Tags: ClaireBloom, DavidWaller, MichaelPennington, Oedipus, Sophocles
August 4th, 2009 at 8:37 am
I actually do like …
I actually do like this messenger. He is animated, dramatic with a tinge of comic element in his acting. highly entertaining.
August 4th, 2009 at 8:37 am
Lol, at 4:08 they …
Lol, at 4:08 they all look like big dracula bats
August 4th, 2009 at 8:37 am
According to …
According to mithology one of Oedipus’ ancestors was in exile and fell in love with the son of Pelops, the great grandfather of Agamemnon and Meneleus. He kidnapped the boy and raped him. Pelops cursed him and the House of Cadmus. This eventually destroyed it.
THAT was the origin of this tragedy. Curses were oddly effective sometimes.
August 4th, 2009 at 8:37 am
A husband by a …
A husband by a husband and children by a child.
August 4th, 2009 at 8:37 am
Oedipus’ very words …
Oedipus’ very words: “No more, no more shall you look on the misery about me, the horrors of my own doing! Too long you have known the faces of those whom I should never have seen, too long been blind to those for whom I was searching! From this hour, go in darkness!”
August 4th, 2009 at 8:37 am
ergh, the messenger …
ergh, the messenger is one of the WORST actors i’ve ever seen. I could have done a better job. They should have fired whoever did the casting.
August 4th, 2009 at 8:37 am
the second …
the second messenger is horrible. god he’s ugly and terrible acting
August 4th, 2009 at 8:37 am
He is a ing …
He is a ing terrible actor
August 4th, 2009 at 8:37 am
When you sucked and …
When you sucked and fondled at the same breast”
Word
August 4th, 2009 at 8:37 am
“Hes doing his …
“Hes doing his mommy? ”
- Richard in Tommy Boy
August 4th, 2009 at 8:37 am
damn….
….
August 4th, 2009 at 8:37 am
Cool watching this. …
Cool watching this. Were doing Oedipus as our showcase production. Awesome story.
August 4th, 2009 at 8:37 am
Damn thats crazy …
thats crazy all because of the truth what next?
August 4th, 2009 at 8:37 am
The messenger …
The messenger called him a a!!!
August 4th, 2009 at 8:37 am
My favourite …
My favourite tragedy ever. Poor Oedipus.
August 4th, 2009 at 8:37 am
“she had concieved …
“she had concieved a husband by her husband, and children by a child”
August 4th, 2009 at 8:37 am
dude this story is …
dude this story is too ed up
August 4th, 2009 at 8:37 am
thats story …
thats story bullshit im seeing it to pass in the exam
August 4th, 2009 at 8:37 am
holy
holy
August 4th, 2009 at 8:37 am
The messenger who …
The messenger who comes in halfway through this clip played the pilot in the Father Ted episode where they’re going to crash but there’s only two parachutes!! P.S. I’m not a nerd.