Reverberating with all the miniature histrionics of a liberal arts classroom project, ''Antigone/Rites of Passion'' is the cinematic equivalent of putting on a play in the backyard. It ends this year's AFI USA Independent Showcast.
In this ambitious interpretation, first-time writer-director Amy Greenfield has choreographed a cacophony of dissonances -- musical and visual -- to convey ''Oedipus at Colonus'' and ''Antigone.'' While the choreography is often powerful, conveying the agony of Antigone's suicidal defiance of the state, the project is all left feet as a film.
Greenfield also stars as the conscionable Antigone, Oedipus' stalwart daughter, who not only comforts her stricken father following his banishment from Thebes but defies his successor Creon's cruel edict that her brother, whom he has unfairly banished as an enemy of the state, not be buried but be left to rot in the desert as an example to all those who oppose his iron-fisted rule.
In this screechy, bare-bones production, Greenfield follows Sophocles' writing literally, trudging through the tragedy with unswerving rigor. Unfortunately, this dance interpretation is shackled by Greenfield's inability to distill the emotional essence; by slavishly following the dramatic structure she has sapped the emotional ebb and flow of her choreography.
Propelled by narrative voiceover, this shot-in-the-woods production is, essentially, a textural narrative in which assonant music, swirling sounds, ponderous movement and bodily gropings congeal into one big tedious heap. It's a relentless blast of artistic constructs which, amazingly, show their seams at every excruciating moment. Within the framework of a grant proposal, all this new-age artsiness may have sounded significant, but as realized in this cumbersome film, it merely serves to suck the complex blood out of the Orestian tragedy.
Technical contributions, most obtrusively the awkward camera movements, are further reduced by the blast of the pompous voiceovers.
ANTIGONE/RITES OF PASSION
Eclipse Prods.
Screenwriter-director-producer Amy Greenfield
Based on ''Oedipus at Colonus'' and ''Antigone''by Sophocles
Directors of photography Hilary Harris, Judy Irola
Music Glenn Branca, Diamanda Galas, Paul Lemos, Elliott Sharp, David Van Tieghem
Associate producer Robert Haller
Sound designer-editor Bernard Hajdenberg
Costumes Betty Howard, Jane Townsend
Color/Stereo
Cast
Antigone Amy Greenfield
Oedipus Bertram Ross
Ismeme Janet Eilber
Creon Bertram Ross
Polynices Henry Montes
Eteocles Silvio Facchin
Haemon Sean McElroy
Running time -- 85 minutes
No MPAA rating
(c) The Hollywood Reporter...
In this ambitious interpretation, first-time writer-director Amy Greenfield has choreographed a cacophony of dissonances -- musical and visual -- to convey ''Oedipus at Colonus'' and ''Antigone.'' While the choreography is often powerful, conveying the agony of Antigone's suicidal defiance of the state, the project is all left feet as a film.
Greenfield also stars as the conscionable Antigone, Oedipus' stalwart daughter, who not only comforts her stricken father following his banishment from Thebes but defies his successor Creon's cruel edict that her brother, whom he has unfairly banished as an enemy of the state, not be buried but be left to rot in the desert as an example to all those who oppose his iron-fisted rule.
In this screechy, bare-bones production, Greenfield follows Sophocles' writing literally, trudging through the tragedy with unswerving rigor. Unfortunately, this dance interpretation is shackled by Greenfield's inability to distill the emotional essence; by slavishly following the dramatic structure she has sapped the emotional ebb and flow of her choreography.
Propelled by narrative voiceover, this shot-in-the-woods production is, essentially, a textural narrative in which assonant music, swirling sounds, ponderous movement and bodily gropings congeal into one big tedious heap. It's a relentless blast of artistic constructs which, amazingly, show their seams at every excruciating moment. Within the framework of a grant proposal, all this new-age artsiness may have sounded significant, but as realized in this cumbersome film, it merely serves to suck the complex blood out of the Orestian tragedy.
Technical contributions, most obtrusively the awkward camera movements, are further reduced by the blast of the pompous voiceovers.
ANTIGONE/RITES OF PASSION
Eclipse Prods.
Screenwriter-director-producer Amy Greenfield
Based on ''Oedipus at Colonus'' and ''Antigone''by Sophocles
Directors of photography Hilary Harris, Judy Irola
Music Glenn Branca, Diamanda Galas, Paul Lemos, Elliott Sharp, David Van Tieghem
Associate producer Robert Haller
Sound designer-editor Bernard Hajdenberg
Costumes Betty Howard, Jane Townsend
Color/Stereo
Cast
Antigone Amy Greenfield
Oedipus Bertram Ross
Ismeme Janet Eilber
Creon Bertram Ross
Polynices Henry Montes
Eteocles Silvio Facchin
Haemon Sean McElroy
Running time -- 85 minutes
No MPAA rating
(c) The Hollywood Reporter...
- 11/21/1991
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.