Dionysus in '69

Summary

Dionysus in '69[1] is a 1970 film by Brian De Palma, Robert Fiore and Bruce Rubin. The film records a performance of The Performance Group's stage play of the same name, an adaptation of The Bacchae.[2][3] It was entered into the 20th Berlin International Film Festival.[4]

Dionysus in '69
Film poster
Directed byBrian De Palma
Robert Fiore
Bruce Rubin
Written byWilliam Arrowsmith
Euripides
StarringWilliam Finley
CinematographyRobert Fiore
Bruce Rubin
Brian De Palma
Edited byBruce Rubin
Brian De Palma
Robert Fiore
Distributed bySigma III
Release date
  • 1970 (1970)
Running time
85 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Cast edit

  • Remi Barclay as Chorus/Herself
  • Samuel Blazer as Coryphaeus/Chorus/Himself
  • Jason Bosseau as Messenger/Chorus/Himself
  • Richard Dia as Cadmus/Chorus/Himself
  • William Finley as Dionysus/Chorus/Himself
  • Joan MacIntosh as Agave/Chorus/Herself
  • Vicki May as Chorus/Herself
  • Patrick McDermott as Tiresias/Chorus/Himself
  • Margaret Ryan as Chorus/Herself
  • Will Shepherd as Pentheus/Chorus/Himself
  • Ciel Smith as Agave/Chorus/Herself

Production edit

The film merges the final two performances of the play, from June and July 1969, the final one having been staged with more lighting, for better recording quality. In contrast to the previous non-recorded performances, actors are not fully naked during central scenes so as to ensure distribution to movie theaters.[5] The film makes use of split screen to show both actors and audience involvement in parallel.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Institute, American Film (1997). The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures Produced in the ... – American Film Institute – Google Books. ISBN 9780520209701. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  2. ^ Palma, Brian De (2003). Interviews. ISBN 9781578065165. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  3. ^ Greenspun, Roger (23 March 1970). "Screen::De Palma's 'Dionysus in 69'". The New York Times.
  4. ^ "IMDB.com: Awards for Dionysus". imdb.com. Retrieved 8 March 2010.
  5. ^ Richard Schechner (2009). Richard Schechner on rites and rituals in Dionysos 69 (Interview recording). OnlineDramaturgy. Retrieved 25 February 2017.

External links edit

  • Dionysus in '69 at IMDb  
  • Dionysus in '69 at Rotten Tomatoes
  • Dionysus in '69 viewable online at the Hemispheric Institute Digital Video Library