Testament of Orpheus
1960 [FRENCH]
Action / Biography / Fantasy

Plot summary
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.
Director
Top cast
Movie Reviews
Cocteau's transcendent sense of wonder shines brightly.
Still Pretentious By Jean Cocteau, Still Intriguing
Pros:
1. The set and costume design are brilliant, and at times, the costumes are suitably really creepy.
2. The practical and special effects are great, especially considering the time period (again), and they still hold up.
3. The score helps to lather the film in a mysterious and ethereal atmosphere.
4. Jean Cocteau (Director/ Self - the Poet), Claudine Auger (Minerve) and Edouard Dermithe (Cégeste) all give really good performances.
5. The cinematography is fantastic. Not only does it involve some inventive shots and beautiful natural scenery, but also the aspect ratio of 1.37 : 1 allows for this biography to feel really personal.
Cons:
1. Some of the framing of the shots are a little distracting and bizarre.
2. The dialogue is extremely pretentious and obnoxious.
3. The sound design is a little off and inconsistent at points.
4. The plot, at times, is very hard to follow.