Orpheus in der Unterwelt
Orpheus in the Underworld
Orpheus is a violinist and music teacher in a semi-ancient Thebes that much resembles Belle Époque Paris. His neglected wife Eurydice is having an affair with a shepherd, who turns out to be Pluto, the God of the Underworld. When the god spirits Eurydice away to his dark realm, Orpheus is overjoyed, thinking he will be able to continue his extramarital escapades unchecked. Then Jacques Offenbach floats by in a hot air balloon and convinces him to go to the rescue of his unloved wife …
In this film version of Offenbach's operetta, "perverted" with modern elements, audiences recognised aspects of everyday life in East Germany. There was Olympus, seat of the gods, ruled by a gerontocracy busy indulging in luxuries, and a working class in Hell addressed as "dear colleagues". This colourful, frivolous film satire by Horst Bonnet melds visual citations from Hollywood musicals and pop regalia into an opulent artwork, filmed in 70mm, with six-channel magnetic sound on ORWO Color stock! All in all, it is a textbook example of haute camp.
Source: 75. Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin (Catalogue)
Credits
Director
Screenplay
Director of photography
Editing
Cast
- Orpheus
- Eurydike
- Jupiter
- Juno
- Pluto
- Styx
- Diana
- Venus
- Merkur
- Mars
Alle Credits
Director
Assistant director
Screenplay
Script editor
Director of photography
Still photography
Production design
Make-up artist
Costume design
Hairdresser
Editing
Arrangement
Conductor
Music performer
Vocals
Cast
- Orpheus
- Eurydike
- Jupiter
- Juno
- Pluto
- Styx
- Diana
- Venus
- Merkur
- Mars
- Jacques
- Einer der Götter
- Einer der Götter
- Einer der Götter
Production company
Unit production manager
Original distributor
Uraufführung (DD): 07.02.1974, Berlin, Kosmos
Titles
- Originaltitel (DD) Orpheus in der Unterwelt
- Weiterer Titel (eng) Orpheus in the Underworld
Versions
Original
Uraufführung (DD): 07.02.1974, Berlin, Kosmos
Digitalisierte Fassung
Aufführung (DE): 15.02.2025, Berlin, IFF - Retrospektive