Black Orpheus or Orfeu Negro is a French film adaptation of the Orpheus and Eurydice myth which was released in 1959. Marcel Camus did a brilliant job of directing this classic film which was scored beautifully, featuring Luis Bonfá’s classic Manhá de Carnaval, which many consider to have beenBossa Nova before Bossa Nova ‘existed.’

Bruno Mello‘s epic performance really carries the film, though the exotic backdrop of Rio de Janeiro during Carnaval doesn’t hurt either. Lively, playful, and at times haunting, Black Orpheus introduced the rest of the world to the exotic image of Brazil that is still prevalent to this day.

It is important to remember that this movie, though filmed in Rio and featuring a Brazilian cast, represents a European fantasy of Brazil and the tropics as a whole. It is obvious, for one, that the portrayal of poverty and the reality of much of afro-brazilian society is inaccurate to say the very least.

Nevertheless, if you haven’t seen Orfeu Negro, it is well worth it!

-Vai! Toca!
-Não sei!

-Sabe, sim. Vai!

[Orfeu toca violão]

-Toca bem, não?

-Onde é que cê tá olhando?

-Cale a boca… ele está fazendo levantar o sol!

-Ele fez o sol levantar!

-Puxa! Igualzinho ao Orfeu

-Agora você é Orfeu
-Não

-Sim. Toca essa florzinha

-Toca uma musiquinha para mim, por favor, toca!