Young Aphrodites (1963) Mikres Afrodites (original title)

Director:

Nikos Koundouros

Writers:

Longus (play)
Kostas Sfikas (writer)

Release Date:

December 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

Parallel stories of Eros set in 200 B.C. Nomadic shepherds, plagued by drought, happen on a fishing encampment with plentiful fresh water...

Plot Keywords:

Shepherd | Sea | Bird | Young Girl | Mediterranean Region

Awards:

7 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

  (Credited cast)

Eleni Prokopiou	...	Arta
Takis Emmanuel	...	Tsakalos
Kleopatra Rota	...	Chloe
Vangelis Ioannidis	...	Skymnos
Zannino	...	Molossos (as Giannis Zannino)
Anestis Vlahos	...	Erster Hirte
Kostas Papakonstantinou	...	Stummer Hirte
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Stathis Giallelis
Vasilis Kailas		(as Vasilakis Kailas)

Also Known As:

"Mikres Afrodites" - Greece (original title)

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

Greece

Language:

Greek

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Rhodes, Greece

Company:

Anzervos

Movie Connections:

Version of Daphnis and Chloe (1931)

An Achingly Beautiful Gem, in Stark Monochrome!

Like the other reviewers above, I too was captivated by this movie upon it's initial (and seemingly short-lived) theatrical release. It must have been about 1968 or 1969 when I saw it at one of those 'arty' type cinemas in Sydney, and I am almost certain that that copy was overdubbed in English, which made it a lot more watchable, even if it did upset the lip-synch! I was enthralled from the very first frames, and all I can do is agree with an earlier reviewer who noted that he/she did not want it to end, and another reviewer who stated that it was like a beautiful dream that one wishes that one could have every night.

Sure, there are a few glitches in the continuity, and many more in the reasoning behind the screenplay (?) but the whole beauty of this little gem of a film is in the IMAGERY, supported mostly by the minimal dialogue, and gorgeous musical score. You can actually believe that you are looking through a time-window into an ancient coming together of opposing faiths and forces.

I have a subtitled copy on VHS, which was cross-recorded many years ago from my original copy on Beta (before the Beta died), but it was originally recorded from our SBS channel (still in its formative years in the early 1980's) and the quality leaves something to be desired. (Ghosting of the images, which leaves some scenes difficult to watch, and several picture rolls, due to the advancing age of the tape.) Even so though, it is still a powerful piece of work, and I would dearly love to have a crisp, clear copy on DVD.

As none seems forthcoming, I shall have to rely on the annual playing of my copy on VHS, and simply remember how achingly beautiful it was on the big screen, all those years ago..........