Arts, History Documentary hosted by Francois Busnel, published by Arte in 2015 - English narration
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Tales of love, sex, power, betrayal, heinous crimes, unbearable separations, atrocious revenge, and metamorphoses - the poetic force of the myths has crossed the centuries. This series sets out to recount these ancient stories using animations created especially for the occasion, and illustrations chosen from the entire history of art.
The Great Myths are superhero stories as much as they are metaphysical compendiums, psychological novels as well as scathing thrillers. They allow us to grasp a feeling, an emotion, a madness. They represent the secret - but essential - part of our societies. They depict the inner conflicts that consume human, all too human men and gods.
It's all there: love, death, sexuality, war, jealousy, betrayal, the will to power, happiness, mourning, curse, suicide, sacrifice, fault, transgression, self-sacrifice. The Great Myths illuminate a world where the points of reference are confused. The Greeks, by telling these great myths, invented suspense at the same time as poetry, tragedy and philosophy. Socrates is right when he summons Zeus and Olympians to help ordinary mortals to think better. There is irony, comedy, hope and despair. Life, in short. Everything is tragic, everything is poetic, everything is philosophical: such is the mantra of the Greeks, the masterful lesson they offer us.
Great Greek Myths takes us on a captivating exploration of Greek mythology and its original stories, based on the oldest texts, the destinies of Zeus, Theseus, Aphrodite, Orpheus... A stroll to the heart of Greek myths and its heroes, whose poetic force and universal scope have nourished the imagination of artists over the centuries. The series invites you on a journey through museums around the world, to discover these inspired works of art, illustrated by the masterpieces of Botticelli, Picasso, Munch, Klimt and many others.
Series Director: Sylvain Bergere ; A Co-Production by ARTE France, Rosebud Productions and Les Monstres
2) Perseus - The Look of Death
Perseus was not meant to come into the world. Fearing the fulfilment of the prediction according to which his grandson would kill him, King Acrisius shut his daughter Danae away in a fortified tower.
But Zeus fell in love with Danae, and in order to conquer her, metamorphosed into a golden shower. Perseus was born from this union. Once he had become a man, Perseus was given the challenge of bringing the head of the Gorgon to the tyrant King Polydectes, who was holding his mother captive. This was the start of Perseus' great adventure, which became a veritable legend for all the Greek heroes that came after him, because taking on Medusa was an act of madness, as whoever set eyes on her would turn to stone. The young Perseus set out in search of the Gorgon - the most terrifying of creatures - with the help of the God Hermes and the Goddess Athena.
