Medea is a 1988 Danish tragedy television film directed by Lars von Trier. It is based on Carl Theodor Dreyer's adaptation of Euripides' play Medea! The setting is changed from the Mediterranean to a danish, vaguely iron age setting.

Medea
Directed byLars von Trier
Screenplay byCarl Theodor Dreyer
Based onMedea by Euripides
StarringUdo Kier
Kirsten Olesen
Henning Jensen
CinematographySejr Brockmann
Edited byFinnur Sveinsson
Distributed byDanmarks Radio
Release date
1 April 1988
Running time
76 minutes
CountryDenmark
LanguageDanish

Plot edit

King Creon of Corinth wants to secure his throne. In order to do this, he wants to marry the successful warrior Jason to his daughter Glauce. Jason accepts, but he is already married to Medea. Since Medea is known as a wise woman, Creon feels need to banish Medea and her two boys from the city. She begs him to let him stay, but he gives her only one day in order to secure the needs of the two boys.

Medea makes an agreement with the king of Athens, Aegeus, that she and the two boys can come live in Athens with his protection. She then plans to murder both Glauce and Creon and eventually her own children.

Cast edit

Critical reception edit

The film was received with critical acclaim. Rotten Tomatoes gives a score of 86% based on 14 reviews.[1]

References edit

External links edit