Electra, My Love

Miklós Jancsó's beautifully shot, intricately choreographed reworking of the ancient Greek myth is a searing exposé of oppression and the abuse of power.

Revolutionary in form as well as content, Electra, My Love is one of the great Miklós Jancsó's finest works. Shot in twelve beautiful, intricately choreographed long takes by cinematographer János Kende, and expressing political ideas that were forbidden in 1970s Hungary, it is a searing exposé of oppression and the abuse of power.

Jancsó here radically reworks the ancient Greek myth as Electra (seeking revenge for the murder of her father, the former king) attempts to rouse a cowardly and apathetic population against the rule of usurper tyrant Aegisthus. Jancsó's film examines issues of law, justice and power; the deliberate distortion of myth and reality reflects the horror that Hungary endured through the twentieth century. A provocative call to arms against any system that rules without justice, this film continues to resonate powerfully today.