why isn't there more interest in this movie
It was wonderful. Great performances. But it never got recognized.
shareIt was wonderful. Great performances. But it never got recognized.
shareIt's a movie that shows what communism is about. Real communism, not the fake posing type where you wear a Che t-shirt and text on your iphone about what a good revolutionary you are.
Most movies with an anti-commie theme get buried. This movie you can't even find on dvd in the US. That's not an omission. It's on purpose.
It wasn't that good a movie and the critics were distinctly lukewarm.
It seemed well intentioned but there were mistakes in casting. Six foot tall, blonde Canadian Kate Nelligan did not make a convincing Greek peasant woman. The action lurched disquietingly from 1949 to the present (1985).
As a technical achievement it was impressive, though. Startlingly real sounding explosions and gunfire.
In view of the current political and economic situation in Greece today "Eleni" could serve as a reminder that social and ideological divisions are nothing new in Greek society.
["We have all strength enough to bear the misfortunes of others./"]
--La Rochefoucault
Nelligan was fine in the part (there is such a thing as hair dye, which I believed they used.) There was no "lurch" from 1949 to 1985; the movie was told in flashbacks. I had no problem at all following it, but then, I'm also familiar with how the Soviets tried to take over Greece after WW2 by supporting their proxy communists. The 'civil war' wasn't just a disagreement between friends. It was another of the cold war battles the soviet union began to take over europe.
Any movie that shows communism in a bad light is always buried in hollywood. there are very, very few exceptions.
Speak for yourself pal!!! WE ARE GREEKS AND WE THINK THAT THE OTHERWISE CANADIAN KATE NELLIGAN INDEED LOOKED REALISTIC ENOUGH AS A GREEK WOMAN OF THE VILLAGES!!! WE KNOW BETTER THAN YOU, WHO DOES AND WHO DON'T LOOK LIKE ONE OF US!!! ALSO....WHO TOLD YOU THAT WE DO NOT HAVE NATURAL BLOND WOMEN IN GREECE?....EVEN IN THE VILLAGES HERE?!!! YOU PAL ARE FROM ANOTHER PLANET!!!
shareWishing does not make it so. If it did, Greece would be rich like Germany today and Greeks in **Hellas** would be a big success story like Greek-Americans were and are.
Irene Pappas, Katina Paxinou, these were fine actresses but not six foot tall blondes with never a hair out of place. This movie was not supposed to be about the gods of **Olimbos** but about real people. And it was, with that glaring exception. Did you see any other Swedish-looking characters in the cast?
["We have all strength enough to bear the misfortunes of others./"]
--La Rochefoucault
I have to disagree. Nelligan, as we see her in the picture, could pass for a greek woman, if admittedly a little polished for a peasant.
The one thing I could not get over though, was the use of english by greek characters. Now, I understand that the majority of greek actors would prefer not to become involved in such a one-sided account of the greek civil war (however personal it may be), but at least the greek characters of the present day (in the movie) could've been directed to speak with an accent. Really, it ruins the movie and undermines the effort of everyone involved.
No way I can agree with that! All the Greek characters presumably including Greek-American Nick Gage (Gatsoyiannis) are speaking Greek to each other in which they would have no accent.
Not all Greeks look Mediterranean but the majority do. Short and swarthy wouldn't be how I would describe Kate Nelligan.
PS: The word "Greek" should be capitalized.
["We have all strength enough to bear the misfortunes of others./"]
--La Rochefoucault
I just finished watching Eleni and no-one speaks a single word of greek in the entire movie. What I said was that the Greeks that Nick meets in Greece in the movie (in the 1980s) should have spoken english with a greek accent for reasons of credibility. Either you need to read my previous post again, or I'm missing something.
shareI saw this film in 1985 while studying abroad in Israel. I really enjoyed it and looked forward to seeing it again but have never been able to find it on video or DVD. It is amazing in the digital age with easy access to so much information and exposure to international ideas, music art, film, etc. that it is impossible to view a movie. I would think John Malkovich would work to have it released.
shareYou can find it on youtube.
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