El Greco (2007 film)

Infobox Film
name=El Greco


caption=
director=Yannis Smaragdis
writer=Screenplay:
Jackie Pavlenko
Yannis Smaragdis
Book:
Dimitris Siatopoulos
producer=Eleni Smaragdi
Raimon Masllorens
Dénes Szekeres
Georgios Fragkos
starring=Nick Ashdon
Juan Diego Botto
Laia Marull
Lakis Lazopoulos
Dimitra Matsouka
Sotiris Moustakas
Dina Konsta
Giorgos Christodoulou
Dimitris Kallivokas
Giorgos Charalampidis
Thodoris Zoumboulidis
Lida Protopsalti
Katerina Helmi
Fermi Reixach
Roger Coma
music=Vangelis
cinematography=Aris Stavrou
editing=Giannis Tsitsopoulos
distributor=Audiovisual
runtime= 119'
country= GRE
language= English, Greek, Spanish
budget= $8,246,050 (Greece) [cite web|url=http://boxofficemojo.com/intl/greece/yearly/?yr=2007&p=.htm |title=Greece yearly box office 2007 |publisher=Box Office Mojo |language=English |date= |accessdate=2008-09-20]
released= 18 October, 2007
amg_id = 1:426472
imdb_id= 0905329
website= http://www.elgrecothemovie.com/

"El Greco" is a Greek biographical film about the life of the Greek painter of the Spanish Renaissance, Domenicos Theotokopoulos, known worldwide as El Greco. Based on the fictionalized biographical novel, "El Greco: o Zografos tou Theou" ("El Greco: the Painter of God"), by Dimitris Siatopoulos, it was released in 2007, directed by Yannis Smaragdis and written by Jackie Pavlenko. The main cast consists of prominent, at the time, Greek actors like Lakis Lazopoulos, Dimitra Matsouka and Dina Konsta, including popular actors of the Greek cinema of the 1960s such as Sotiris Moustakas and Katerina Helmi, who, along with Juan Diego Botto, Laia Marull and others, surround the leading actor, Nick Ashdon, who portrays El Greco.

Plot

The film is an epic tale of Domenicos Theotokopoulos, best known as El Greco, a great Greek artist of the 16th century with an uncompromising character, who sets off from his homeland Crete and goes to Venice and finally Toledo, in search of freedom and love. There he is confronted by his greatest adversary, the Spanish Inquisition, but his creative consciousness and power make him stand out and overcome barbarity and ignorance.

Being imprisoned and awaiting execution by the Spanish Inquisition, Domenicos (Nick Ashdon) writes out his story, thus parts of his life play out in extended flashbacks. Born on the island of Crete, which was part of the Republic of Venice, he falls in love with Francesca (Dimitra Matsouka), daughter of the Venetian governor of Crete. But his father is preparing a political rebellion and as a result Domenicos leaves the island and moves to Venice, away from the young woman. There he meets the famous painter Titian (Sotiris Moustakas) and the Spanish priest Nino de Guevara (Juan Diego Botto). The latter, led by unrequited homosexual feelings for Domenicos, turns out a malevolent man and becomes the chief inquisitor in Domenicos' case, roiled by his emotions and resolute to revenge him.

Cast

*Nick Ashdon as El Greco
*Juan Diego Botto as Nino de Guevara
*Laia Marull as Jeronima de las Cuevas
*Lakis Lazopoulos as Nicolos
*Dimitra Matsouka as Francesca
*Sotiris Moustakas as Titian
*Dina Konsta as Maid
*Giorgos Christodoulou as Da Rimi
*Dimitris Kallivokas as Chacon
*Giorgos Charalampidis as Greco's father
*Thodoris Zoumboulidis as Manousos
*Lida Protopsalti as Carcadil's wife
*Katerina Helmi as Spanish noble woman
*Fermi Reixach as Don Miguel de las Cuevas
*Roger Coma as Paravicino

oundtrack

An audio CD with the original soundtrack composed by Vangelis, "El Greco Original Motion Picture Soundtrack", was released in Greece on December 20, 2007, by Universal Music Greece, only a few days after the international release of the 25th Anniversary edition of the Blade Runner soundtrack. It consists of 18 tracks, 15 of them composed by Vangelis while the other three involve source material from within the film. This is the third project by Vangelis regarding El Greco, following "Foros Timis Ston Greco", an album released in 1995, and an expansion of it with three more tracks in 1998, titled "El Greco". However, the third album is completely different from its predecessors and won the award for best music in the 48th International Thessaloniki Film Festival. [cite web|url=http://elsew.com/data/latest.htm |title="Elsewhere": Latest news updates |publisher=elsew.com |language=English |date= |accessdate=2008-09-27]

References

External links

* [http://www.elgrecothemovie.com/ Official website]
*imdb title|id=0905329|title=El Greco
*amg movie|id=1:426472|title=El Greco