Orange County Art and Culture

A masterpiece of cinematic surrealism and a cornerstone of mid-century French art film, Orpheus (Orphée) finds poet, playwright, and visionary Jean Cocteau at his most mysterious and mythic.

A modern retelling of the Orpheus myth set in postwar Paris, the film follows a celebrated poet (played by the impossibly cool Jean Marais) as he becomes obsessed with a shadowy Princess—Death incarnate—and journeys into the land of the dead to reclaim his wife, and perhaps his soul.

Blending classical mythology with avant-garde technique, Cocteau conjures magic from mirrors, rubber gloves, reverse film, and pure imagination. The result is a haunting meditation on fame, creativity, and mortality, where even the afterlife feels like a stage lit by dream logic and doomed desire.

Directed: Jean Cocteau
Run Time: 1 Hr 52 Mins.
Language: French

MOVIE TRAILER
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-KJqzv6jxY

MEET BEFORE THE FILM
We will meet in the lobby of the Frida at 4:35PM. I'll have a sign stating OC Art & Culture. Will head in to grab out seats ~4:40 PM.

TICKET COST
In-person: $12
Purchase online: $13 (includes online fee) - https://thefridacinema.org/purchase/808760/

TRIVIA
"The opening scenes set in the Cafe des Poetes were originally set to be filmed with regular extras. However, Cocteau found them to be too self-conscious and artificial so they were all dismissed. Instead, real bohemians from Paris' real café culture were drafted in. These proved to be so natural and relaxed with the café setting, they actually stayed on for two extra days after filming had finished, just hanging out in the cafés that the film crew had been using." Taken from IMDB website.

PARKING
Address: 300 East 5th Street, Santa Ana, CA 92701
There are two parking structures. One behind the Friday and the other behind the 4th Street Market. You will need to make payment to park in them. At this time, I don't know what the cost is.

AFTER THE MOVIE
If you're hungry and or thirsty, we will walk down to the 4th Steet Market where they have several food vendors. It's about a 1/2 block from the Frida.