Oedipus Rex (1984)

  • NR
  • 12/07/1984 (US)
  • Drama
  • 1h 44m

Pasolini’s Terrifying… Compassionate… Magnificent…

Overview

In pre-war Italy, a young couple have a baby boy. The father, however, is jealous of his son - and the scene moves to antiquity, where the baby is taken into the desert to be killed. He is rescued, given the name Oedipus, and brought up by the King and Queen of Corinth as their son. One day an oracle informs Oedipus that he is destined to kill his father and marry his mother. Horrified, he flees Corinth and his supposed parents - only to get into a fight and kill an older man on the road…

Pier Paolo Pasolini

Director, Writer

Cast

Franco Citti's headshot

Franco Citti

Oedipus
Silvana Mangano's headshot

Silvana Mangano

Jocasta, Queen of Thebes (and unnamed Italian young mother)
Alida Valli's headshot

Alida Valli

Merope, Queen of Corinth
Carmelo Bene's headshot

Carmelo Bene

Creon
Julian Beck's headshot

Julian Beck

Tiresias
Luciano Bartoli's headshot

Luciano Bartoli

Laius, King of Thebes (and unnamed Italian young father)
Francesco Leonetti's headshot

Francesco Leonetti

Servo di Laio
Ahmed Belhachmi's headshot

Ahmed Belhachmi

Polybus, King of Corinth

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