The Owl's Legacy
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Play S1 E1A 13-part documentary series by Chris Marker examining how ancient Greek ideas continue to shape modern Western thought. Each episode centers on a single Greek word—such as “democracy,” “philosophy,” or “mythology”—through conversations filmed in cities around the world. Combining symposium-style discussions with archival footage and visual motifs of the owl, Marker creates an expansive reflection on the enduring legacy of Greece.
Cast: André Dussollier
HDCC
Miniseries
13 episodes
- 1. Symposium, or the Received IdeasIn Paris, Tbilisi, Athens and Berkeley historians have played with reconstitutions of the "symposium" - the Greek banquet - around tables laden with food and wine.CC26minJun 12, 1989
- 2. Olympics, or the Imaginary GreeceGreece's inheritance was recomposed in contemporary mythology. This sometimes led to terrible misappropriations for the benefit of totalitarian ideologies - of which Nazism was born.CC26minJun 13, 1989
- 3. Democracy, or the City of DreamsWhat exactly does the word mean “democracy” mean? Does it designates the ancient city-state or our contemporary political systems? What are the analogies or, on the contrary, the radical differences between realities separated by more than twenty centuries? Are certain functions suitable for all civilizations? Τhe third episode of Chris Marker’s legendary documentary series – which first aired on British state television in 1991 but remained in the dark for decades – returns to classical antiquity to make a bold parallel, familiarizing 21st-century audiences with a concept of the commons that seems primordial yet innovative, reinventing itself in every single manifestation.CC26minJun 14, 1989
- 4. Nostalgia, or the Impossible ReturnIthaca is the iconic distant home that no one should forget: such would be the universal lesson of Homer's Odyssey.CC26minJun 15, 1989
- 5. Amnesia, or the Sense of HistoryBuilt on the testimony or "autopsy" - which literally means "seeing oneself" - our conception of History has deeply shifted since Herodotus.CC26minJun 16, 1989
- 6. Mathematics, or the Realm of SignsThe geometrical space and the mathematical language constitute a universal legacy the Greeks have bequeathed us with. How do we articulate its perfect logic to the complexity of contemporary sciences?CC26minJun 19, 1989
- 7. Logomachy, or the Root of WordsAll the meanings of "logos" originated from a small territory between Ephesus and Patmos. According to Aristotle the human animal fights with a specific weapon: speech... Logos' destiny would it be the "logomachy"? The fight over words.CC26minJun 20, 1989
- 8. Music, or the Inner SpaceA cross between imitation and creation, the search for the beautiful and harmonious animates the artists' personal quests - including with cutting-edge technology - as well as it serves great collective schemes - religions in particular.CC26minJun 21, 1989
- 9. Cosmogony, or the Use of the WorldThis reflection over creation - divine cosmogony and man's creativity - takes us from the Greek statuary art to the Acropolis' Korai on show in Tokyo. This takes us on towards the Gorgon - a mirror of death.CC26minJun 22, 1989
- 10. Mythology, or the Truth of LiesThere are a set of myths to which we constantly refer ourselves. We will question their genesis, their place in psyche, their transmission, their nature.CC26minJun 23, 1989
- 11. Misogyny, or Desire's TrapsThe Greek conception of sexuality was very different from ours. What did the Greek think of desire in a world where heterosexuality and homosexuality - far from being opposites - were models of existence that were different but compatible?CC26minJun 26, 1989
- 12. Tragedy, or the Illusion of DeathThe great figures borne out of Greek tragedies help us fathom the founding mechanisms of human practices - all the way to a society like Japan, that is so apparently far from ours.CC26minJun 27, 1989
- 13. Philosophy, or the Owl's TriumphAround the metaphorical - but also very real - figure of the owl; entwined reflections upon the place of thought in daily existence and public action - sometimes with and sometimes against the Greek legacy.CC26minJun 28, 1989
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The Owl's Legacy
★ 9.0/1019891 season13 episodesEnded
A 13-part documentary series by Chris Marker examining how ancient Greek ideas continue to shape modern Western thought. Each episode centers on a single Greek word—such as “democracy,” “philosophy,” or “mythology”—through conversations filmed in cities around the world. Combining symposium-style discussions with archival footage and visual motifs of the owl, Marker creates an expansive reflection on the enduring legacy of Greece.
Creators and cast
- Directors
- Chris Marker
- Created by
- Chris Marker
- Cast
- André Dussollier
- Studio
- Attica Art Productions, FIT Production, La Sept Cinéma
