Orpheus - The Criterion Collection (Blu-ray)

Jean Cocteau's update of the Orpheus myth depicts a famous poet (Jean Marais), scorned by the Left Bank youth, and his love for both his wife, Eurydice (Marie Déa), and a mysterious princess (Maria Casarès). Seeking inspiration, the poet follows the princess from the world of the living to the land of the dead, through Cocteau's famous mirrored portal. Orpheus's peerless visual poetry and dreamlike storytelling represent the legendary Cocteau at the height of his powers.

• France
• 95 minutes
• Black and White
• 1.37:1
• French
• Spine #68
• 1950

BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

- New high-definition digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
- Audio commentary featuring French-film scholar James S. Williams
- Jean Cocteau: Autobiography of an Unknown (1984), a feature-length documentary
- Jean Cocteau and His Tricks (2008), a video interview with assistant director Claude Pinoteau
- 40 Minutes with Jean Cocteau (1957), an interview with the director
- In Search of Jazz (1956), an interview with Cocteau on the use of jazz in the film
- PLUS: An essay by critic Mark Polizzotti