1960 - THE TESTAMENT OF ORPHEUS, Le testament d'Orphée

 Jean Cocteau's final film is sort of a rehash or best hits of his past films. The film is loaded with his trick camera work, actors he has worked with from previous films and god only knows what obsessions he had been carrying around with him during his lifetime.

As always to look for any type of plot or meaning in a film like this is pretty worthless. It's best to sit back and absorb the film's visuals and Cocteau's musing on art and life.

In the cast I spotted Charles Aznavour, Yul Brynner,  Jean-Pierre Léaud, María Casares, Jean Marais and I think Francois Truffaut peeked his head around the corner of a building at one point.

 

The film was written by Cocteau and runs 80 minutes.

1930 - THE BLOOD OF A POET

The poet Jean Cocteau shot this avant-garde film on a rather small budget but he got some interesting visual ideas and effects across.

 

As with any artist,  try getting a straight answer about what the film is saying is virtually impossible especially when you read the interviews with Cocteau. 

 Just sit back and enjoy the interesting visuals and afterwards try to put some meaning to what you have just witnessed.

The film was written by Cocteau who was smart enough not to push it with this fascinationg weirdness,  it only runs 55 minutes.