cinemadiso's - Based on myths and legends List

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Interwoven with the spectacle, madness and vibrancy of the Rio carnival, comes the multi-award winning retelling of the classic legend of Orpheus (Breno Mello) and Eurydice (Marpessa Dawn) Black Orpheus (Orfeu Negro) is awash with intoxicating samba music, frenzied dancing and vibrant costumes, as

French auteur Marcel Camus unfolds the melancholy tale of love and tragedy of two people who fall rapturously in love during the annual carnival. Inspired by the ancient Greek myth of a youth who travels to the land of the dead to bring back the woman he loves, but set amongst the slums of modern-day Rio, this bittersweet romantic tragedy has charmed audiences worldwide with its sheer colour, joie de vivre and especially its music. From the opening shot of an ancient frieze of the lovers, Orpheus and Eurydice, and a guitar softly strumming the chords of the film's main musical theme to the fast-moving shots of dancers preparing for Carnival to the convulsive, infectious beat of the Latin American bossa nova beat, 'Black Orpheus' is simply a feast of sound and vision that all movie lovers will admire.

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Rex Harrison reprises his signature role of Henry Higgins, the supremely assured phoneticist who wagers that under his tutelage, cockney flower girl Eliza Doolittle can pass for a duchess at the Embassy Ball. In one of her best-loved roles, Audrey Hepburn plays Eliza.

If ever there were a face that the professor could grow accustomed to, it's hers. In Hartford, Heresford and Hampshire (and elsewhere) no one's fairer than 'My Fair Lady' on of the most irresistible musicals ever.

An all-star cast backs this film based on the Greek tragedy by Euripides, a gloomy tale of war-ravaged Troy and the women who lived through those times. Hecuba, Queen of Troy, heads up a faction of women who are protesting the war around them. Among them are widow Andromache and troubled Cassandra.

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A mythical tale of love, betrayal and revenge, 'Medea' is a fascinating collision of Freudian and Marxist themes from Italy's most controversial director, Pier Paolo Pasolini.

Adapted from the Euripidean drama, Pasolini's disturbing vision of personal and national conflicts stars opera legend Maria Callas in the title role, offering an extraordinary performance as the high priestess Medea whose love is threatened by corrupt political ambition. 'Medea' is a complex blend of classical mythology and contemporary social criticism.

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New York sportswriter Lenny becomes increasingly obsessed with finding the birth mother of his exceptionally intelligent adopted son. When the two finally meet, however, Lenny is completely unprepared to learn that the outrageous Linda is nothing like he's imagined.

Even so, their lives grow hilariously entangled... despite the potentially scandalous secrets they keep from each other. It's wildly entertaining story filled with unpredictably funny twists that will leave you laughing long after it's over.

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In Clash of the Titans, the ultimate struggle for power pits men against kings and kings against gods. But the war between the gods themselves could destroy the world.

Born of a god but raised as a man, Perseus (Sam Worthington) is helpless to save his family from Hades (Ralph Fiennes), vengeful god of the underworld. With nothing to lose, Perseus volunteers to lead a dangerous mission to defeat Hades before he can seize power from Zeus (Liam Neeson) and unleash hell on earth. Battling unholy demons and fearsome beasts, Perseus and his warriors will only survive if Perseus accepts his power as a god, defies fate and creates his own destiny.

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Disenchanted with the daily drudge of crushing rocks on a prison farm in Mississippi, the-dapper, silver-tongued Ulysses Everett McGill (George Clooney) busts loose.

Except he's still shackled to his two chain-mates from the chain gang - bad-tempered Pete (John Turturro) and sweet, dimwitted Delmar (Tim Blake Nelson). With nothing to lose and buried loot to regain — before it's lost forever in a flood - the three embark on the adventure of a lifetime in this hilarious offbeat road picture. Populated with strange characters, including a blind prophet, sexy sirens and a one-eyed Bible salesman (John Goodman), it's an odyssey filled with chases, close calls, near misses and betrayal that will leave you laughing at every outrageous and surprising twist and turn.

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Brad Pitt picks up a sword and brings a muscular, brooding presence the role of Greek warrior Achilles in this spectacular retelling of The Iliad.

Orlando Bloom and Diane Kruger play the legendary lovers who plunge the world into war, Eric Bana portrays the prince who dares to confront Achilles, and Peter O'Toole rules Troy as King Priam. Director Wolfgang Petersen recreates a long-ago world of mighty warships, clashing armies, the massive fortress city and the towering trojan horse. "If love is worth fighting for, it has known no greater battle than this." It's known no greater action-epic movie either.

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Prepare to enter another world when Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media present C.S. Lewis' timeless and beloved epic adventure.

With the stunningly realistic special effects, you'll experience the exploits of Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter, four siblings who find the world of Narnia through a magical wardrobe while playing a game of "hide-and-seek" at the country estate of a mysterious professor. Once there, the children discover a charming, once peaceful land inhabited by talking beasts, dwarfs, fauns, centaurs and giants that has been turned into a world of eternal winter by the evil White Witch, Jadis. Aided by the wise and magnificent lion Aslan, the children lead Narnia into a spectacular, climactic battle to be free of the Witch's glacial powers forever!

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'Jack the Giant Slayer' relates the brave exploits of Jack (Nicholas Hoult), a poor young farmhand who unwittingly reopens a gateway between the human world and a fearsome race of giants.

Centuries ago, the giants were defeated in a fierce battle with humans, then banished to their remote sky kingdom. But when Jack accidentally causes an enormous beanstalk to take root, his beloved Princess Isabelle is delivered into the clutches of the bloodthirsty giants. Now, with the help of the king's military commander (Ewan McGregor), this unlikely hero gets a chance to become a legend in this thrill-packed epic filled with high-flying action and pulse-pounding adventure.

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Gun-runner Tom Friend (Forrest Tucker) embarks on an expedition in search of the fabled creature known as the Yeti, or Abominable Snowman.

He is joined by botanist John Rollason (Peter Cushing), whose scientific curiosity is at odds with Rollason’s aim to capture and commercially exploit one of the creatures. Misfortune dogs the expedition as it travels deeper into the Himalayas, but trapper Ed Shelley (Robert Brown) succeeds in killing one of the giant animals. As the party’s numbers rapidly dwindle the ruthless Friend decides to use Shelley as bait in an effort to trap a live Yeti. The hunters soon become the hunted as a series of disturbing events lead Rollason to suspect that they are dealing with creatures of awesome intelligence.

Allen Bauer (Tom Hanks), a successful yet single New York businessman, is knocked unconscious during a boating accident. His beautiful rescuer (Daryl Hannah) is the girl of his dreams. There's only one slight complication - Allen's fallen hook, line and sinker for a mermaid.

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It's an incredible cinematic adventure as the legendary Sinbad (Kerwin Mathews) sets off on a dangerous journey to the mysterious Island of Colossus. His quest is to break the spell cast over his beloved princess by a diabolical magician.

But before he can save her, Sinbad must battle an awesome collection of mythical monsters - the man-eating Cyclops, a saber-wielding skeleton, a ferocious two-headed bird called the Roc and a fire-breathing dragon.

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As civilisation draws ever nearer to their idyllic forest home, a group of mischievous Japanese tanuki raccoons try to scare humans away. But they soon discover that man is not their only rival in the struggle for their age-old territory.

Released in 1994 as the Japanese economy slumped, but looking back to the sixties construction boom in Tokyo's Tama Hills, Pom Poko questions the money-grabbing ethic of yuppie Japan, and mourns the loss of the countryside. Drawing on Japanese myths and legends, writer and director Isao Takahara presents a satirical view of woodland spirits using every available magical ruse to take on modern developers: including transformations, sabotage and trickery.

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The legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table receives its most impressive screen treatment in Excalibur, from visionary movie maker John Boorman.

All the elements of Sir Thomas Malory's classic 'Le Morte D'Arthur' are here: Arthur (Nigel Terry) removing the sword Excalibur from the stone; the Round Table's noble birth and tragic decline; the heroic attempts to recover the Holy Grail; and the shifting balance of power between wily wizard Merlin (Nicol Williamson) and evil sorceress Morgana (Helen Mirren).