Oedipus Rex Comparative Essay
Sophocles’ play, Oedipus Rex, shows the ironic tragedy of a man’s downfall. The two film adaptations of Oedipus Rex present the same theme but in different ways. In the more modern film of Oedipus Rex, directed by Don Taylor, music was introduced, the language was more understandable and the use of modern apparel which is what separated itself from the dated 1957 version of it. These are the three reasons why the 1984 film of Oedipus Rex is preferred. In Don Taylor’s version of Oedipus Rex, music was introduced and used. The music used made an atmosphere of mystery and suspense. In the first film there was no use of music therefore when something important occurred there was nothing to reinforce it. For example throughout the first film when Oedipus started to get realizations there was nothing to help the audience understand that he has actually done so. While in modern film music was used to build up and prepare the audience for what was to come. Music can be used to build thoughts in the audiences’ minds. The language used in the modern film is much more understandable than the older film. Today most people speak and comprehend the English spoken in the modern film which is why it is preferred. The English spoken in the modern film is simpler than the older film. In the 1957 film a lot of the cast speaks in riddles. The audience can grasp what is going on more in the modern film better than the older. The two ways English is spoken in both films do not display that one is better than the other, current society prefers the modern one simply because it is easier to understand. Language used, in a way, can portray how much a movie would be liked. Lastly, both films had a different clothing theme. In the older film of Oedipus Rex the cast dressed in robes and wore masks. The use of robes created an atmosphere of a religious and