runamokprods Perhaps the most emotional of Angelopoulos' films so far. While it occasionally flirts with melodrama, it's ultimately heartbreaking while losing none of the film-maker's usual formal rigor and visual beauty.A couple try to find a way to stay together in the face of wars, both civil and international, as well as fighting small town prejudice and rejection. Not an easy film, and some of the history may be confusing unless you happen to be up on the history of Greece in the 20th century (I'll admit I'm not), but very worth the time and effort.Re the DVD: As with most of Angelopoulos' films, the edition you want to find if you can is the Greek 'New Star' release (it has English subtitles). This line was supervised by Angelopoulos personally, and the image is definitely a step up from the US release. The sad things is, inexplicably, those editions were only released for a short while, and they've become very hard to find.

Sindre Kaspersen Greek screenwriter, producer and director Theodoros Angelopoulos' twelfth feature film is a Germany-France-Greece-Italy co-production and the first part of a trilogy about the history of Greece, which tells a story set in Northern Greece 1919 where a group of Greek refugees from the Russian harbour Odessa arrives at a place near Thessaloniki. Amongst them is five-year-old Alexis and three-year-old Eleni. Eleni is an orphaned girl who has been raised by Alexis' family, and since childhood they have developed strong bonds to each other. Thirteen years later Eleni gives birth to two twin brothers which she gives away for adoption. Eleni is promised to Alexis' father Spyros, but on the day of her wedding she escapes with Alexis. "The Weeping Meadow" opens with a stellar scene where the viewers are introduced to the main characters. It is told through an emphatic narrative structure and filmed with long takes, diverse perspectives and unusually calm camera movements. Greek filmmaker Theodoros Angelopoulos' subtle filming visualizes his affection for images of people, animals and objects reflected in water. The humane and engaging screenplay with minimal use of dialog written by Theodoros Angelopoulos and screenwriters Tonino Guerra, Petros Markaris and Giorgio Silvagni, tells a story which spans over 30 years and examines themes such as love, grief, immigration, fellowship, melancholy, music, war and hope. The old and accurate costume design and the naturalistic milieu depictions reflects the era it portrays with great conviction in this European art film which contains hauntingly beautiful cinematography by cinematographer Andreas Sinanos, reverent acting performances by the actors who personifies the central characters and scenes of such poetic intensity that it touches one's soul. Watching a Theodoros Angelopoulos film for the first time was reminiscent of the first time watching a film by Andrei Tarkovsky, Andrey Zvyagintsev, Krzysztof Kieslowski and Alexandr Sokurov. His significant individual expression and style of filmmaking aligns him with historic filmmakers like Ingmar Bergman, Federico Fellini and Michelangelo Antonioni. Most of the acting is interpreted in a low-keyed and internal way which strengthens the effect of the climactic emotional scenes in this quiet and unforgettable movie experience which is filled with an elegiac and longing atmosphere which is increased by composer Eleni Karaindrou's melodic instrumental score. A lyrical artwork directed by a sharp minded visionary.

mastoor masoud Being simple is the most difficulty action. ( Theo Anjelo Poulous) Weeping meadow is the simplest and intelligible and may be the bitterest , the most tragic, the most perfect and millions of the best adjectives among his work of art because don't see except true in it . Something like a secret or without answer happen . Also simple , not means close but full of freedom and many view in the shape of disbelief . View , not means fresh picture's and extreme long shut but views full of history and feel of heavy truth of person pain . If rely on said,s Angelo , when he want relate mother,s pains of now century and also with make a pause in front of Eleni,s name ( in Greek language it,s mean Greece) , couldn't interpret except mother,s history . ( Greece ) . Eleny,s life history is collection of pains . when she was child , her parents died and be come displaced , unwashed at teenager become mother . at young turn away of marry with old Aspiros and flight by son,s Spyros . Her husband let her ,his work caused it . She put in Jail for many years . Refuge of someone was revolutionary caused it . Her sons fight a war at two fronts and both of them died disbelief. And Finlay her husband,s letterer's read but very late . And she stay with predestination that,s unable Bitter word to explain . Eleni is self history . Anjelo take us to deep of the history with long shut and allow us to set thin king about it , with out any detour . blue color is color,s motherland Greek and faces remind blue and white Greek flag , in where like seaside chairs and explain Eleni,s predestination usual in following surface it . National and old Greeks custom consider in whole of film . Characters performance old theater of Greece like as traditional actors .Where Spyros come to amphitheater and cry Eleni,s name . Homeless persons come out from booths of theater and see old Spyros that take a step slow on sen . He play your tragic role similar to real theater . At this special moment , show next tradition in cinema tradition to pay tribute to theater . In next place and while Spyros funeral ceremony , persons show live roles them selves in front of Angelo,s cine camera similar to actors of real theater and while dancing and special ceremonies of villages of Greek . Alexis and Eleni,s introduction to musician have shape of theater . Each musician come in frame , within a special distance and with musical sound , himself introduce to them .Dance and music is other part of Greece,s culture that relate by Angelo . Spyros see the last dance him self by Eleni with his baby,s song , that able its call death dance . Perhaps in this picture's able think to Oedipus heavy shadow and homicide . Howker musicians and Nikos can be refuge for think to history , music and culture even in train plan where group with empty handed come back to city . Nicoss prostitution stage and her relation with one of soldiers in train show mythical and championship shapes Nikos come out with distressed shape from bathroom and meet Eleni look. She draw hand to her head in mythical from and said ;my hat……isn't my hat? Anjelo Poulous doesn't leave his poverty-stricken character suffering from prostituting his body and sympathetically makes Nikos seek for Identity, value and grave through a symbolic trilby. As if he want say; my Honor…..isn't my Honor;and painful is only and her look to history. In this special face ,that able understand it part of history ,all go to sleep and isn't someone except Eleni. Shes a wake and watchful and seeing this much pain. Able look at the film with two opposite shape,about go village under water. If understand Eleni's flight with Alexis is guilt,their presence and come up water its mean,people of village curse then them the people and Spyros . Spyros indecent behavior with Eleni and Alexis and village assist with Spyros involve in lasting curse at the village is the same big home that stay on it where Eleni and Alexis spend with their twins at night.

Hunt Bryston I feel conflicted about this film - it is one of the most beautiful films I've seen, and provides insightful looks into a lost culture. There was an early scene of men in caps and moustaches sitting around a table, with a woman serving, and an accordion playing, that brought tears to my eyes, just because of the way it captured a way of life that must be incomprehensible to many today. It presents the lives of the characters as being inextricably bound up with the life of the village, another lost concept in today's world. Symbolism is always fun but it seemed a little dated. The fatal flaws of the movie to me were the lack of any compelling dramatic drive, and a total lack of humor. I never felt like I knew any of the characters beyond very basic universal things like grieving over the loss of a loved one, etc. The people were stick figures in the director's tableaux involving natural disasters, war, etc. The film was just one beautiful tragic scene after another, with no involving narrative thread and no humanity. As a result, it seemed very abstract, irrelevant to the lives of real people. In the end, I was too bored to finish watching it.