Recommended to Watch or Read:
Books:
GREECE, Athens & The Peloponnese, 4th Ed., by: Rick Steves
30-Second Mythology, edited by Robert A. Segal
The Greek Myths: Stories of the Greek Gods and Heroes Vividly Retold, by RobinWaterfield
Mani: Travels in the Southern Peloponnese, by: Patrick Leigh Fermor
Movies:
Boy on a Dolphin: This is a 1957 20th Century Fox romantic film set in Greece and shot in DeLuxe Color and CinemaScope. It was directed by Jean Negulesco and produced by Samuel G. Engel from a screenplay by Ivan Moffat and Dwight Taylor, based on the novel of the same name by David Divine. The film was Sophia Loren's English language debut. She starred opposite Alan Ladd and Clifton Webb, with Alexis Minotis and Laurence Naismith in support. Hugo Friedhofer's score was nominated for a Best Music Academy Award in 1958. Cinematography was by Milton Krasner. It was the first Hollywood movie shot in Greece. (Photo above is of the statue on Hydra commemorating this movie.)
Zorba The Greek: A 1964 British-Greek comedy-drama film written, produced, edited, and directed by Cypriot Michael Cacoyannis and starring Anthony Quinn as the title character. Based on the 1946 novel of the same name by Nikos Kazantzakis, the film's cast includes Alan Bates, Lila Kedrova, Irene Papas, and Sotiris Moustakas.Brides: A 2004 Greek film directed by Pantelis Voulgaris. The film stars Victoria Haralabidou and Damian Lewis, and the photography is by Giorgos Arvanitis. Set in 1922, is the story of a mail order bride, one of 700, aboard the SS King Alexander, who falls in love with an American photographer. She is bound for her new husband, in Chicago, he is on his way home to a failed marriage. The film was entered into the 27th Moscow International Film Festival. The film was supported by Martin Scorsese, who is credited as executive producer.
Rembetiko: The story of a group of Rembetes, singers and musicians of the Greek equivalent to the blues, in the early decades of the 20th century, seen through the eyes of a young female singer.
Never on Sunday: The film tells the story of Ilya, a self-employed, free-spirited prostitute who lives in the port of Piraeus in Greece, and Homer, an American tourist from Middletown, Connecticut — a classical scholar enamored of all things Greek. Homer feels Ilya's life style typifies the degradation of Greek classical culture and attempts to steer her onto the path of morality, while at the same time Ilya attempts to loosen Homer up. It constitutes a variation of the Pygmalion plus "hooker with a heart of gold" story. The film stars Melina Mercouri and Jules Dassin, and it gently submerges the viewer into Greek culture, including dance, music, and language (through the use of subtitles). The theme song and the bouzouki theme of the movie became hits of the 1960s. The movie won the Academy Award for Best Song (Manos Hadjidakis for "Never on Sunday"). It was nominated for the Academy Awards for, respectively, Best Actress in a Leading Role (Melina Mercouri), Best Costume Design, Black-and-White, Best Director (Jules Dassin) and Best Writing, Story and Screenplay as Written Directly for the Screen (Dassin). Mercouri won the award for Best Actress at the 1960 Cannes Film Festival.
Before Midnight: This was recommended for the scenery as the story is set in Greece.
Before Midnight is a 2013 American romantic drama film, the third in a trilogy featuring two characters, following Before Sunrise (1995) and Before Sunset (2004). It was directed by Richard Linklater and stars Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy. The film picks up the story nine years after the events of Before Sunset; Jesse (Hawke) and Céline (Delpy) spend a summer vacation together in Greece.
GREECE, Athens & The Peloponnese, 4th Ed., by: Rick Steves
30-Second Mythology, edited by Robert A. Segal
The Greek Myths: Stories of the Greek Gods and Heroes Vividly Retold, by RobinWaterfield
Mani: Travels in the Southern Peloponnese, by: Patrick Leigh Fermor
Movies:
Boy on a Dolphin: This is a 1957 20th Century Fox romantic film set in Greece and shot in DeLuxe Color and CinemaScope. It was directed by Jean Negulesco and produced by Samuel G. Engel from a screenplay by Ivan Moffat and Dwight Taylor, based on the novel of the same name by David Divine. The film was Sophia Loren's English language debut. She starred opposite Alan Ladd and Clifton Webb, with Alexis Minotis and Laurence Naismith in support. Hugo Friedhofer's score was nominated for a Best Music Academy Award in 1958. Cinematography was by Milton Krasner. It was the first Hollywood movie shot in Greece. (Photo above is of the statue on Hydra commemorating this movie.)
Zorba The Greek: A 1964 British-Greek comedy-drama film written, produced, edited, and directed by Cypriot Michael Cacoyannis and starring Anthony Quinn as the title character. Based on the 1946 novel of the same name by Nikos Kazantzakis, the film's cast includes Alan Bates, Lila Kedrova, Irene Papas, and Sotiris Moustakas.Brides: A 2004 Greek film directed by Pantelis Voulgaris. The film stars Victoria Haralabidou and Damian Lewis, and the photography is by Giorgos Arvanitis. Set in 1922, is the story of a mail order bride, one of 700, aboard the SS King Alexander, who falls in love with an American photographer. She is bound for her new husband, in Chicago, he is on his way home to a failed marriage. The film was entered into the 27th Moscow International Film Festival. The film was supported by Martin Scorsese, who is credited as executive producer.
Rembetiko: The story of a group of Rembetes, singers and musicians of the Greek equivalent to the blues, in the early decades of the 20th century, seen through the eyes of a young female singer.
Never on Sunday: The film tells the story of Ilya, a self-employed, free-spirited prostitute who lives in the port of Piraeus in Greece, and Homer, an American tourist from Middletown, Connecticut — a classical scholar enamored of all things Greek. Homer feels Ilya's life style typifies the degradation of Greek classical culture and attempts to steer her onto the path of morality, while at the same time Ilya attempts to loosen Homer up. It constitutes a variation of the Pygmalion plus "hooker with a heart of gold" story. The film stars Melina Mercouri and Jules Dassin, and it gently submerges the viewer into Greek culture, including dance, music, and language (through the use of subtitles). The theme song and the bouzouki theme of the movie became hits of the 1960s. The movie won the Academy Award for Best Song (Manos Hadjidakis for "Never on Sunday"). It was nominated for the Academy Awards for, respectively, Best Actress in a Leading Role (Melina Mercouri), Best Costume Design, Black-and-White, Best Director (Jules Dassin) and Best Writing, Story and Screenplay as Written Directly for the Screen (Dassin). Mercouri won the award for Best Actress at the 1960 Cannes Film Festival.
Before Midnight: This was recommended for the scenery as the story is set in Greece.
Before Midnight is a 2013 American romantic drama film, the third in a trilogy featuring two characters, following Before Sunrise (1995) and Before Sunset (2004). It was directed by Richard Linklater and stars Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy. The film picks up the story nine years after the events of Before Sunset; Jesse (Hawke) and Céline (Delpy) spend a summer vacation together in Greece.