JOURNAL ARTICLE

The costumes of an archaic dream: Pasolini, Danilo Donati and Oedipus the King (1967).

  • Published In: Journal of Italian Cinema & Media Studies, 2025, v. 13, n. 1/2. P. 163 1 of 3

  • Database: Film & Television Literature Index with Full Text 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Chiesi, Roberto 3 of 3

Abstract

This article focuses on the collaboration between filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini and costume designer Danilo Donati in the 1967 film *Oedipus the King*. Pasolini sought to create an "indistinct barbaric" aesthetic by blending elements from Persian, Sumerian, Aztec, and African art, following his "method of contamination" to evoke a dream-like, archaic atmosphere rather than a historically accurate ancient Greece. Donati crafted costumes from humble, hand-sewn materials such as feathers, copper, and straw, designed to appear artisanal and physically burdensome, reinforcing the film's existential themes through corporeality. The use of oversized headdresses and African masks contributed to the film's surreal and symbolic visual language, emphasizing the mythic and hallucinatory dimensions of the narrative.

Additional Information

  • Source:Journal of Italian Cinema & Media Studies. 2025/01, Vol. 13, Issue 1/2, p163
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Health and Medicine
  • Publication Date:2025
  • ISSN:2047-7368
  • DOI:10.1386/jicms_00257_7
  • Accession Number:182796583
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Journal of Italian Cinema & Media Studies is the property of Intellect Ltd. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Looking to go deeper into this topic? Look for more articles on EBSCOhost.