Opa! : Greek music in film and series (part 1)

source

Zorba the Greek (1964) by Michalis Kakoyanis

Basil (Alan Bates) asks his employee, Zorba (Anthony Quinn) to teach him to dance. And with the help of Mikis Theodorakis' music, syrtaki goes all around the world.The rythm starts slowly, the volume is constantly increasing, reaching a crescendo from the bouzouki.

Lock, stock and two smoking barrels (1998) by Guy Ritchie

Mikis Theodorakis' Syrtaki is heard, also, in another movie. English director, Guy Ritchie, incorporates the dizzying rhythm of Zorba, as the mayhem unfolds around the heroes of the film. The rhythm is in perfect harmony with all the shooting.

Casa de Papel (Season 1, Episode 9)

The song that attracted our attention and sang through out the world was undoubtedly, Bella Ciao. But then, in a scene of the same episode, there was this greek syrtaki playing in the background. Not the known one from Theodorakis, but Corfu from Eric Gemsu.

Soul Kitchen (2009) by Fatih akin

Not an original, but a release from the famous Greek group Locomondo, fragkosyriani of the "rebetis" Markos VAmvakaris is heard in the film, given the appropiate mixture of tradition and modernity.

Exorsist (1973) by William Friedkin

Lastly, one of my favourite. In the film Exorsist, Father Karras' mother, a Greek immigrant, listens to a known greek song "Istoria mou, amartia mou" (that could be translated as "My history, my sin"). But this song has some much story behind it that I need another post to explain.

Thanks for reading. Part two is coming...