Modern cinema and mythology: traces of Greek Mythology in Angelopoulos' Cinema

Mythology is not only one of the oldest disciplines of history, but it also maintains the unconscious presence of mankind today. While myths and legends have influenced the life of the each individuals and the society throughout history, they have managed to reach today by influencing art. It is possible to find the foundations of narrative structures that have become traditions of art for centuries in myths. The cinema, which emerged at the end of the nineteenth century, is seen as the newest art form. The cinema, which was seen only as a mass entertainment instrument in its early years, established its narrative tradition on the basis of the Aristotelian narrative structure based on myths and epics, following the discovery of its own narrative possibilities. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the influence of the modern movements in other arts branches was reflected in the cinema after a while, and modern cinema emerged with the abandonment of traditional narration techniques, especially in the sprouting streams in Europe. Theodoros Angelopoulos, one of the first directors to come to mind when it comes to Greek cinema, is known as one of the latest modernist directors, although he started his directing career when the modern cinema trends ended. Myths based on traditional narrative is one of the main elements in Angelopoulos' cinematic style. In this study, that will be examined; how Angelopoulos, who skillfully uses modern cinematic techniques, brings his nation's myths together with modern techniques, and how the mythical elements of his films have transformed in this context.