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6.4/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.4/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Daphnis and Chloe remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Okay, so Daphnis and Chloe. If you're into those old, really old, pastoral romance stories, the kind where everyone's just living off the land and falling in love under a tree, then yeah, give it a shot. It's got a certain quiet charm. But if you're expecting anything fast-paced or, you know, modern in any sense, you're gonna be bored stiff. Like, seriously bored. It's definitely not for everyone. 🤷♀️
The story itself is super simple. Two babies, Daphnis and Chloe, get found by shepherds. Daphnis by Lamonas, who sees him nursing from a goat. Chloe by Dryantas. Both are kinda just... found. Raised as their own. It's all very idyllic, lots of sun-drenched fields and, well, goats. 🐐
What really strikes you, watching this, is how slow everything moves. Not in a bad way, necessarily. It's just the rhythm of it all. You spend a lot of time just watching them tend sheep, wander around, or look thoughtfully at each other. There's this one shot of Chloe (Marika Raftopoulou) just sitting by a stream, dipping her feet in. It goes on for a bit, and you almost feel the water on your own skin. It's quite calming, actually.
The whole "raised by shepherds" thing means they're kinda innocent about, well, everything. Especially love. They're basically kids, figuring stuff out. Giannis Avlonitis as Daphnis and Marika Raftopoulou as Chloe have this really gentle chemistry. It's not flashy. It’s more like two flowers slowly opening next to each other. 🌱
There's a point where they're talking about kissing, and they just don't get it. "What's a kiss?" they wonder, with big, innocent eyes. It’s kinda sweet, kinda funny. You almost want to yell at the screen, "Just try it, kids!" 😂
The film feels very much of its time, whenever that was exactly. The acting, especially from some of the older shepherds, is a bit… theatrical. Like they're on a stage, rather than in a film. You know, big gestures, loud pronouncements. It’s part of the old-school charm, I guess. Evangelos Menexis as Lamonas has some moments where he really leans into that "wise old shepherd" vibe. He delivers lines with gravitas, even if he’s just talking about a lost sheep.
And the landscape itself is a character. All those Greek hills and olive groves. It makes you want to pack a picnic and just sit there for a day. The cinematography, though simple, really captures that feeling of being totally immersed in nature. Sometimes the camera just sits, watching the wind move through the trees. It’s not flashy, but it works. 🌳
One thing that kinda stuck with me was the goats. 🐐 There are so many goats. And they’re just doing their goat thing. Chewing grass, wandering off. They feel totally unbothered by the film crew. It adds this layer of authenticity to the pastoral setting, in a weird way. Like, no one told the goats to hit their marks.
The movie doesn’t really have big dramatic twists. It’s more about the slow, unfolding realization of feelings. And a few misunderstandings, of course. There’s a scene where some pirates show up, which feels a little out of place with the whole gentle vibe. It's a brief burst of tension, then back to the quiet. It’s almost like the film remembered it needed some kind of conflict, even a small one. 🏴☠️
This isn’t a film you watch for plot. You watch it to feel something specific, to transport yourself to a simpler time. It’s like a warm, slightly faded photograph. A bit blurry around the edges sometimes, but still evocative. It's definitely a niche experience. If you like quiet, old-fashioned stories about innocence and nature, you might just find something beautiful here. Otherwise, it might just be a long nap. 😴
IMDb 6.6
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