Theo Angelopoulos as Film Critic

This chapter examines Theo Angelopoulos' work as a film critic, focusing on the ways in which he was invested in cinema — personally, professionally, intellectually and aesthetically — even before stepping into the role of filmmaker. The time frame of Angelopoulos' critical activity is particularly intriguing since the 1960s were the formative years of New Greek Cinema. The chapter considers Angelopoulos' film criticism for the newspaper Democratic Change during the turbulent but creative pre-dictatorship 1960s. It explores unknown aspects of Angelopoulos' cinéphile background and how his criticism relates to his eventual ideas on cinema and filmmaking practices. It also discusses Angelopoulos' introduction of auteur theory in his very first review, how he was influenced by fellow filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard, the importance of form and temporality in his work, his interest in film performance and sound, and his discourse on Greek national cinema.