de&gr: Zorba The Greek - Follow Up Post after watching the movie

This is a follow up to a review of the book I did a few days back (here is the wiki entry for the book).

Chris and I watched the movie Zorba The Greek this weekend and I have a handful of observations and interesting findings worth mentioning.

First off, to our suprise we observed one of our favorite beaches near the begining of the film. When the narrator and Zorba travel from the small village to the mine they  walk along a picturesque natural harbor containing an island. 

Chris and I immediately recognized the island and proceeded to watch the whole scene to soak in the details. Of course in the movie there are no buildings, but the said island with its two square concrete slabs (guessing they were left over from WWII) were unmistakable.

You can get a view of the harbour on "My Map" below. You'll likely have to zoom in and then click on the renamed "Zorba Beach" link. A cool discovery none the less..

View Larger Map

A little research using the wiki page for the movie I also realized the final scene of the movie takes place just north of that at a beach called Stravros.

So now on to a continuation of my review and criticism.

Given all the love for the movie about Zorba I was convinced that the film would be substantially more upbeat then the novel. Folks have so much admiration for his character that I was certainly it would diverge from the novel (which as said I read as pretty depressing).

To my suprise the movie was as depressing (and in some cases more depressing) as the book. Anthony Quinn is definitely amazing but amazing for the complexity he brings to Zorba - the manic-depressive of his character. Zorba is the only character to do anything of honor, but even these couple scenes seem overwhelmed by the society around him. The movie wallows in the bleakness of society (especially its treatment of widows).

The narrator's switch to a British character from a Cretan doesn't do anything on improving this character as he seems even more spineless in this incarnation then what was in the book. His writings which give him some drive in the book barely arise to a noticeable level in the movie. "Dandy" came to mind a number of times.

Though I enjoyed the use of locals as extras in the movie their portrait seems harsher then the movie as I couldn't find any humanity in the mob what so ever. The roll of the monks was noticeably less in the movie which was disappointing as the religious commentary was some of the most interesting in the book.

This is certainly a contrary view but I'm quite convinced that peoples reading of both the book and the movie  is very selective. Only seeing the highs of Zorba misses a lot of what is dark in the movie and the book.

The close with only Zorba and the Brit dancing together as if narrator has finally welcomed in the absurd seems just that "absurd."