Not Only 'The Odyssey' and 'Troy': 8 Lesser-Known Movies Inspired by Greek Myths

Christopher Nolan's highly anticipated The Odyssey has taken over the big screen and the hearts of viewers. Though the film initially received critical acclaim, it won't simply sink.

Ancient myths and legends, like Theseus' ship, have been transforming for thousands of years, migrating from art to art and sometimes taking on unrecognizable forms.

1. 'La Chimera', 2023

IMDb Score: 7.3/10

After being released from prison, archaeologist Arthur boards a train to Italy, where he had previously conducted illegal excavations. He has the ability to sense empty spaces underground and reunites with his old gang of looters.

However, Arthur isn't searching for ancient artifacts, he's searching for a passage to the afterlife in the illusory hope of finding his lost lover.

The story of Orpheus and Eurydice runs through Alice Rohrwacher's La Chimera. One of the most tragic myths is a perfect fit for the director's style – her world of magical realism, full of warm, albeit elusive, emotions.

2. 'Ex Machina', 2014

IMDb Score: 7.7/10

The myth of the sculptor Pygmalion and his beloved Galatea has evolved in a manner no less graceful than Galatea herself, who was brought to life from a statue. The story was about an artist who was faithful to his craft and his reverence for the gods. The gods then breathed life into his creation.

However, when Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein, this image became the flip side of the coin. The novel depicted an irresponsible creator who, horrified by his creation, rejected it, thereby turning it into a monster.

Alex Garland made his directorial debut with Ex Machina, a sci-fi thriller in which two very different Pygmalions attempt to reshape the fate of a single Galatea. In this story, the creation is Ava, an android girl created by the eccentric genius Nathan.

3. 'The Lighthouse', 2019

IMDb Score: 7.4/10

Somewhere off the coast of New England in the 1890s. A man named Ephraim arrives on a remote island to work as the new assistant to the lighthouse keeper, Thomas, who is a heavy drinker. Thomas treats his subordinate like a personal slave, forbidding him from climbing the lighthouse and operating the light.

Haunted by his past and initially abstaining from alcohol, Ephraim increasingly turns to the bottle. Soon, all sorts of evil things begin to happen on the rocky island, whether he imagines them or not.

In addition to the story of the fire hunt, which is about both Prometheus and Icarus flying toward the sun, there are many sailor's legends, Freudian symbols, and Lovecraftian horror motifs.

4. 'The Killing of a Sacred Deer', 2017

IMDb Score: 7.0/10

Cardiac surgeon Steven's workdays and family life are interspersed with uncomfortable scenes of his interactions with 16-year-old Martin. Several years ago, Martin's father died on Steven's operating table.

Now, this young man informs Stephen that fate demands payment for an unforgivable mistake.

Yorgos Lanthimos turns to the ancient tragedy Iphigenia in Aulis. The title The Killing of a Sacred Deer alludes to Agamemnon's blasphemous crime, for which he was forced to sacrifice his daughter to the enraged goddess Artemis.

5. 'Incendies', 2010

IMDb Score: 8.3/10

After their mother, Nawal, dies, her twins, Jeanne and Simon, discover that she had hidden a lot from them. Along with her will, she left two letters. The first letter is addressed to their father, whom the twins believed to be dead.

The second letter is addressed to their brother, whose existence they were unaware of. Now, the twins, who grew up in Canada, must travel to a Middle Eastern country to learn about their roots and discover revelations about their mother's past.

Denis Villeneuve's movie is inspired by a specific myth, but naming it would be an unforgivable spoiler. It's important to note that, like most Greek tragedies, the film inexorably pushes its characters toward a collision with the predestined.

6. 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?', 2000

IMDb Score: 7.7/10

In 1937, three escaped convicts, Everett, Pete, and Delmar, are hiding in the fields and swamps of Mississippi. Somewhere on the other side of the state, they discover a treasure that will enable them to start their lives over.

During their journey, they encounter a blind seer on a handcar, are beaten by a one-eyed man, and are enchanted by the songs of river washerwomen – and also encounter a host of other references to The Odyssey.

The Coens never read The Odyssey but were inspired by its cultural references. This does not make the movie any less faithful to the original's ideas – it simply proves the resilience of the archetypal myth of the return home.

7. 'Oldboy', 2003

IMDb Score: 8.3/10

Oh Dae-su, a heavily intoxicated businessman, is kidnapped and locked in a cramped room for 15 years. He manages to hold onto his sanity by watching television and practicing martial arts against a wall.

When he is suddenly released, Dae-su has only one goal in life: to find his kidnapper and take revenge.

Anyone who has seen Oldboy knows that director Park Chan-wook was inspired by the Oedipus tragedy – hence his choice of a resonant name for the protagonist.

8. 'The Neon Demon', 2016

IMDb Score: 6.1/10

16-year-old Jesse moves to Los Angeles, hoping to conquer the modeling industry. The results exceeded all expectations – the industry discovers a true standard of natural, untouched beauty.

Caught up in the hands of renowned fashion designers and photographers, Jesse climbs closer and closer to the top. At the same time, however, she increasingly catches the gaze of an animalistic hunger.

With The Neon Demon, Nicolas Winding Refn created a modern retelling of the Narcissus myth. The handsome young man mesmerized by his own reflection is reborn as the story of a beautiful woman obsessed with universal attention.