André Dussollier
Narrator (voice)
Series
Watch The Owl's Legacy (1989) Online
9.05 votes198926mEndedDocumentary
Synopsis
A 13-part documentary series by Chris Marker examining how ancient Greek ideas continue to shape modern Western thought. Each episode centers on a single Greek word—such as “democracy,” “philosophy,” or “mythology”—through conversations filmed in cities around the world. Combining symposium-style discussions with archival footage and visual motifs of the owl, Marker creates an expansive reflection on the enduring legacy of Greece.
Episodes
Miniseries
PreviousNext
- 1. Symposium, or the Received IdeasNow viewing1989-06-1226mIn Paris, Tbilisi, Athens and Berkeley historians have played with reconstitutions of the "symposium" - the Greek banquet - around tables laden with food and wine.
- 2. Olympics, or the Imaginary Greece1989-06-1326m8.0Greece's inheritance was recomposed in contemporary mythology. This sometimes led to terrible misappropriations for the benefit of totalitarian ideologies - of which Nazism was born.
- 3. Democracy, or the City of Dreams1989-06-1426m8.0What exactly does the word mean “democracy” mean? Does it designates the ancient city-state or our contemporary political systems? What are the analogies or, on the contrary, the radical differences between realities separated by more than twenty centuries? Are certain functions suitable for all civilizations? Τhe third episode of Chris Marker’s legendary documentary series – which first aired on British state television in 1991 but remained in the dark for decades – returns to classical antiquity to make a bold parallel, familiarizing 21st-century audiences with a concept of the commons that seems primordial yet innovative, reinventing itself in every single manifestation.
- 4. Nostalgia, or the Impossible Return1989-06-1526mIthaca is the iconic distant home that no one should forget: such would be the universal lesson of Homer's Odyssey.
- 5. Amnesia, or the Sense of History1989-06-1626m8.0Built on the testimony or "autopsy" - which literally means "seeing oneself" - our conception of History has deeply shifted since Herodotus.
- 6. Mathematics, or the Realm of Signs1989-06-1926mThe geometrical space and the mathematical language constitute a universal legacy the Greeks have bequeathed us with. How do we articulate its perfect logic to the complexity of contemporary sciences?
- 7. Logomachy, or the Root of Words1989-06-2026mAll the meanings of "logos" originated from a small territory between Ephesus and Patmos. According to Aristotle the human animal fights with a specific weapon: speech... Logos' destiny would it be the "logomachy"? The fight over words.
- 8. Music, or the Inner Space1989-06-2126mA cross between imitation and creation, the search for the beautiful and harmonious animates the artists' personal quests - including with cutting-edge technology - as well as it serves great collective schemes - religions in particular.
- 9. Cosmogony, or the Use of the World1989-06-2226mThis reflection over creation - divine cosmogony and man's creativity - takes us from the Greek statuary art to the Acropolis' Korai on show in Tokyo. This takes us on towards the Gorgon - a mirror of death.
- 10. Mythology, or the Truth of Lies1989-06-2326mThere are a set of myths to which we constantly refer ourselves. We will question their genesis, their place in psyche, their transmission, their nature.
- 11. Misogyny, or Desire's Traps1989-06-2626mThe Greek conception of sexuality was very different from ours. What did the Greek think of desire in a world where heterosexuality and homosexuality - far from being opposites - were models of existence that were different but compatible?
- 12. Tragedy, or the Illusion of Death1989-06-2726mThe great figures borne out of Greek tragedies help us fathom the founding mechanisms of human practices - all the way to a society like Japan, that is so apparently far from ours.
- 13. Philosophy, or the Owl's Triumph1989-06-2826mAround the metaphorical - but also very real - figure of the owl; entwined reflections upon the place of thought in daily existence and public action - sometimes with and sometimes against the Greek legacy.
Cast
Top Billed Cast
Availability
Where To Watch Legally
Buy
Amazon VideoStreaming availability data provided by JustWatch.
Recommended
More Like This
SeriesHorizon
7.41964
SeriesThe Circus
6.42016
SeriesEarth at Night in Colour
8.22020
SeriesHistory 101
7.12020
SeriesThe Reluctant Traveller with Eugene Levy
7.42023
SeriesVisible: Out on Television
6.72020
SeriesAmerican Experience
6.51988
SeriesThe Idaho Murders: College Nightmare
6.72026
SeriesHow Do They Do It?
7.52006
SeriesMysteries at the Museum
8.82010
SeriesMind Field
8.22017
SeriesBaseball
7.51994
SeriesPlanet Earth III
8.62023
SeriesBiography
6.71987
SeriesSeven Worlds, One Planet
8.52019
SeriesNature
7.91982
SeriesPrehistoric Planet
8.32022
SeriesAmerican Masters
7.01986
SeriesThe World According to Jeff Goldblum
6.62019
SeriesLove Has Won: The Cult of Mother God
6.92023
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Owl's Legacy available to watch online?
Yes - see the "Where to watch legally" section on this page for streaming, rental and purchase options.
How many seasons does The Owl's Legacy have?
The Owl's Legacy has 1 season and 13 episodes.
When did The Owl's Legacy first air?
The Owl's Legacy first aired in 1989.
Is The Owl's Legacy still running?
The Owl's Legacy's status on TMDB is: Ended.
What genre is The Owl's Legacy?
The Owl's Legacy is classified as Documentary.