with a bit of "oomph" thrown in!

If you haven't seen this beautiful, colourful, engulfing film by French director Marcel Camus...well, you should.

It is set in Rio di Janeiro in the mid-1950s. The actors (such as Empressa Dawn or Bruno Melo or Lourdes de Oliveira) are all overwhelmingly pretty people, who give sweet and perfect performances.

The soundtrack is a very groundbreaking and important one! It basically WAS the onset of Bossa Nova breaking into the world music scene! It was introduced to international audiences through Black Orpheus (Orfeu Negro). The two composers, Luis Bonfa and Antonio Carlos Jobim, are very well-known in their circles.

The plot is a modern-day retelling of the tragic Orpheus and Eurydice myth (first noted in ancient Greek writing, I believe).

One of my favourite songs, Manha de Carnaval, is sung by Melo in the first half of the film, and he has a lovely voice.

When people say that "Roman Holiday" or "Casa Blanca" was the quintessential love film, I tell them "No, it was Black Orpheus, hands down!" It's a very lovable movie.

Oh, did I mention it won an Oscar (Best Foreign Film), and the Grand Prize at Cannes?