Educational Media Reviews Online

This short video puts a new spin on the classic Greek myth of Oedipus, the mythical king of Thebes, who unknowingly killed his father and married his mother. Performed by a cast of vegetables with a potato in the role of Oedipus, this nontraditional retelling is both hilarious and surprisingly striking in the level of attention given to the set design, costuming, and artistic direction. Filmed in stop- motion animation, this independent film took the director and his crew over a year to complete, and it is highly polished in its execution.

This vegetal retelling deviates from the classic myth on several plot points. One example: Oedipus’ mother, Jocasta, who is played by a tomato, apparently has a side job as a lounge singer when she’s not busy being Queen of Thebes. Additionally, Oedipus hooks-up with his mom at the aforementioned lounge, where Billy Dee Williams works as the bartender. Sexy, potato-on-tomato action ensues. There is no Sphinx and no riddle in this story, but the blind seer Teresias does make his appearance, Jocasta commits suicide, and Oedipus dramatically gouges out his many potato eyes. This film is clever, funny and educational, and will definitely engage students. For more information on the film and its creation, visit the Oedipus web site.