MEDUSA - Thodoros Roubanis - "Kefi" (1973)

Kefi is a difficult word to translate, meaning the spirit of passion, joy, high spirits, or an all fired up frenzy. In Greece, the custom of smashing plates has long been considered an expression of kefi, when the soul and body were so overwhelmed that an outlet for the manic energy was necessary. Consequently, when the music and the booze got them going, the plates starting getting tossed! I don't know what they've been doing in Greece to get rid of that energy since the 1970's, because that's when the custom of throwing plates was banned! Unfortunately, stupid tourists sometimes still think it's a custom and start throwing them anyway. Ironic, since the reason the practice was banned was because of drunken stupid tourists, who didn't know there was an actual art to throwing plates, and a lot of people ended up getting cut or hurt!!

"MEDUSA is a veritable Twisted Cocktail Infernal, and that pretty much explains the whole situation!!

I do believe this early scene when a soused George Hamilton lookin' like The Big E, gets up on the table and starts kicking the dinnerware around as he sings "Brown-eyed Handsome Man" was meant to be some tongue in cheek Kefi!! This version is not bad, but nowhere near as good as Scotty McKay's in "The Black Cat"!!!

Later on, at another performance in the club, the dishes start flying again. Maybe it was the kitchen help that came up with the idea of throwing plates, so they wouldn't have to wash them all!!!

Here's a big shout-out to our all our Rhodian readers!!! Thanx!!

The music for "Medusa" was composed by Thodoros Roubanis, who also produced and co-starred in the film. The theme song was sung by Dody Asteriadou, with lyrics by Dimitri Iatropoulos and Panos Apostolides. The film also featured Dungeon stalwart Cameron Mitchell, and George Hamilton's wife, Alana Stewart who was also married to Rod and mothered Kimberly Stewart and Ashley Hamilton! Whoo!!!