Storyline
CREMASTER 5 is a five-act opera (sung in Hungarian) set in late-ninteenth century Budapest. The last film in the series, it represents the moment when the testicles are finally released and sexual differentiation is fully attained. The lamenting tone of the opera suggests that Barney invisions this as a moment of tragedy and loss. The primary character is the Queen of Chain (played by Ursula Andress). Barney, himself, plays three characters who appear in the mind of the Queen: her Diva, Magician, and Giant. The Magician is a stand-in for Harry Houdini, who was born in Budapest in 1874 and appears as a recurring character in the Cremaster cycle.
Cast & Crew
Ursula Andress
Queen of Chain
Lead
Matthew Barney
Diva / Giant / Magician
JR
Joanne Rha
Queen's Usher / Fudor Sprite
SR
Susan Rha
Queen's Usher / Fudor Sprite
AC
Amy Chiang
Fudor Sprite
MC
Mei-Chiao Chiu
Fudor Sprite
MI
Michelle Ingkavet
Fudor Sprite
YH
Yoko Hyun
Fudor Sprite (as Yoko Kuroiwa)
What People Are Saying
3.0
“A staggering achievement of craft and ambition. Matthew Barney's vision lands with breathtaking precision.”
3.0
“Every frame feels alive. Cremaster 5 is the rare release that takes its audience seriously.”
