"The Return of the Magus"

A new documentary on John Fowles' relationship with Greece and its impact on his writing of The Magus

In 1998, John Fowles returned (after 45 years) to Greece and the island that serves as the backdrop for The Magus. This one-hour documentary follows his journey to the locations that inspired his magnificent novel. Highlights include:

Fowles traveling by boat to the island of Spetses, intercut with narrated quotes from The Magus.
His exploration of the now-deserted boarding school where he (and Nicholas) taught.
A visit to the villa "Jasmin," the model for Conchis' estate "Bourani" in The Magus (with more narration from the book).
Fowles visits with Lilette Botassi, granddaughter of the man who first received Fowles--then a young teacher--at the villa in 1952. This man was in part the model for Conchis.
A visit to a local museum, where Fowles discusses the violent history of Greece and reads a poem he wrote inspired by the beauty and peace of the island.
Fowles travels on to the ruined city of Monemvasia, where he dramatically re-enacts the scene where Nicholas awakens after the trial and must choose between life or death at the top of the ruins.

This documentary does a wonderful job of capturing Fowles' love of Greece, and providing insight into his writing of The Magus. It is available outside of Greece exclusively on this site, as an NTSC (North American format) or PAL (European format) DVD. Cost is $60.00 plus $4.00 priority shipping ($9.00 global priority outside the U.S.).

To order, please e-mail us at magusbooks@hotmail.com.

To check on the availability of film adaptations of Fowles novels on DVD or video, click here.

Home