Herostratus (film)

Herostratus is a 1967 British experimental film directed by Don Levy. The film explores themes of commercialism, self-destruction, and the nature of notoriety and fame in a media-saturated society.

The plot centers on Max, a poet, who hires a PR firm to orchestrate his own public suicide as a means of achieving lasting fame. The firm, led by Polen, agrees, seeing it as a groundbreaking marketing opportunity. Max demands that his suicide be televised and commercially sponsored. The film then follows the unfolding events and the complex relationships that develop between Max, Polen, and other individuals involved in the elaborate publicity campaign.

Through its fragmented narrative, surreal imagery, and use of multiple perspectives, Herostratus critiques the manipulative power of advertising and the desire for celebrity at any cost. The film takes its name from Herostratus, an ancient Greek who destroyed the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus to achieve notoriety.

The film stars Michael Gothard as Max, Helen Mirren as Advert, and Peter Bland as Polen. Herostratus is known for its distinctive visual style and its challenging, thought-provoking themes, and is considered a cult classic of British cinema. It received critical acclaim for its originality and its prescient exploration of media manipulation and the commodification of death.