Review of Satyricon (1969) by Doctor S — 25 Jun 2009
TCM's Robert Osborne introduced this by saying, "There has never been a film like it before, or since." I suppose that's true - 'Satyricon' is less interested in telling a story than setting up lavish, twisted scenes of debauchery and gluttony.
The budget must've been huge for the time, some stunning compositions, sets, costumes, and cast of thousands...well, hundreds anyway. Fellini makes some biting points about art vs. commerce and the downfall of culture within a self-destructive society of consumption and excess.
However he's more interested in staging his surrealistic set-pieces, so the social commentary gets a little lost within his 2:15 overindulgence. The "incomplete" ending, just like in Petronius' writings and broken mosaics on palace walls, is brilliant though.
An eyeful of a curio which is probably worth watching once for those intrigued.
This review of Satyricon (1969) was written by Doctor S on 25 Jun 2009.
Satyricon has generally received positive reviews.
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