Federico Fellini as a director had two periods in his career. His early work takes a neo-realistic approach while his later work is absurdist and surreal. His film 8 1/2 is the bridging film in his resume that makes the shift from realism to surrealism. SATYRICON definitely falls into the latter category.
Part historical drama, part modern social satire, the film follows two students Encolpio (Martin Potter, NICHOLAS AND ALEXANDRA) and Ascilto (Hiram Keller) as they stumble through 25 distinct adventures in ancient Rome. We first meet them as they are fighting over the affections of the boy Gitone (Max Born, only screen performance). Throughout the film, Encolpio finds himself at an orgy-like party, sold as a slave, married off to a gladiator, taken prisoner, having a three-some with a slave girl, enlisted in the army that leads to meeting a nymphomaniac in the desert, kidnapping an albino hermaphrodite healer, committing murder, facing a minotaur, being forced to impregnate a queen, visiting a witch and partaking in a very strange last request.
With each episode, Encolpio seems to lose more and more of his humanity. The Roman world that Fellini creates is like a strange nightmare of gluttony, sex, violence, depravity, deformation and cluelessness. The parallels to modern society are unmistakable and probably more accurate today than in 1969 when the film was made. Fellini laments the lack of art in society and the way artists are disregarded. He looks at the corruptibility of power and money even with the most noble of souls.
Though the production is lively, the mood is somber and disturbing. It’s not the most positive view of the world. The open-ended conclusion is a straight comment on the way the world heedlessly moves on without taking any responsibility for its actions. The visuals are spectacular and will not be easily forgotten. The film is meant to provoke thought and it most certainly does. Fellini brilliantly uses shock for a purpose here, which a few modern filmmakers should take notes from. It’s a testament to Fellini’s talent that this film is still provocative more than 35 years later.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
