Sebastiane (1976)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Directors:

Paul Humfress
Derek Jarman

Writers:

Paul Humfress (writer)
Derek Jarman (writer)

Release Date:

16 October 2008 (Germany)

Genre:

Drama | History | Thriller

Plot:

300 A.D. : the Roman Sebastianus is exiled to a remote outpost populated exclusively by men. Weakened by their desires...

Plot Keywords:

Homosexual | Mysticism | Scene Based On Painting | Homosexual Love | Shirtless Male Bondage

Cast

Barney James	...	Severus
Neil Kennedy	...	Maximus
Leonardo Treviglio	...	Sebastiane
Richard Warwick	...	Justin
Donald Dunham	...	Claudius
Daevid Finbar	...	Julian
Ken Hicks	...	Adrian
Lindsay Kemp	...	Dancer
Steffano Massari	...	Marius
Janusz Romanov	...	Anthony
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Peter Hinwood	...	Emperor's guest
Gerald Incandela	...	Leopard Boy
Jordan	...	Emperor's guest
Robert Medley	...	Emperor Diocletian
Philip Sayer	...	Emperor's guest

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

UK

Language:

Latin

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:R | Hong Kong:III | New Zealand:R18 | UK:18 | USA:X

Filming Locations:

Cala Domestica, Sardinia, Italy

Company:

Cinegate Ltd.

Trivia:

The nearest town to the Sardinian filming location is called Buggerru.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In one scene, the soldiers are seen playing with a modern Frisbee, the logo can even be seen as one of the soldiers catches it.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Post Cards from America (1994)

Derek Jarman's lovingly erotic & humanist vision of St Sebastian

I first saw this when it came out in 1976 & had almost forgotten it. Derek Jarman's first feature film & one of his superlative creations. Intensly erotic and shot with loving attention to the beauty of the male body. The seemingly endless stretches of white sand create an idyllic & almost dreamlike atmosphere. However it also acts as a stark backdrop, that forces our attention onto the only too realistic actions & emotions of this isolated group of soldiers.

The characters are complex and cannot be just categorised into "good" & "evil". Even Severus has repressions which have festered into hatred by being internalised. Saint Sebastian shines on his journey towards piety & to the iconic image of his body pierced with arrows. But Jarman always retains the realistic humanity of this playful, loving and courageous character.

Don't want to harp on the bodies beautiful, but as a general comment it is a rarity to be able to enjoy the male nude. Male film-goers are oversupplied with boobs, bottoms & pubes, while women (half of humanity) usually have to make do with "tastefully posed" shots. Thank God for directors like Derek Jarman, Ken Russell, Pasolini, Fellini & most European film-makers who don't believe the audience will be struck dead if they see a penis.