Sebastiane 1976

6.7 / 10   70 vote(s)
Drama

Rome, AD 303. Emperor Diocletian demotes his favourite, Sebastian, from captain of the palace guard to the rank of common soldier and banishes him to a remote coastal outpost where his fellow soldiers, weakened by their desires, turn to homosexual activities to satisfy their needs. Sebastian becomes the target of lust for the officer Severus, but repeatedly rejects the man's advances. Castigated for his Christian faith, he is tortured, humiliated and ultimately killed.

Release Date 1976-12-17
Runtime 1h 26m
Directors Paul Humfress, Derek Jarman, Peter Middleton, Guy Ford
Producers Howard Malin, James Whaley
Writers James Whaley, Derek Jarman, Paul Humfress

There is something quite sensuous about this rather vulgar, raucous and unsubtle take on the martyrdom of St Sebastian. When there is any dialogue, it is in Latin which somehow adds to the mystery of the story. It's not anywhere near as graphic as you might expect, nor the sado-masechism as prevalent. It does border, frequently, on the comedic, though - perhaps not an effect Derek Jarman was seeking. Who plays whom in the film is academic, it is all about imagery and just about works at that.

CinemaSerf