Good actors but the script based on Petronius' writings is ambitious but flawed. Petronius' own writings is partially lost. Fellini tries to connect the surviving tales and loses credibility while trying to connect the surviving fragments. The highlights: the short but evocative performance of Lucia Bose as a slave owner who frees her slaves and commits suicide with her husband who are facing bad days ahead, The others are Capucine and Magali Noel (a Fellini regular) who have a commanding screen presence in their brief roles.

The visuals are very good, considering that this movie was made in the sixties. But I gotta say, it's just too much, it tries to be different, but it gets boring very easily. I got bored and looked to see how much of the movie was left, and it was 40 minutes, and those went by pretty slowly...

My favorite chapter was the "fire from her loins" , right near the end. The giant fish walking along the river banks was pretty cool too. The Satyricon by Fellini is a mix of history ( based on Petronius' fragmented, partial work) and an artistic, impressionist work. Lots of topless women running, jumping, standing, walking. Our hero Encolpio, (Martin Potter, a Brit) tells his young lover to choose between him and Ascilto, and when he does, Encolpio sets off on a series of adventures. Very artsy, wacky, silly make-up. Through-out the story, Encoplio runs into both the young lover and Ascilto (Hiram Keller, American, died quite young.), as well as casts of thousands in his adventures. This seems to be a whole lot of Roman history, mixed in with free interpretation by Fellini. Will definitely have to watch this one with the "commentary" turned on next time; may give some insight as to what's really going on. Make up a big bowl of popcorn, because this is over two hours, and covers a lot of ground. Capucine, the French actress is in here... she was big in Hollywood in the 1960s. Fellini was nominated for an Oscar twelve times, and finally won an achievement award in 1993, which also happens to be the year he died. Quite entertaining, if you have the patience. The fact that things are not always spelled out, and it IS artsy-fartsy, will turn off a lot of people.

I'm a fan of Fellini and usually can accept his indulgence and laziness, but this is a step too far. There are some positives to what is essentially an episodic, fantastical and depraved journey across imperial Rome. For example, it looks fantastic and there are genuine moments of beauty, particularly during the opening scenes within Fellini's hellish, claustrophobic, labyrinthine Rome. However, it is ultimately incredibly boring. Appalling characterisation, acting woeful (and embarrassing dubbing throughout) and the storyline nonsensical. With La Dolce Vita, or La Strada, there is enough brilliance to gloss over Fellini's self indulgence. Here, however, it is in the open. The traditional manic laughing characters and overall melodrama become annoying beyond belief, whereas usually I find them charming. Technically, it also has flaws. The editing only adds more confusion to the film's hectic narrative. It's a vision of a nightmare and somewhere in this mess there lies a haunting masterpiece.