Sebastiane
Seen it?1976 | 86 min | Drama, History, Thriller
Sunday Safe Betearly ratingWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
It earned strong reviews (86% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had a box office flop. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Tailor-made for anyone who likes to be kept guessing and history buffs. Best on a quiet night when you're in the mood to feel something. Sits nicely alongside Braveheart or The Last of the Mohicans.
- The mood
- Tense.
- The pace
- Gives its people room to develop, at 1 hr 26 min. Short enough for a weeknight.
- What might put you off
- It's in another language, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
- Made in 1976: an older pace and style.
- Not the one if you want explosions or easy laughs.
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.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
86% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesNot counted
Not measured yet: not enough ratings
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Reach & staying powerWeak
Streaming release that reached a small audience so far
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 42K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
More like this
Braveheart
Friday Night FlickAnother much-loved historical drama.
The Last of the Mohicans
Saturday SpecialAnother historical drama, and a Saturday Special.
Titus
Weeknight WatchAnother historical drama, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
Nowhere to Run Weeknight WatchAnother drama, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
The Thin Red Line Friday Night FlickAnother historical drama, and a Friday Night Flick.
Want more like this, picked just for you? Get my picks
Cast & crew
Directed by Derek Jarman, Paul Humfress
- Leonardo TreviglioSebastian
- Barney JamesSeverus
- Neil KennedyMax
- Richard WarwickJustin
- Donald DunhamClaudius
- Ken HicksAdrian
- Janusz RomanovAnthony
- Steffano MassariMarius
- Daevid FinbarJulian
- Gerald IncandelaLeopard Boy