How controversial was this film when it came out? I just remember that that was the time when movies such as MIDNIGHT COWBOY and THE DAMNED were given X ratings. I was a bit surprised, considering the time, that this managed an R, especially with all of the homosexuality which might have driven a few people back then crazy.
shareI saw the movie when it came out and I was sixteen at the time. It was only shown at an "art" theatre on South Street in Philadelphia. I don't remember being asked to show ID at the box office but I looked older at the time.
It was the same place I saw Costa-Gravas' 'Z', Visconti's Death in Venice and John Waters' Pink Flamingos. The theatre catered primarily to students and those who thought they were sophisticated. You know the type: Insufferably smug and pretentious.
Things haven't changed all that much in 42 years.
I remember when this came out and there was a big media blitz. Life had a large article praising the movie. I never remember anyone mentioning the homosexual overtones at all which surprised me at the time. Since anything "gay" was verboten at the time, and the predominance of homosexuality in the film it is still a mystery. Perhaps the media was such in awe of Fellini that they refused to mention it. You still don't hear much talk about it today.
shareIt most likely wasn't discussed because of the source material.
In Ancient Roman culture there was no concept of homosexuality and heterosexuality. It was perfectly normal for free Roman men to have both male and female paramours. Their sexuality was quite different.
I saw it in a non-art house theater in San Antonio when it came out. Don't remember any buzz about it but I don't remember if it was censored as it might well have been. It had been the practice of Euro films bound for the US to have sexy scenes shot 2 ways with the USA version with more clothes. I think And God Created Woman broke that barrier and created a sensation and that was 1956 so by '69 things had loosened up quite a bit here. But then Bernardo Bertolucci's Luna had a few minutes cut out on all the issues I could find even the Japanese and I was told by a UK resident that the missing film was shown in a Channel 4 showing. so it's really hard to know what's cut and what's not.
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