Watch out! Because you never know when a 100 foot tall Anita Ekberg will appear, wandering the streets of your hometown, ready to have some “fun”! Boccaccio ’70 is by far one of the most unique films to watch in modern history, from format to execution. Done in the style of an anthology, there are four separate episodes, each one by a different legendary director.
Boccaccio ’70 was produced by Carlo Ponti and directed by Mario Monicelli, Federico Fellini, Luchino Visconti and Vittorio De Sica, all spun from an idea by Cesare Zavattini. Those names alone are some of the iconic in canon of Italian neorealism and the women starring in each film are just as, if not more, noteworthy: Sophia Loren, Anita Ekberg, Romy Schneider.
The entire anthology is worth watching, but Le Tentazioni del Dottor Antonio by Federico Fellini holds a special place in our hearts. Each episode riffs on love, modernity and humanity, in the style of (who else?) Giovanni Boccaccio – the 14th century writer, poet, and Renaissance figure.
What I love about Le Tentazioni del Dottor Antonio is that it often gets forgotten or overlooked in the vast world of Fellini’s work. But since it’s a short film, it’s actually a lot easier to digest and sit down and watch than many of his feature length films – and it contains all the same qualities that make a Fellini film what it is (humor, irony, surrealism, whimsy).
Below, catch a glimpse of the abridged English trailer, and Le Tentazioni del Dottor Antonio.
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