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Il Decameron (The Decameron) (1970)

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Average Rating: 7.1/10
Reviews Counted: 11
Fresh: 10 | Rotten: 1

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Average Rating: N/A
Critic Reviews: 2
Fresh: 2 | Rotten: 0

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Average Rating: 3.7/5
User Ratings: 3,023

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Movie Info

The Decameron was the first of director Pier Paolo Pasolini's "trilogy of life." The film, based on the sexually supercharged tales of Boccaccio, is a patchwork of many of Pasolini's favorite themes. Pasolini himself plays the role of an aspiring fresco painter who is advised that his completed work will never be as satisfying as his dream of that work. The film is followed by Pasolini's The Canterbury Tales and The Arabian Nights. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

R, 1 hr. 47 min.

Drama, Romance, Art House & International, Comedy

Directed By: Pier Paolo Pasolini

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1970 Wide

On DVD: Jun 4, 2009

Cast

Critic Reviews for Il Decameron (The Decameron)

All Critics (11) | Top Critics (2) | Fresh (10) | Rotten (1) | DVD (2)

Marvelous.

May 9, 2005 Full Review Source: New York Times

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Vincent Canby

New York Times

Top Critic

Working with an Italian classic, he seems less inclined to transform his material, though what emerges is entertaining, if only in a mild way.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader

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Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

Top Critic

Those with gentle sensibilities and who regard nuns as sacred should avoid this film.

June 5, 2009 Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile

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Andrew L. Urban

Urban Cinefile

Pasolini departed further from the spare Neorealism of his early career and hit upon a formula that won him unanticipated commercial success.

October 23, 2007 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide

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TV Guide's Movie Guide

The sight of the endless assembly of seemingly toothless proles Pasolini picked up as extras can be a bit intimidating.

January 26, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out

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Time Out

Pasolini questions his own dream, his idealization of this beautiful, bucolic world he has created in which peasant and artist and the Virgin Mary coexist in divine harmony.

April 20, 2004 Full Review Source: Not Coming to a Theater Near You

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Leo Goldsmith

Not Coming to a Theater Near You

down to earth indictment of human folly well worth checking out

August 5, 2003 Full Review Source: Old School Reviews

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John A. Nesbit

Old School Reviews Source: Old School Reviews

It's par for the course with this kind of film that it doesn't all work, but it's continually fascinating.

May 24, 2003 Full Review Source: Film4

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Film4

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Audience Reviews for Il Decameron (The Decameron)

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Earthy, vibrant adaptation of eight stories from the fourteenth-century work by Boccaccio. Probably Pier Paolo Pasolini's most purely enjoyable film with comedy and little erotic.

June 20, 2010

Dean McKenna

Super Reviewer

he unapologetic choice of ancient, crumbling and dirty locations, coupled with the choice of "real-looking" actors devoid of manufactured graces made this film feel right. 14th century Italy surely was as full of natural humour, even in close proximity to death, as this film makes out. Casual sex in spite of the threat

December 18, 2009