Solemplex To me, this movie is perfection.

CrawlerChunky In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

Humbersi The first must-see film of the year.

Kayden This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

indy-39 Specifically for film lovers,like myself, who only ever got to watch this collection (minus the first segment) on late-late night commercial TV- run out and get a copy of this remastered version. To watch this as it was originally intended- the work of some of Italy's finest directors- is a joy. As for which segment is the best... it's hard to say...Fellini's segment is better than I remembered it...and who could ever forget Anita Ekberg...in truth I have a fondness for all these Italian films I saw in my youth that makes objectivity hard.P.S.: Of course, the same must be said for Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow-also reissued- I nearly cried at how good the print was.

MartinHafer I assume the title "BOCCACCIO '70" was picked as a reference to the famous Renaissance work THE DECAMERON, though instead of ten stories, this film is made up of only 4 (3 in the international release). Why "'70"? Perhaps it was meant as a film for the 70s and a new era of sensual films--I don't know. Regardless, it debuted in 1962, so I am confused about the title.The first film (the one that was dropped when released internationally) is a pretty cute little film about a couple whose experiences as newlyweds are just awful. The segment is directed by Monicelli and I heard it was dropped partly due to the excessive length of the overall film and because his is the only portion without a big name international star. The poor couple are forced by finances to live with the bride's family (who won't give them a second of privacy--with a glass door to their bedroom and a noisy meddlesome house), but for some odd reason the lady was told she would lose her job if she got married! This is all very strange and I can't imagine any job enforcing this in this day and age. So, they can't tell anyone other than her family that they are married and it creates many complications--particularly when her boss makes advances on her! The film is cute and very watchable but suffers some from being a bit too long (it probably would have been better to end it a few minutes sooner--right after they moved out of her parents' home). Also, for the faint of heart, you get to see the boss in a very skimpy bathing suit--he was so unattractive and yechy in it, my eyes are still burning! I'd give this segment a 6 or 7.The second segment, and by far the best, is the Fellini film. Now I am NOT a fan of most of his work--I truly believe some of his films are overrated and too indulgent. This time, however, his film, while not perfect, is not to be missed. It's a very silly and rather surreal piece about a nasty little man who spends all of his energy trying to enforce his crazy views about sexuality on EVERYONE. Practically everything he sees he thinks is dirty and even the most innocent things are attacked by this self-appointed crusader for virtue. The old prudes in town like him but most others think (correctly so) that he's a nut. The last straw for this guy is a giant billboard featuring the voluptuous Anita Ekberg for a milk commercial. I goes up right outside his apartment window and he practically becomes unhinged and tries in vain to get it removed. Later he even resorts to tossing paint on the 80 food image! Eventually, the man becomes so wrapped up in the fight over the advertisement that he begins hallucinating! At first he sees or hears her--such as an arm here and a voice there. Then later, the film gets REALLY weird as Ms. Ekberg walks off the billboard and chases the man because she apparently finds him irresistible! It's a lot like ATTACK OF THE 50 FOOT WOMAN but much, much funnier! The only negative at all is the billboard--it sings and sings and sings the same jingle again and again and might drive some of you crazy! Still, this one deserves a 10!The next segment by director Visconti I frankly found pretty dull. It's about a young couple who have two problems--their marriage is in trouble and they are young, attractive and rich! This is a rather familiar theme in many of Visconti's films--rich bored folks. I really felt no connection to them and people whining about their lives when they have SO MUCH made me frustrated that I almost skipped ahead on the DVD to the next segment--it was THAT dull and irritating. Despite having a very sexy Romy Schneider dressing and undressing (again and again), there was nothing memorable about it. This one, at best, gets a 5 or 6--and that's just for Schneider.The final was a cute short by director DeSica--my favorite Italian director. It was the second best segment but just couldn't keep up with the Fellini piece--and you really can't blame DeSica for this, the Fellini was definitely at his best. In this odd piece, an illegal lottery is being conducted but instead of the usual prize, sex with Sophia Loren is the prize!! All the ugly old guys in town are pushing and shoving, scrimping and saving to sign up! Despite being a very sexy segment, it really isn't all that explicit and ends very well. It's very good and quite cute. It's deserving of an 8.Overall, it's a very interesting but inconsistent film. Some portions are must-see segments but others are not--but the overall effect is excellent.

jotix100 The idea behind "Boccacio '70" was to update some of the stories in Boccacio's Decameron into short segments directed by some of the top Italian directors, showcasing four actresses at the center of each story. The end result was not as interesting as the concept behind the idea. Thus, the resulting stories are not what could have been expected of directors like Federico Fellini, Vittorio DeSica, Luchino Visconti and Mario Monicelli.The first story "Luciana e Renzo" is directed by Mario Monicelli. Some of the contributors to the screen play included Italo Calvino, one of Italy's best writers. The story is simple. Luciana, a young woman working in the accounting department of a large firm, is going to get married to Renzo, who also happens to work for the company. The only problem is no marriage between employees is allowed.The film follows them as they use their lunch time to go to a remote church and get married. The newlyweds must share her parent's small apartment. The head of the department, who obviously likes the lovely Luciana, decides to hit on her when he sees her at a public swimming pool. Things go from bad to worse until the boss finds Luciana embracing Renzo. An idea comes to Luciana's mind: If they both get fired, the separation bonus will let them put a down payment for an apartment of their own.Beautiful Marisa Solinas is Luciana and Germano Gilioli plays Renzo.The next story, "Le tentazioni del dottor Antonio" was conceived by Federico Fellini, who also wrote the screen play with Tullio Pinelli, a frequent collaborator, and others. The story is about Antonio a prudish man who is shocked when an enormous advertising ad is erected in a space facing his apartment. In it, a blown up figure of the actress Anita Ekberg is shown in a suggestive pose holding a glass of milk.No matter what Dr. Antonio does, he is unable to get a friendly ear to help his cause. He becomes so obsessed that one day the gigantic figure in the billboard comes to haunt him. Anita Ekberg, towers over him and teases him mercilessly. What to do? In spite of his protestations Dr. Antonio, who perhaps has not seen a woman this close in his life, is rendered impotent to do anything against a goddess like Anita Ekberg.The great Peppino DiFilippo appears as Dr. Antonio and the real Anita Ekberg, who made a splash in Fellini's "La Dolce Vita" (no pun intended), have some fine moments in the movie.The third story "Il Lavoro", directed by Luchino Visconti, presents us with Conte Ottavio, an impoverished nobleman married to the rich Pupe, the daughter of an extremely rich man. Ottavio, who has been surprised by paparazzi with a high class prostitute, has been shown in all of the tabloids in compromising positions. Pupe, who at the start of the film seems to be missing, appears in her own room. She obviously loves the lecherous husband and has made up her mind to begin earning her own living in a regular job. Ottavio, who pleads with her not to do it, realizes his financial dependence on Pupe will suffer. Pupe demands the same kind of payment he made to the call girl. At the end, we see as Ottavio is writing a check as he comes over to Pupe.The fabulous Romy Schneider was excellent as Pupe and Tomas Millian makes a great appearance.The last story, "La riffa", directed by Vittorio DeSica and written by Cesare Zavattini, takes us to a small town where Zoe, a beautiful woman who has a shooting gallery in a carnival must make ends meet. Her sister, who is having a baby, needs money that she doesn't have, so she ideates a raffle in which she will be the prize. Needless to say, all the men in town buy all the chances. The meek sacristan is the winner, but when he comes to claim his prize, Gaetano, who is secretly in love with Zoe, will not let the sacristan get the lovely Zoe.Sophia Loren is marvelous as the tart-tongued Zoe. She had worked with Mr. DeSica before and she gives a wonderful reading. Luigi Giuliani is Gaetano and Alfio Vita plays the sacristan."Boccacio '70", the film, and the writer Boccacio showed they were ahead of its times in presenting strong women taking charge of their destinies.

wobelix Words are not enough for this wonderful quadruple satire. Yes, in the beginning there were FOUR, but the Mario Monicelli story got cut to economize on time. It is the least funny but very compelling tale of two newlyweds finding no space or time to be alone together. A beautiful story.On the DVD distributed by the Dutch label Homescreen all 4 stories are included. Very odd though, it is a widescreen version, but from the top & bottom there are layers missing. So all the players standing up, get there heads chopped of. Astonishing, and very irritating. The sound every now and then echos, which is bad too. And the only subtitles available are in Dutch...But to see these wonderful tales again, of Fellini, Visconti, De Sica & Monicelli, and to see Romy Schneider, Sophia Loren & Anita Ekberg play so majestically, might be well worth it to forget about the technical problems of this DVD. And let's simply hope CRITERION can obtain the rights shortly, for they will surely do this fourfold little miracle justice...