I first saw this when it came out in 1976 & had almost forgotten it. Derek Jarman's first feature film & one of his superlative creations. Intensly erotic and shot with loving attention to the beauty of the male body. The seemingly endless stretches of white sand create an idyllic & almost dreamlike atmosphere. However it also acts as a stark backdrop, that forces our attention onto the only too realistic actions & emotions of this isolated group of soldiers.

The characters are complex and cannot be just categorised into "good" & "evil". Even Severus has repressions which have festered into hatred by being internalised. Saint Sebastian shines on his journey towards piety & to the iconic image of his body pierced with arrows. But Jarman always retains the realistic humanity of this playful, loving and courageous character.

Don't want to harp on the bodies beautiful, but as a general comment it is a rarity to be able to enjoy the male nude. Male film-goers are oversupplied with boobs, bottoms & pubes, while women (half of humanity) usually have to make do with "tastefully posed" shots. Thank God for directors like Derek Jarman, Ken Russell, Pasolini, Fellini & most European film-makers who don't believe the audience will be struck dead if they see a penis.

Derek Jarman's feature film debut is an impressive effort that is as steamy and homoerotic as a biblical tragedy can get. Filmed entirely in what is referred to as "vulgar Latin", 'Sebastiane' inserts into the classic Bible story heavy overtones of homosexual love and lust, something not too shocking for a filmmaker like Jarman to do considering the rest of his career.

The opening sequence is definitely the highlight for me. It's definitely the strangest moment in the film; it is very Felliniesque and has an eye-popping and colorful quality that is not returned to later in the film. It is broadly bizarre stuff, but very funny and mildly humorous. And, speaking of humour, I will have to bring myself to comment upon how unexpectedly funny this film is. It's awfully sad, too, of course, by the end it is a straight-up tragedy, but throughout there are funny moments. Much of them come through the ribald and over-the-top senses of humour some of the characters possess and express w/great enthusiasm and energy. Some scenes made me genuinely laugh out loud, helping add to the watchability of this really slow and, for the majority of its runtime, somewhat uneventful film. The film is at its strongest in its earlier and later sections. During the middle of the movie, it is still well crafted and still carries many great elements, but it's also occasionally somewhat boring and I was only half-paying attention during a few scenes. However, the film is soon able to pick up speed, and by the end it has had an actual emotional impact. It is beautifully shot, too, despite its shoestring budget essentially all technical aspects of the film are gorgeously done, the cinematography and score especially. The score is by none other than Brain Eno, and his synth-heavy sounds here contrast w/the historical setting brilliantly, adding even more atmosphere to a film already heavy on atmosphere.

There is something quite sensuous about this rather vulgar, raucous and unsubtle take on the martyrdom of St Sebastian. When there is any dialogue, it is in Latin which somehow adds to the mystery of the story. It's not anywhere near as graphic as you might expect, nor the sado-masechism as prevalent. It does border, frequently, on the comedic, though - perhaps not an effect Derek Jarman was seeking. Who plays whom in the film is academic, it is all about imagery and just about works at that.