Continuing my streak of Italian movie reviews, I have Satiricosissimo. This is a 1970 parody of a costume drama named Satyricon from the previous year. I have not ventured to see the latter but if you have read Asterix comics, then you will be at home with Satiricosissimo.
This movie features the comedy duo of Franco & Ciccio. Ciccio plays the straight guy and Franco plays the dumb and stupid that always gets into trouble. Franco makes all kinds of comic faces that made Asterix comics famous.
In this movie, Franco and Ciccio get transported to a time when Nero ruled Rome. They walk right into all the intrigue and plots going in the palace. (Cue giallo actresses Edwige Fenech and Karin Schubert.) The movie draws attention to names and signboards a la Asterix comics.
Franco and Ciccio get into all kinds of trouble and end up setting fire to Rome. As punishment, they are forced to fight for their lives in Colosseum and almost get thrown to the the lions.
Franco & Ciccio movies
This comedy duo has acted in over a hundred movies. My favourite so far is 002 agenti segretissimi a.k.a. Ah! Those most secret agents [sic].
Subtitles
Obviously, when watching these foreign movies, a lot is lost in translation. That however should not stop you. One website that archives movie subtitles in several languages is:
Edwige Fenech
I have seen Edwife Fenech in a lot of trashy comedy films but the film Taxi Girl is an exception. Ms. Fenech does appear in the buff a few times in the beginning but the movie becomes tremendously funny towards the end. Somehow the Italian wordplay jokes translate into English without losing their meaning.
Age rating: 15+