Salò o le 120 giornate di Sodoma (1975)

Director:

Pier Paolo Pasolini

Writers:

Pier Paolo Pasolini (written by) and
Sergio Citti (screenplay)

Release Date:

January 1976 (Italy)

Genre:

Drama | War

Tagline:

The 120 Days of Sodom

Plot:

Four fascist libertines round up 9 teenages boys and girls and subject them to 120 days of physical, mental and sexual torture.

Plot Keywords:

Libertine | Torture | Blood | Sexual Torture | Dante

Cast

Paolo Bonacelli	...	The Duke
Giorgio Cataldi	...	The Bishop
Umberto Paolo Quintavalle	...	The Magistrate (as Umberto P. Quintavalle)
Aldo Valletti	...	The President
Caterina Boratto	...	Signora Castelli
Elsa De Giorgi	...	Signora Maggi
Hélène Surgère	...	Signora Vaccari (as Helene Surgere)
Sonia Saviange	...	The Pianist
Sergio Fascetti	...	Male Victim
Bruno Musso	...	Male Victim
Antonio Orlando	...	Male Victim
Claudio Cicchetti	...	Male Victim
Franco Merli	...	Male Victim
Umberto Chessari	...	Male Victim
Lamberto Book	...	Male Victim

Also Known As:

Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom (International: English title)
Salo ou les 120 journées de Sodome (France)

Runtime:

116 min | 145 min (premiere version)

Country:

Italy | France

Language:

Italian | French | German

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Italy:(Banned) (original rating) | West Germany:18 (nf) (cut) (original rating) | Germany:18 (SPIO/JK) (uncut) | Finland:(Banned) (1976) | Finland:K-18 (2001) | Italy:VM18 (re-rated) | Australia:(Banned) (1976-1993) (1998- ) | Australia:R (1993-1998) (uncut) | West Germany:(Banned) (cinema release) | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 (uncut) | Japan:R-18 | UK:X (original rating) (cut) (alternate footage) | Hungary:18 | Brazil:18 | Chile:18 | Argentina:18 | Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Canada:R (Ontario) | France:-16 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:(Banned) (original rating) | New Zealand:R18 (re-rating) (2001) (uncut) | Portugal:M/18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 (re-rating) (2000) (uncut) | France:X (original rating) | Norway:18 (re-rating) (2005) (video premiere) | Norway:(Banned) (1976-2003) (cinema release) | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Salò, Brescia, Lombardia, Italy

Company:

Produzioni Europee Associati (PEA)

Trivia:

The August 1998 Criterion was removed from the market due to copyright problems. So, this version of the DVD with the "white ring around the hub" can be easily sold for 600 or more US dollars in good condition. This makes it one of, if not the most, valuable DVD in the world. Bootlegs are extremely common due to its value. Research should be done before purchasing.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[four men, sitting at a table, each sign a booklet]
The Duke: Your Excellency.
The Magistrate: Mr. President.
The President: My lord.
The Bishop: All's good if it's excessive.

Movie Connections:

References Femmes femmes (1974)

Soundtrack:

Carmina Burana

Highly disturbing

"Salo," despite the time and place it is set in, has absolutely nothing to do with fascism or war. Nor is it a narrative of any kind.

Instead, it is a presentation of a very disturbing philosophy - Man has no kind nature. They prey on the most vulnerable amongst themselves, and only those with no sense of pride and a willingness to become predators as well survive to the very end. In the end, everybody is in it for themselves.

Sometimes Pasolini delivers his message with creepy minimalism. But mostly he prefers to give it to the viewer in a manner as subtle as a brick in the head.

Pasolini's persistance on showing only the darkest corners of human nature and his complete denial that anything else even exists creates a very dark and incredibly disturbing picture. It is also the biggest pitfall of "Salo". It could have been a far greater and much more powerful film if Pasolini allowed at least a single slightest ray of light into the infinitely pessimistic philosophy that he portrays here.

However, the way it ended up was as a cry that human kindness does not exist (which pretty much was how it was intended, after all). In the final scene, he states that the viewer has every bit of potential to be just as evil and predatory as the four fascists in this movie. A very powerful and thoughtful statement, actually, one that any human being should not deny.

In the end, this is a very intelligent and disturbing motion picture, one that forces the viewer to think. But the endless negativity and pessimism keeps it from being anything greater. It should only be viewed by those emotionally prepared to handle its very disturbing point-of-view.

6 out of 10