Salò o le 120 giornate di Sodoma (1975)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

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 | Teenage Boy | Piano | Voyeur | Torture

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:

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

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:14 | Brazil: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 "excrement" in the coprophagia scenes was a mixture of chocolate and orange marmalade.

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:

Featured in Psych-o-cysts (2005) (V)

Soundtrack:

Prelude in E minor

Don't judge this film too quickly.

It appears most people find this movie to be sick, pointless, and without substance. That's unfair.

This is the strongest movie I've ever seen, and it made an IMPORTANT impression on me, a big horrorflick-devotee. It made me question a lot of things about former favourite films, and made me realize how sick it is to make horror and violence into entertainment. The problem with most movies is that violence is not portrayed violent enough, horror isn't portrayed horrible enough. Most 'thriller' films have these ingredients softened so that people can enjoy it, and THAT'S sick. This movie is SANE. It shows horror and violence as it IS - totally revolting and disgusting.

I sat as on needles for 1 hour 40 minutes, and felt really bad watching this film. It grossed me out, but I understood why this film is both good and important. It gives a sane perspective on violence, as opposed to SICK, SICK Hollywood-action where people get killed by 'heroes' and nobody raises an eyebrow.