Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom

While part of the Everyman Critics is broadening each others movie viewing there are some movies that i watch that may not be suitable for everyone's viewing. Rather than subject everyone to some of my more provocative movie viewing habits i will post reviews in the blog of some movies that won't be discussed with everyone else. This does not mean though that i won't push the boundaries every so often and make my fellow Everyman Critics watch movies they really don't want to watch. :)

-dan


This time it's another film that was mentioned in the Hurt Locker episode of Everyman Critics. I bring you:

Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975)
116 min, Avant-garde, NR
Directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini
Starring:
Paolo Bonacelli, Giorgio Cataldi, Umberto Paolo Quintavalle

Rating – 7/10

Overview –
Rather than type up an overview for this film, i will just direct you to Wikipedia.

Review –
Salò is a movie that almost defies criticism. Some people will watch it to try to be shocked, some because of the artistic value and others because it was mistakenly put into their Netflix queue. i fall into the second group of people, but at first viewing i could find little to nothing of value in this film. There is not much left to the imagination in Salò and it cuts straight to the marrow. However, after processing the film i was able to see that there is more here than one would think reading the plot. It is a harrowing and highly nihilistic picture that is presented. One that shows monstrosities that happen behind closed doors in wartime and those of some of the most depraved humans. Salò is broken down into four segments: the Anteinferno, the Circle of Manias, the Circle of Shit and the Circle of Blood. Even without the title cards for each chapter it is not difficult to know which one of these circles the viewer is witnessing. This is not a film for the weak stomached or sensitive individuals. Even while writing this review images from the film flood my memory. i find it difficult to articulate exactly why this film is important in regard to film history, though i know i'm supposed to be able to. While this is tame compared to say Faces of Death, it isn't a film that i can suggest to anyone as a must watch film. Am i a better person for watching this? No, i can't say that i am.