Salo:120 days in Sodom: A movie of Uncommon Horror

Face shot of Pier Paolo Passollini

Shots of two fascist Nazis sitting on girls courtesy of Pier Paolo Passolinni's "Salo: 120 Days of Sodom".

I recommend this film with caution. CAution that I will be a freak for liking this movie, and caution for people that don't know what their getting into. Everyone has the controversy of this movie and it's unattainable print. It was released by criterion, but they lost the rights to it quick. AS for other countries it's banned and only cut version are avaible in France. The lasy film by a man who was crazy as his movies, before he was murdered(some say it was young prostitue boy and others say it was by the mafia). The murderer's reason was unknown and Passolini died a horrible death. Some believe he was murdered because of this movie. I can't back the guy up, but he left an amazing resume of films that were hit and miss or controversial. How i got a print of this was a miracle and a lot of money. i really wanted to see this, becuase lately I've been on a Passolini kick. The man was more than a film director, he was a columnist, poet, novelist, critic, gay icon, pedophile, acticist and much more. Lars Von Trier praises him as influence, especially in Von Trier's "Idiots". He said that the last shot of group sex was influenced by "Salo". Von Trier himself went on a Passolini phase nad read all his works. not trying to follow Von Trier's footsteps, but this where i learned about Passolini. Enought about Von Trier, more about Passolini. A man that his career whith italian neo-realist depicting life of italian hillbilles. Even though he departs himself from the neo-realist of the 50's with Fellini, Rosselini, De Sica. I was watching Martin Scorsese's long documentary about his influence from italian cinema and the neo-realist group. He mentioned everyone from Rosi to Visconti and friend of mine brought the fact up that he did not mentioned Passolini. I believe he's apart of that group, others tend to convey him as just mere exploitation and not much more. People believe that he's nothing compared to the sophistication of the neo-realist films and that's why heis movies are not apart of that group. I for one disagree, and find his to be ambitious. After doing a ton of movies depicting the life of gangsters, pimps and prostitutes, Passolini wanted to adapt literature. His films were apart of a Literary series that he was going sought after until "SAlo". ADapted from a short storie from Marquis De Sade that had no ending so Passolini had to imprvised when adapting. The effect was a movie that gives an experience one will soon not forget. The film is basically a study on fascism and is about a group of bourgouise FAscist that take young kids, 9 boys and 9 girls, and take them to a secluded mansion where they must be subdued into any sexual act. THe movie takes off in three stage, the first on which is called "Antechamber of Hell" and shows the young boys and girls getting round up and taken to the mansion. Passolini spares no character development and gives no motive to the high officials. Nor any cliche characters that you look at and just suspect who will get out and survive. None of that comes true, later in the feature you'll discover their fate is horrible. The second is 'Circle of obseesions", where sodomy and rape is favored. They state in the first chapter of how the boys and girls will act out these sexual fantasies. A headmistress will be in a room with the kids and high officials, telling tales of drawn out fantasies and the kids must act on it or their punished. And you don't want to know what their punishment will be. The second chapter is "Circle of Shit", which eating feces is favored, thus Passolini will make you watch a wide shot a girl eating a turd. The scene is shot with tensity and not for schlock, in my opinion. The third chapter is called "Circle of Blood", where drinking blood is favored, their is a scene in here where they dress a boy in a wedding gown and have a wedding. The last, and thank god its the final chapter, is not really a chapter but the last scene which shows the fate of the young boys and girls and it is wrong!!!!!!! You wonder why sit through all this, I tell you it is an adventure for filmgoers. Not saying that it's art to be showing this, but to have courage to do it, theres something. The way I display this movie where it can't be like an exploitation movie like "Last House on the Left", where the tagling is "It's only a movie! It's only a movie!", it's because "Salo" can't advertise in that fashion and it shoudln't. I'm not saying it's a movie that is above "Last House", but has some element like it, but takes it a step further. the one thing i discovered while watching "Salo" was that Passolini was trying to invoke some sort of humor. Just a little bit, not a whole lot. After all this trauma and masochism he ends the movie with a operatic score while the kids are taking there punishment. Then he cuts it while it gets to serious, and goes to two young soldiers switching the operatic score with slow dance music. The two young boys start practicing there waltz on each other and the movie just fades out and the title "FIN" come up. I was just, what the hell. I doubt he was trying to invoke humor in that scene, but his intentions are unknown. While watching you wonder why the kids don't devise a plan to escape or fight back at. I waould of, well actually I don't know, hold up i would fight back at least and die rather than getting raped. I think thats how Passolini was exploring fascism, these kids conformed to every sick idea these aristocrats offered, not even on fight or anything. Just hoping that they lay mercy. That's just me getting angry, and that's probably what Passolini was trying point out. the other aspect I realized while watching it is that this felt like it actually happened. It felt like this could happen and that it actually did happen, probably some time or aonther a bunch of aristocrats did this and no one knew. Passolini was a great director, poet, and a bunch of other crazy things. Someone please dare themselves to watch this movie and talk to me about it, becasue i can't anyone of my friends to watch. Even though I shouldn't make any of my friends to watch it. i want someone to talk to about this. And if you have too man people in your house and you want them to go away just pop this in. Trust me, it will work. This is Aliye Nyoka saying "Good Night, and Good Luck"