Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom (Salo, o le Centoventi Gio di Sodoma) (1975)

 

Salo eller de 120 dage i Sodoma

I have feared this moment. Ask any List follower of their worst experience and somewhere “Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom” (“Salò o le 120 giornate di Sodoma”) is bound to pop up. Not exactly the greatest recommendation to get. Last year I read the book, similarly titled “The 120 Days of Sodom” by Marquis de Sade and that was so horrible I could not finish it. First time on the List that has happened. Surely, a movie made by the famed Pier Paolo Pasolini cannot be as bad as that.

It is a damn close thing.

What Pasolini did was move the story from an 18^th century French (or German), gothic castle, to an Italian villa during the later part of Second World War. The four libertines are now high-ranking fascists, but with the same titles, representing aristocracy, church, wealth and the judicial system. That is about it. In every other matter of consequence Pasolini follow the book.

Oh, I wish he had not.

I am really not up to giving a summary of the story. For that, refer to my review of the book. Even thinking of it makes me gag.

On an intellectual level I understand what Pasolini wanted to do, comparing fascism to torture and murder for the sickening sexual satisfaction of those with the power to wield it. The accomplices are willing followers as long as it keeps them from being the victims and the precious innocents, the general population, is powerless against the systematic rape they are repeatedly subjected to.

Fine. Problem is, this in no way excuse making a movie like this. These are basically children and the cruelty they are subjected to is simply staggering and that long before the final sequence of actual torture and murder. For once I agree with the censors, trying to protect the public from this travesty.

There was only a single element that I found interesting enough to mention. For the storytelling and orgies, a pianist is installed to provide music. Throughout she seems to close her eyes, do her music and just focus on that. The few times she looks around it seems as if she does not want to take in what she is witnessing. Then finally towards the end, looking out the window at the horrors taking place in the yard, she simply throws herself out the window, killing herself in the fall. I take it, from shame at having witnessed all this and done nothing.

The least I can do is to warn other people.