Cult Films : Does anybody get "Salo" (1975)?

Does anybody get "Salo" (1975)?

I have a friend who says he likes this movie. There is a bit of tension the couple times he brought it up because he knows that I think it is a vile film. I have never asked him what he likes about it, but he likes Passolini in general, so maybe there's some beauty in the film that I do not see. For me, the movie is alternately dull and disgusting.

Does anybody like this movie? If so, I would be interested in hearing what you like about it.

"My life is over. I might as well dance with Johnny Slash!"

Re: Does anybody get "Salo" (1975)?

It's vile shit.

Dendrolagus Uranus

Re: Does anybody get "Salo" (1975)?

From what I've read, it's really vile shit.



😺 Schrodinger's Cat walks into a bar, and doesn't. 🤨 Let's go, Brandon! 🤨 Try that in a small town.

Re: Does anybody get "Salo" (1975)?

Made me want to throw up.

Just because I'm not on THEIR side, doesn't mean I'm on YOURS.

Re: Does anybody get "Salo" (1975)?

There is not much to like. It is perhaps the most repulsive film I have ever seen.

If one cares for shock value, all wrapped around a pretentious and arty farty package that amounts to nothing and was only made to appease Pasolini's perversions, then they may get a kick out of it.

Norman! What did you put in my tea?

Re: Does anybody get "Salo" (1975)?

I have a feeling that it represents my friend's stab at being contrary. I could be wrong. A lot of people have this need and I don't count myself out here.

"My life is over. I might as well dance with Johnny Slash!"

Re: Does anybody get "Salo" (1975)?

The first time I saw it was at a suburban flea pit cinema with a colleague from work one Friday night in the early 90's. The film had been banned since it had been first released, so that was about 18yrs. It was packed and most would have been there for novelty value and hype.

It was boring to boot as well and it wanted to be subversive, but it wasn't sublime either about the way it went about it. Ultimately hollow, superficial, cruel and nasty.

Norman! What did you put in my tea?

Re: Does anybody get "Salo" (1975)?

by I love hutch April 29, 2022 03:46 AM
Member since July 29, 2020

I have a friend who says he likes this movie. There is a bit of tension the couple times he brought it up because he knows that I think it is a vile film. I have never asked him what he likes about it, but he likes Passolini in general, so maybe there's some beauty in the film that I do not see. For me, the movie is alternately dull and disgusting.

Does anybody like this movie? If so, I would be interested in hearing what you like about it.

The movie Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975) is disgusting and a masterwork.
Longer ago I've watched it and probably won't rewatch it.
It haunted me.

On the first sight it's all about sexual orgies and violence.
But it's much more.
On purpose Pasolini transfered Marquis de Sade from the 18th century to the fascist time of WWII.
De Sade wasn't only a decadent swine either.
Both (de Sade and Pasolini) had been lateral thinkers who asked in their own ways the right questions.
What's morality?
What are the values of our education?
Who decides what the right values are?
What legitimates our political leaders?
What legitimates our religious leaders?

De Sade had much earlier than Freud the idea that life instinct is connected with death drive.
And de Sade was less misogynistic than Freud.
De Sade didn't glorify women and treated males and females equally bad. ☺
Though de Sade never had been THAT bad what the current use of the term 'sadistic' implies.

Pasolini is absolutely NOT my political faction.
But he always fought for freedom and against hypocrisy, oppression and violence.
For this and for being an ingenious director and artist I respect him.
He didn't deserve to get murdered in that ugly way.
As a kind of careful approach you may read about Pasolini first.
Wanted to know if there's nowadays more clarity of his murder.
https://www.versobooks.com/blogs/2719-the-police-vs-pasolini-pasolini-vs-the-police

Hopefully you'll watch his movies with your friend together.
For sure interesting discussions will follow.
In a variation of a great title of a stupid (women-) book…
and in memory of Pier Paolo Pasolini:

Good people go to Heaven.
Bad people go to Everywhere.


Re: Does anybody get "Salo" (1975)?

It's anti-consumerism, and Pasolini sort of coming full circle in complete disillusionment. Peeps finding it repulsive is the intended effect.
Top