World War II is in full swing–and the world is in shambles. With people dying each and every day, it seems that the world can’t get much worse–but four fascists in Italy take it upon themselves to make the world an even more dreadful place. Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom is the story of these four individuals as they kidnap a series of young men and women and subject them to torture for one-hundred and twenty days. Physical, emotional, and sexual torture befalls these poor teens; and their hopes of living a normal life ever again will slowly slip away from them.
It’s common knowledge the struggles that fascism has caused, and the heartbreaking reality of those involved in or subjected to the torture of this very idea is truly horrific. Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom attempts to convey these realities in a very visual and visceral way. While physical and emotion torture play a pivotal role in this film–it’s the sexual torture that really reaches viewers. From the opening moments of Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom viewers, much like the characters on screen, are subjected to a series of sexually-driven acts and torture. Immediately viewers become uncomfortable, and that discomfort never subsides–all it does is grow stronger and more viscous.
Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom is not for the faint of heart, and there’s no doubt in my mind that a large number of viewers will feel nauseated by what they see on screen. I don’t typically get physically ill when watching blood, gore, and other horrific things occur, but there were a number of times throughout Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom that I found myself literally gagging, struggling to stomach the things taking place on screen. This sounds like it will eliminate a large number of viewers–and it likely will, but the cast and crew accomplish exactly what they intended. They reach out and grab viewers, they suffocate them with all that occurs throughout Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom, and they allow those viewers to understand exactly what the characters on screen would be experiencing. Beyond what is literally occurring on screen, the left-of-center representation of the sickening reality of fascism reaches viewers quite clearly–fully expressing what this idea did to the world.
I’m about to spoil the ending of the film–even though it doesn’t come as a surprise. As the film concludes, everything that had happened over the course of the past hour and a half comes to a head, and the four individuals facilitating the torture and the heinous acts get away with everything, completely unscathed. Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom is disheartening due to the fact that the antagonists essentially win–but it’s a reflection of how many Italians would have felt during the time of Mussolini’s reign. It’s difficult to swallow all that transpires throughout the course of Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom, and it’s even harder to accept that these crimes go unpunished. However, Writer-Director Pier Paolo Pasolini creates a film that perfectly reflects the harsh realities of Italy during WWII.
While the majority of what occurs throughout Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom is horrifying, there is some level of comedy present in the film as well. It’s weird to include a comedic element in a film that centers on multiple forms of abuse–but it works. The comedy that juxtaposes the drama and horror allows viewers to see how ridiculous the practice of facism was in Italy. In addition to opening the world’s eyes to the ridiculousness of facism, it works to curb some of the harsh emotion that washes over viewers throughout.
Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom is one of the most difficult films that I’ve ever watched. The camera work allows viewers to feel fully immersed in this world of terror, the acting is effective and brings to life genuine emotion, and the writing allows viewers to understand facism from multiple vantage points–but the harrowing visuals are sickening, and it becomes difficult to remain focused at times. Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom is a brilliant cinematic experience, and there’s nothing else quite like it–but its target audience is small. Be warned regarding the difficult images you will be forced to digest–but this is a wonderful film.
Directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini.
Written by Pier Paolo Pasolini, Sergio Citti, Pupi Avati, & Marquis de Sade.
Starring Paolo Bonacelli, Giorgio Cataldi, Uberto Paolo Quintavalle, Aldo Valletti, Caterina Boratto, Elsa De Giorgi, Hélène Surgère, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
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