When Authority Turns Sadistic: The Dark Vision of Salò

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0594944/?ref_=nmmi_ov_i

In case you think you have seen the most repulsive film ever made, you might not have come across Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom. Directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini, the Italian movie is set in the Fascist-occupied republic of Salò. The adaptation, based on the Marquis de Sade novel, tells the story of four revolting libertines. However, why has the movie become a bone of contention to the extent that its director was murdered? That is exactly what this movie sheds light on.

Well… Salò is definitely not for the faint-hearted or prudish cinemagoers. Basically, it sharply deviates from what ordinary people are accustomed to seeing. Beyond its authoritarian setting, it offers dramatic depictions of a variety of sexual deviations, ranging from sadism to pedophilia. Though it has been banned in many countries, Pier Paolo Pasolini’s adaptation lends penetrating insights into the lives of eighteen teenagers captured by four wealthy Italian men.

As the story gradually builds up, so does its emotional intensity. Several innocent children, unable to escape from the despicable practices of four men, suffer not only physical but also psychological trauma. Thus, the story perfectly encapsulates the moral depravity of these men, who seemingly derive sexual gratification from intentionally inflicting pain on their captives. Evidently, consent is not in these libertines’ dictionary.

Unfortunately, some of the overarching themes explored in Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom, are just as ubiquitous in the 21^st century as they were back in Fascist Italy. I truly believe that moral decay is what makes this film an enduring and thought-provoking piece.

In case you have not thrown up while reading my nauseating lines, I only dare to recommend people watch the movie should they be over-18 on their own responsibility.