Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom

Set in a brutal, authoritarian world, Salò follows a cadre of corrupt fascist elites who imprison nine young people and subject them to a long, orchestrated campaign of cruelty. Over a brutal 120 days, the captors impose a cycle of physical abuse, psychological degradation, and sexual coercion, turning order into a stage for power and denial. The youths, drawn from different backgrounds, are stripped of autonomy as the rulers establish a ritualized regime where rules, rituals, and routines mask their violent impulses. The film presents a stark, clinical gaze on domination where cruelty is normalized through ceremony, control, and the abdication of mercy. The result is a harrowing meditation on authority and the costs of absolute power.

Directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini with collaboration from Sergio Citti and Pupi Avati, Salò is widely regarded as Pasolini's most provocative work. It draws on Marquis de Sade's The 120 Days of Sodom and arrived in theaters in 1976, sparking fierce debates and censorship battles around the world. Its austere, sparse imagery and deliberate pacing create a clinical mood that heightens the impact of the brutal scenes and forces difficult moral questions.

Made on a budget of $800,000, the film grossed about $1,800,000 worldwide, reflecting a limited release that nonetheless drew intense attention and controversy across markets. The movie became a touchstone in art house circuits and a symbol of uncompromising cinema that divides audiences even decades after its initial run.

Salò's legacy lives on in debates about censorship and the limits of representation. Its calm, documentary-like photography of cruelty has shaped discussions of power and ethics in cinema, influencing some filmmakers and scholars and earning a lasting place in lists of provocative film.

Critical responses are deeply divided. Some reviewers admire the film's austere formalism and its unflinching look at tyranny, while others denounce it as gratuitous exploitation. Core themes include the corrosion of authority, the commodification of bodies, and the moral collapse that accompanies fascist power.