# Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom

> 1975 film by Pier Paolo Pasolini

**Wikidata**: [Q657977](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q657977)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salò,_or_the_120_Days_of_Sodom)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/salo-or-the-120-days-of-sodom

## Summary
*Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom* is a 1975 art film directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini, based on the 1785 novel by the Marquis de Sade. It is known for its extreme content and controversial nature, blending political satire with graphic depictions of violence and debauchery. The film is set in the context of the Italian Social Republic and is considered a landmark of extreme cinema.

## Key Facts
- *Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom* is a 1975 film directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini.
- The film is based on the 1785 novel *The 120 Days of Sodom* by the Marquis de Sade.
- It was released in 1975, with a general release in France on January 30,  1976.
- The film is categorized under multiple genres: drama film, art film, LGBTQ-related film, and extreme cinema.
- The film was produced by United Artists, an American production and distribution company founded in 1919.
- The film is associated with the Italian Social Republic (1943–1945), a German puppet state in northern Italy, which serves as the historical setting.
- The film is an Italian production and is considered one of the most controversial works in cinema due to its graphic content and political allegory.
- The film is linked to Pasolini's broader body of work, which includes his identity as a writer, filmmaker, poet, and intellectual.
- It has 42 sitelinks and is known by several aliases, including *Salò ou les 120 Journées de Sodome* and *Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom*.

## FAQs
### What is *Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom*?
It is a 1975 film directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini, based on the 1785 novel *The 120 Days of Sodom* by the Marquis de Sade. The film is known for its extreme content and political allegory, and is set during the Italian Social Republic era.

### When was *Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom* released?
It was released in 1975 and had its general release in France on January 30, 1976.

### What genres does the film belong to?
The film is classified under drama film, art film, LGBTQ-related film, exploitation film, and extreme cinema.

### Who directed the film?
The film was directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini, an Italian writer, poet, and intellectual.

### What is the connection between the film and the Italian Social Republic?
The film is set during the time of the Italian Social Republic (1943–1945), a German puppet state in northern Italy, and uses this historical context to explore themes of power and corruption.

### What is the significance of the film's release by United Artists?
United Artists, the production company behind the film, was founded in 1919 and is known for distributing challenging and artistic films. This film is one of their more controversial releases.

### What are the aliases of *Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom*?
The film is also known as *Salò ou les 120 Journées de Sodome* and *Salo, or the 112 Days of Sodom*.

## Why It Matters
*Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom* is one of the most controversial and critically discussed films in cinema history. It is a powerful political allegory that uses the framework of the Marquis de Sade's notorious novel to critique the excesses of fascism, particularly through its setting in the Italian Social Republic. The film is significant for its unflinching portrayal of power, debauchery, and moral collapse, making it a key work in the tradition of politically charged art cinema. Its notoriety has made it a reference point in film theory and cultural criticism, especially in discussions of extreme cinema and artistic provocation. The film also stands as one of Pasolini's final works, and his tragic death during its production and release added to its cultural weight. It is studied for its visual storytelling, its unflinching gaze into human corruption, and its role in the evolution of auteur cinema.

## Notable For
- Being one of the most controversial films in cinematic history.
- Its explicit and unrelenting depiction of power and sexual degradation.
- Its use of the Italian Social Republic as a historical and thematic backdrop.
- Its status as a politically charged work by Pier Paolo Pasolini.
- Its classification as both an art film and exploitation film due to its extreme content.
- Its connection to the Marquis de Sade's 1785 novel, *The 120 Days of Sodom*.
- Its release under the production of United Artists, a company known for distributing challenging films.
- Its classification as an LGBTQ-related film due to its themes and context.
- Its place in the extreme cinema genre, known for pushing boundaries in visual storytelling.

## Body
### History
*Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom* is a 1975 film directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini. It is based on the 1785 novel *The 120 Days of Sodom* by the Marquis de Sade. The film was released in 1975, with a general release in France on January 30, 1976. It is set in the historical context of the Italian Social Republic (1943–1945), a German puppet state in northern Italy, and uses this period as a backdrop to explore themes of power, corruption, and sexual excess. The film is known for its extreme content and is considered a part of the extreme cinema genre.

### Production and Distribution
The film was produced under the United Artists banner, a company known for distributing challenging and artistic films. It is categorized under multiple genres: drama film, art film, LGBTQ-related film, and extreme cinema. The film is also known as *Salò ou les 120 Journées de Sodome* and *Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom*.

### Cultural and Political Context
The film is set during the Italian Social Republic, a German puppet state in northern Italy from 1943 to 1945. It is a political allegory that uses the framework of the Marquis de Sade’s notorious 1000-page novel to critique the excesses of fascism. The film is also known for its unflinching portrayal of power and moral collapse, making it a key work in the tradition of politically charged art cinema.

### Themes and Interpretation
The film is studied for its visual storytelling, its unflinching gaze into human corruption, and its role in the evolution of auteur cinema. It is one of the most controversial and critically discussed films in cinema history. The film is also known for its connection to the Marquis de Sade's 1785 novel, *The 120 Days of Sodom*, which serves as its literary foundation.

### Legacy and Influence
The film is one of Pier Paolo Pasolini's final works, and his tragic death during its production and release added to its cultural weight. It is studied for its visual storytelling, its unflinching gaze into human corruption, and its role in the evolution of auteur cinema. The film is also known for its place in the extreme cinema genre, known for pushing boundaries in visual storytelling.

### Related Works and Figures
The film is linked to Pasolini's broader body of work, which includes his identity as a writer, filmmaker, poet, and intellectual. It is also connected to the Marquis de Sade's 1785 novel, *The 120 Days of Sodom*. The film is known by several aliases, including *Salò ou les 120 Journées de Sodome* and *Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom*. It is also known for its place in the extreme cinema genre, known for pushing boundaries in visual storytelling.

## References

1. [IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073650/fullcredits)
2. Česko-Slovenská filmová databáze
3. [Source](https://www.refused-classification.com/censorship/film-1/salo-or-the-120-days-of-sodom/#Salo-120%20Days%20of%20Sodom)
4. Virtual International Authority File
5. Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom. Rotten Tomatoes
6. [IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073650/technical)
7. Lexicon of international films
8. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
9. [IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073650/locations/)
10. Kinopoisk
11. [Source](https://www.kijkwijzer.nl/films/salo-o-le-120-giornate-di-sodoma/)
12. terjesztesre_kerulo_filmalkotasok_nyilvantartasa.xlsx
13. [Source](http://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm_gen_cfilm=292.html)
14. List of film licenses issued from 1945 to 2020
15. [Source](https://www.cnc.fr/professionnels/visas-et-classification/44126)
16. Bechdel Test Movie List
17. The Movie Database
18. Danish Film Database
19. TheTVDB
20. Trakt.tv
21. FilmVandaag.nl