The Movie
I'm guessing that some people reading this review will already have at least a passing knowledge of the notorious Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom (Salò o le 120 giornate di Sodoma). Loosely based on the writings of the Marquis de Sade, the story is set in Northern Italy during the Nazi-Facist occupation of World War II, and some high-ranking members of the ruling class have carefully selected a group of boys and girls to serve as the entertainment at a secluded country retreat.
The wanton debauchery of the lecherous adults is soon revealed, but the rapes and other sexual abuses are only the beginning. It's not only about indulgence of the masters--every urge no matter how lurid-- but the total humiliation of the young innocents. The images, even the descriptions during morning storytime might make you uncomfortable, and when matters take a graphically scatological turn, you might find yourself turning away, or reaching for the remote.
The victims are treated like animals (worse really), subjected to physical and psychological cruelty upon threat of dismemberment and death for disobedience. And in between it all... the perpetrators discuss politics and philosophy? The social commentary of Salò is undeniably present, but did writer/director Pier Paolo Pasolini cross over into exploitation? That question has been debated for decades, and will not be answered anytime soon.
The Picture
This is not billed as a "new" HD master so I'm thinking that this is the same digital restoration used for the 2008 DVD, which represented a huge improvement over the coveted 1998 disc, once the record holder for the highest price paid for a DVD on eBay. Lots of 35mm film grain and noise remain despite a variety of techniques to clean the 1.85:1 image and correct minor damage. Jarring camera shakes (inherent in the movie) and film weave (artifacts of poor aging) don't make the viewing experience any more pleasant. Blacks meanwhile are hard, lifeless shapes, sometimes marked with faint edge enhancement.
The Sound
The default track here is the original Italian, presented as linear PCM mono mastered at 24-bit resolution, and this option is much smoother, fuller and more pleasant than we've ever heard before. Even in its native tongue, the movie is still extensively dubbed, and often quite poorly lip-synched. The simple, old mono mix does little to engage the viewer, but its starkness underscores the unsettling mood. A Dolby Digital 1.0 English soundtrack is included as well, for folks who don't like subtitles.
The Extras
As with the video master, this Blu-ray draws upon the 2008 DVD for its supplements, some in Italian with English subtitles and all at 1080i/60Hz resolution. "Salò: Yesterday and Today" is a 33-minute documentary from 2002 combining new and archival interviews with the creators. "Fade to Black" (2001, 23 minutes) assembles a gallery of distinguished voices to discuss whether or not this movie qualifies as pornography. "The End of Salò" (40 minutes) explores the film's production.
Criterion also caught up with set designer Dante Ferretti (eleven-and-a-half minutes) and filmmaker/scholar Jean-Pierre Gorin (27 minutes) for their own exclusive on-camera interviews a few years ago. The 80-page companion book handsomely collects multiple essays as well as passages from Pasolini confidante Gideon Bachmann's on-set diary.
Final Thoughts
In case I wasn't clear, be warned that Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom can be very difficult to watch, and not just because the Blu-ray has some issues. The movie has probably never sounded better though, so if you have the stomach for it, you might want to discover for yourself what all the fuss has been about.
Product Details
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