Sorry to pop your bubble, but I’ve very excited for this. Unfortunately I will have little time to post on it tomorrow. Anyway…
I agree with you Slayton 100%
There might have been a time were a movie like this could have had some value. But know all the movie can exist as a historical curiosity. There is nothing a viewer can derive from the film that doesn’t come from any foreknowledge of the director’s intentions. That is why Passolini placed an appendix in the film.
If the film was attempting to draw metaphorical comparisons between consumerism and fascism it is a complete and utter failure. Getting past the idea that the comparison is absurd to begin with, a metaphor cannot work without any proper context. Salo exists in a hermetically sealed environment where the director only seems interested in expressing his own sadistic impulses. All the while, he uses stylistic tricks to distance the audience from the violence as if to say “your guilty for watching it”.
“it’s a consummate example of Alienation Effect in overdrive to the point where any and all semblance of human life reproduced onscreen loses the empathic charge to connect the audience to the “characters””
Most movies just end up with that effect, take for instance the recent Crank 2. Though what can you say about a movie that actively tries for that effect.
There might have been a time were a movie like this could have had some value. But know all the movie can exist as a historical curiosity. There is nothing a viewer can derive from the film that doesn’t come from any foreknowledge of the director’s intentions. That is why Passolini placed an appendix in the film.
If the film was attempting to draw metaphorical comparisons between consumerism and fascism it is a complete and utter failure. Getting past the idea that the comparison is absurd to begin with, a metaphor cannot work without any proper context. Salo exists in a hermetically sealed environment where the director only seems interested in expressing his own sadistic impulses. All the while, he uses stylistic tricks to distance the audience from the violence as if to say “your guilty for watching it”.
“it’s a consummate example of Alienation Effect in overdrive to the point where any and all semblance of human life reproduced onscreen loses the empathic charge to connect the audience to the “characters””
Most movies just end up with that effect, take for instance the recent Crank 2. Though what can you say about a movie that actively tries for that effect.
Slayton Bourdon
Inspired by the article from the front page. What do you think of this landmark film? Does it have artistic merits or is it exploitation? I think it is a deeply symbolic masterwork, but different strokes for different folks. I’ll post more of my thoughts later. What do y’all think?