Salò or The 120 Days of Sodom
"Pier Paolo Pasolini did not live to see the storms of controversy and scandal that were whipped up around Salò or The 120 Days of Sodom (Salò o le 120 giornate di Sodoma, 1975), his adaptation of the Marquis de Sade. Until recently, the uncut film had never received a certification in the UK and is banned in a number of other countries. However, the BBFC have now - for the first time - granted an 18 certificate to the uncut version, for both theatrical screenings and for a DVD / VHS release.
Introduction
About the film, and acknowledgements.
Salò and censorship
A history of the censorship of Salò in Britain and elsewhere.
'A mad dream'
Two pieces in which Pasolini introduces and annotates his film, paying particular attention to its relationship to the Marquis de Sade's novel and to Italian fascism.
Salò assessed
When Salò was originally submitted to the BBFC, it seemed as if the UK distributors might be prosecuted. Geoffrey Nowell-Smith prepared an expert witness defence of the film.
A writer's view
Salò or The 120 Days of Sodom by Gary Indiana is published in the bfi Modern Classics series. Read extracts from the book.
Interview with Gary Indiana
Gary Indiana is interviewed by Rob White.
The club cut
The only version of Salò to be screened at all regularly in the UK was significantly cut under the supervision of James Ferman, then director of the BBFC.
Salò at the ICA
On 29 and 30 of September 2002, the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London hosted a two-day event around Salò, with screenings and discussion about the film.
