5. Saló or 120 Days of Sodom
How to Make a Classic. 1. Find good source material. Make sure that source material is a book written by former French Colonel the Marquis de Sade, after whom the term "sadist" was coined. 2. Ensure that there is a quality of nudity that makes the viewer question the legality of your actors' ages. 3. Make sure that there is at least some sort of ingestion of fecal matter. These are the three essentials needed to guarantee a film held in high esteem by people who go to movies by themselves. Pier Paolo Pasolini made a disturbing, effective film, yes. But the high regard in which Saló is held is of a disconcerting nature given its content and bland style in which it's presented. The dry, erudite approach to one of the most disturbing sexual stories in history appeals solely to the -ology crowd, giving little in substantial story telling or captivating action. Pasolini's flick is void of flourishes or memorable performances. If your only memorable plot point is the mastication of poop, you're either a love-to-hate John Waters fan, or a laborious egotist. In this case I'd bet on the latter.