10 Insanely Intense Films Any Horror Fan MUST See
9. Salo, Or 120 Days Of Sodom
You knew it would be on the list somewhere.
Yes, it’s Italian poet and filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini’s adaptation of The 120 Days of Sodom, a nauseating compendium of violent sexual perversions written by the Marquis de Sade in 1785 when he was imprisoned and losing his mind. Who’s the Marquis de Sade, you ask? Well, I’m sure you’ve heard of sadism – it’s named after this guy, specifically because of this book.
Four fascist pleasure addicts abduct a group of young victims, and – you guessed it – the film does not end well for them. They are subjected to every form of violence, humiliation and indignity, and finally they are horribly and coldly murdered.
Banned for 25 years in the UK, it is widely considered one of the most shocking, gruelling, and vicious films ever made. Its critique of fascism led to Pasolini’s murder. Even the Austrian arch-miserablist Michael Haneke considers this film harrowing. Think about that for a second.