A notorious horror film is so profoundly deranged it remains prohibited in 17 countries.
Few titles in cinematic history have ignited such visceral disgust and fierce debate as this one.
While countless movies test the limits of brutality, moral decay, and human anguish, this stands in a league entirely its own.
Unlike shock-driven horrors such as Cannibal Holocaust (1980) or A Serbian Film (2010), which lean on gore and spectacle, this work is anchored in documented historical terror and sharp intellectual condemnation—making it infinitely more haunting.
Even acclaimed depictions of suffering like Schindler’s List (1993) and Requiem for a Dream (2000) pale against the unrelenting void of despair in Pier Paolo Pasolini’s adaptation of Marquis de Sade’s infamous text.
Viewers who withstand its merciless portrayal of abuse and dehumanization often emerge speechless, shaken to their core.
“The most provocative and soul-crushing film ever made in history,” one survivor writes.
Another declares: “A movie so revolting it forces you to question the director’s sanity and purpose.”
A third pleads: “Please, for your own well-being, do not seek this out. This is beyond disturbing.”
Critics have been fiercely divided since its release—some crown it a masterwork of political and philosophical cinema, while others condemn it as gratuitous excess.
Roger Ebert refused to assign it a rating, stating: “This is not a film that can be measured by conventional standards.”
Jonathan Rosenbaum of the Chicago Reader called it: “One of the most profoundly unsettling films ever created, yet crucial for understanding the abyss of fascism.”
In contrast, Vincent Canby of The New York Times scorned it as: “Grotesque without purpose, a hollow experiment in revulsion.”
Set in the collapsing days of Mussolini’s regime in Italy, the story follows four corrupt fascist libertines who abduct 18 young men and women.
Over four harrowing months, the captives endure extreme physical, psychological, and sexual torment.
Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975), directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini, structures its descent into hell across four segments—mirroring Dante’s Inferno—escalating toward an unbearable climax of horror.
Pasolini wields this framework to indict the corruption of power and the systematic erosion of human dignity.
The film has been banned across nations for its unflinching depictions of violence, sexual violation, and sadistic cruelty.
Countries including New Zealand, Canada, Italy, Norway, Sweden, and Germany have either fully outlawed or heavily censored it at various times.
In the U.K., the ban persisted until 2000, while Australia and New Zealand repeatedly imposed and later lifted restrictions.
Some Canadian provinces blocked distribution, and in the United States, authorities seized copies despite no formal national prohibition.
Despite its infamy, the film remains accessible for purchase and streaming.
The Criterion Collection offers a restored version on Blu-ray and DVD, while platforms like Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV provide digital rentals.
Watch the trailer for the film here…