(aka Salo ou les 120 journées de Sodome)
directed
by
Pier Paolo Pasolini
Italy 1975
Set in the Nazi-controlled, northern Italian state of Salo in 1944, four dignitaries round up sixteen perfect specimens of youth and take them together with guards, servants and studs to a palace near Marzabotto. In addition, there are four middle-aged women: three of whom recount arousing stories whilst the fourth accompanies on the piano. The story is largely taken up with their recounting the stories of Dante and De Sade: the Circle of Manias, the Circle of Shit and the Circle of Blood. Following this, the youths are executed whilst each libertine takes his turn as voyeur.
Posters (Click to enlarge where applicable)
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Theatrical Release: November 25th, 1975 - Paris, France
Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews R1 DVD Reviews R2
Recommended Books on Italian Cinema (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)
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Italian Cinema: From Neorealism to the Present by Peter E. Bondanella |
Fellini on Fellini by Federico Fellini, Isabel Quigley |
Italian Film in the Light of Neorealism by Millicent Marcus |
Vittorio De Sica: Contemporary Perspectives (Toronto
Italian Studies) by Howard Curle, Stephen Snyder |
Italian Film (National Film Traditions) by Marcia Landy, David Desser |
Italian Cinema by Maggie Gunsberg |
I, Fellini by Charlotte Chandler, Billy Wilder |
Vittorio De Sica: Director, Actor, Screenwriter by Bert Cardullo |
DVD Comparison:
Gaumont Columbia Tristar - Region 2 - PAL vs. Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC vs. BFI - Region 2 - PAL
BFI Screen captures courtesy of Ashirg and Vincent Bouche of DVD Compare for the Gaumont screen captures!
(Gaumont Columbia Tristar - Region 2 - PAL - LEFT vs. Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC - MIDDLE vs. BFI - Region 2 - PAL - RIGHT)
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| Distribution |
GCTHV (Gaumont Columbia Tristar Home Video)
Region 2 (France)
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Home Vision Entertainment - Criterion Spine #17 Region 1 encoded ( North America ) |
BFI
Video Publishing Catalogue No: BFIVD510
Region 2 |
| Runtime | 1:51:32 | 1:51:24 | 1:51:46 |
| Video |
1.66 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate : 6.14 Mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s
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1.85:1 Widecreen Average Bitrate: 4.56 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s |
1.85:1
Widecreen Average Bitrate: 4.76 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s |
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NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes |
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| Bitrate:
Gaumont
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| Bitrate:
Criterion |
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| Bitrate:
BFI |
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| Audio |
- Italian Dolby Digital 1.0 (Mono)
- French Dolby Digital 1.0 (Mono)
- Movie was shot in Italian but french dub was considered by Pasolini as
the "official" version.
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Italian (Dolby Digital 1.0) |
Italian (Dolby Digital 1.0) |
| Subtitles | French or none | English or none | English (burnt in) |
| Features |
Release Information:
Studio: GCTHV
Production Company : Carlotta Films
Aspect Ratio :
Widescreen letterbox - 1.66:1 Discographic information :
- DVD encoding : region 2
- Layers : dual
- Available Audio Tracks: Italian (Dolby Digital 1.0) and French (Dolby
Digital 1.0)
- Available subtitles : French and none
- Limited numbered collector's edition (only 50 000 ex.)
In the box, you find a huge booklet (about 50 pages) with photos and
many notes about the film (in french)
Extras :
- "Salo d'hier à aujourd'hui", documentary (31:55) (italian with French
subtitles and french)
- "Enfants de Salo", documentary (18:28) (french)
- Image gallery (diaporama)
- Original theatrical trailer (Italian with french subtitles)
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Release
Information: Studio: Home Vision Entertainment Aspect Ratio: Widescreen letterbox - 1.85:1 Extras : There is an inset by John Powers that briefly covers the controversy behind Pasolini and his final film. It was quite informative and gives valued insight into the film.
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Release
Information: Studio: BFI Video Publishing Aspect Ratio: Widescreen letterbox - 1.85:1 Extras : There is an inset by John Powers (same as Criterion) Pasolini’s own introduction to his film, is presented both as on-screen text and read aloud by the actor Nickolas Grace. It does a very good job of explaining in broad brushstroke terms what Pasolini was attempting. A brief biography of Pasolini, a couple of poster images and the news that three more Pasolini DVDs are coming out in summer 2001. The only other extra is a link to the BFI website and their collection of Salò-related papers, Click Here to access. |
| Comments | Both the Criterion and Gaumont have been slightly cropped on both vertical sides (see captures # 1-5) and the Criterion has deleted a scene (25-second sequence during the first wedding ceremony - see capture # 6). the Criterion shows more edge enhancement and the color is strangely yellow/greenish compared to the BFI version. the Gaumont is miles ahead of both of these version in image clarity and color adherence. The BFI subtitles are clear. BFI DVD image shows the most damage (see 'black hole' in capture # 3) and occasional fluctuations in brightness. The Criterion image is sharper than the BFI which appears soft at times especially noticeable for a film with many medium to long shots. The BFI and Gaumont have just nine chapter stops, which are timed to coincide with Pasolini’s own chapter divisions. The Criterion has 29 chapters in a nice DVD menu. The Criterion sub-titles are removable but not as clear as the BFI ones which are brunt in. the Gaumont only has French subs. | ||
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DVD release date : October 22, 2002
Amaray Case
Chapters : 9
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DVD Release Date:
August 11, 1998 Keep Case Chapters: 29 |
DVD Release Date:
April 2, 2001 Unique Cardboard Box Case Chapters: 9 | |
DVD Menus
(Gaumont
Columbia Tristar - Region 2 - PAL - LEFT vs. Criterion -
Region 1 - NTSC - MIDDLE vs. BFI - Region 2 - PAL - RIGHT)
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Title
(Gaumont Columbia Tristar - Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC - MIDDLE vs. BFI - Region 2 - PAL - BOTTOM)
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(Gaumont Columbia Tristar - Region 2 - PAL -
TOP vs. Criterion -
Region 1 - NTSC - MIDDLE vs. BFI - Region 2 - PAL - BOTTOM)
Capture # 1
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(Gaumont Columbia Tristar - Region 2 - PAL -
TOP vs. Criterion -
Region 1 - NTSC - MIDDLE vs. BFI - Region 2 - PAL - BOTTOM)
Capture # 2
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(Gaumont Columbia Tristar - Region 2 - PAL -
TOP vs. Criterion -
Region 1 - NTSC - MIDDLE vs. BFI - Region 2 - PAL - BOTTOM)
Capture # 3
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(Gaumont Columbia Tristar - Region 2 - PAL -
TOP vs. Criterion -
Region 1 - NTSC - MIDDLE vs. BFI - Region 2 - PAL - BOTTOM)
Capture # 4
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Print damage Frame ( 0:05:56 ) - restored on Gaumont
(Gaumont Columbia Tristar - Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC - MIDDLE vs. BFI - Region 2 - PAL - BOTTOM)
Capture # 5
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Capture # 6
Scene
at 0:42:24 (below) is missing from the Criterion and Gaumont disc.
IMDB - The Criterion and Gaumont DVD omit a short 25-second sequence during the
first wedding ceremony, where one of the masters quotes a poem by
Gottfried Benn. The sequence is intact on the Region 2 BFI DVD.
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Criterion Back Cover and Insert ( Click to enlarge )
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Report Card:
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Image: |
Gaumont |
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Sound: |
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| Extras: | Gaumont |
| Menu: | Criterion |
| DVD Box Covers |
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| Distribution |
GCTHV (Gaumont Columbia Tristar Home Video)
Region 2 (France)
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Home Vision Entertainment - Criterion Spine #17 Region 1 encoded ( North America ) |
BFI
Video Publishing Catalogue No: BFIVD510
Region 2 |
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