The film world can now be divided into two parts: those who have seen this excellent Criterion edition of Pasolini’s controversial film, and those who have not. Unlike today’s torture porn (The Human Centipede, Hostel), though, which challenges the audience to watch horrific acts as sheer endurance with no artistic payoff, the experience of watching Salo leaves you both exhausted and, oddly enough, exhilarated. You feel like a survivor who wants, no…who needs to go back and see it again because underneath the horror is absolute cinematic artistry. What the story of the four fascist libertines living out their ultimate desires in a remote villa means to you — or does to you — is a personal experience unlike any other you will have from watching a movie. And, as the six essays in the booklet accompanying the film show, that’s OK. Just know that once the final scene ends, you will never be the same.
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