Monday, May 05, 2003
Salo or The 120 Days of Sodom
Directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini
Salo was Passolini’s last film before he was murdered by a 17 year old male prostitute though conspiracy theories speculate his death was attributed to more sinister underhanded work by right/left wing political groups. The mystery of his death is raised in a 90 minute documentary video, ‘Whoever Says the Truth shall Die” directed by Philo Gregstein, in which he also traces the life and work of Pasolini.
Pasolini, a gay man who loved “rougher boys“ was also a communist. He was expelled from the party however because of his sexual inclinations. A political speaker, writer and poet, he made positive affirmative films that are deeply mythical and religious such as Oedipus Rex and The Gospel According to St Matthew. Many concurred his best works are the 'Trilogy of life' which are The Decameron, The Canterbury Tales, and The Arabian Nights.
Yet, Salo, is probably the best because it was his last. He never survived to see the controversy that Salo or 120 Days in Sodom created. When released in 1976, it was banned, censored or limited to small theatres in Europe. Its subject matter, graphic violence and sexual debauchery was and is still considered shocking by today’s standards.
Loosely based on Marquis De Sade, The 120 Days of Sodom; Pasolini’s on screen adaptation moves the setting to post World War II, peaceful Republic of Salo, also considered the puppet republic and last bastion of Italian fascism in 1944.
Here, 4 powerful men – Duke, President, Bishop, and Magistrate; who had signed an agreement to tie their bond together by marrying one another’s sisters; captured 16 young boys and girls for their sexual fantasies and pleasure.
The air of dreadful expectation hangs over almost every scene. From the initial choosing of the girls or boys by the 4 libertines, where we feel something evil is brewing to the prisoners being told the rules of their stay in the castle, the plot constantly builds up and topples expectations – the terror of watching young adults subjected to their masters whims and fancies becomes unimaginable as Salo progresses.
Much has been analysed about Salo and its confrontational explicit scenes which has labelled it close to a hardcore XXX film. Critics also view it as a satire against fascism or in some cases, the blatant affront and onslaught of the neo material capitalism of its time. Its sexual provocativities acts as the opposite of what it displays, that it is anti-erotic art rather than erotic. It is also debated and generally agreed in circles that Salo depicts evils of absolute power that translates into total chaos and anarchy.
While some critics opposed the grotesque imageries as bad taste and simply employed as a mechanism to shock, Salo does tell more than just a haunting story beneath the violence and sexual sado-masochism. When the young adults were treated like dogs, strapped with a leash, made to bark and beg for food, the eerie uneasiness that degrading human lives is easy; couldn’t be made more clearer. As the female procurers relates their appalling pornographic tales of how they were abused, but almost as if they were tastefully recalling it, one cannot help be perturbed at how these women were very subversive.
Salo refusal of the traditional male – female – penis - vagina sexual preoccupation and focus on anal sex or sodomy as a form of sexual pleasure is disturbing. One of the female procurers was so proud of her ass that she bared it, while telling her story and even goes on to say her sister has the most beautiful bottom. There was also a competition to choose the best looking ass which is extremely ludicrous. Almost all forms of prohibited anti – normative sex was described in detail from piss to stool consumption. The libertines also prevents religion from being discussed or engaged among the captors as one of their rules. Their indulgence in shit eating is a metaphor for men as devils who have created hell on earth.
The most disconcerting experience of watching Salo is its lack of human expression and emotions in such extreme situations. The oppressors dwell in their ability to inflict punishments but power but does not maketh them happy. These 4 men which could represent the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse, were without a doubt, totally evil. The oppressed were tame and seems to languish; accepting their fate with the only exception of one of the girls who whispers to another female how she couldn’t handle it anymore. Otherwise, it seems as if God is non-existent when evil reigns. God was only mentioned when one of the girls, in a tub filled with excrement, called, “God, Why have you abandoned us?” It reminds us of the account in the Bible when Jesus was crucified.
Yet, unlike the New Testament, where Jesus was resurrected; Salo ends with more bloodshed as offenders of rules were raped and mutilated. This modern gothic dytopia of sexual oppression and killings chills the heart and disturbs the mind. The sexual equivalent of 1984 – a dark and bleak masterpiece.
Oligarkh / Tycoon (2002)
Directed by Pavel Lounguine
Based on Yuly Dubov's novel, "Bolshaya Paika" (The Big Slice) with shadows of billionaire Boris Berezovsky, Tycoon is touted as the Russian version of Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather.
Russians might be more interested in Tycoon as it is a more recent history of how businessman like Plato Makovski exploits the country for personal gain that was undergoing economic reforms.
Plato was murdered before the elections which sets a trail of events as District Attorney investigates the cause of his death involving the Kremlin. Like Citizen Kane, the film develops flashbacks to tell us more about the life of Plato and his cohorts. But unlike the masterpiece, Tycoon fails because it does not capture the imagination of the audience tight enough to want them to continue watching. In the flashbacks, we see Plato falling in love or getting into trouble; which builds the plot but hardly interests.
Strictly for gangster/ mafia film lovers.
Georgie Girl
Directed by Annie Goldston and Peter Wells
Georgie Girl is the first transsexual to be elected into any national government in the world. To add to that incredibility. she was a Maori and was elected by a largely white electorate in New Zealand.
The 90 minute documentary tells her story from childhood as a boy to how she underwent sex change to coming out to her mother; becoming a sex worker, actress and councillor. In between, we are told of the activities she engages as an MP in the New Zealand government.
There are funny moments such as a tale by her male friend revolving around a male truck driver that was given a good beating after he threatened Georgina with a knife. Or when Georgina stood up in Parliament and gave her virgin speech in the Parliament. There are also more serious recollections such as the time when she relates how she was molested and bashed up by two men that she met in an Australian bar. Her coming out story was also a tearjerker as her aunt read out Georgina’s mother’s diary excerpts.
Georgie Girl is a well produced and directed documentary that shows us how determination to succeed can go far; that a Maori transsexual is able to overcome all odds despite her background and gain popularity even with a conservative white electorate.
As a critic, while I applaud the move to make the documentary; Georgie Girls lacks punch in certain areas. The most interesting question which was unanswered was why she was popular with the majority of the people - what did she do to earn their trust? The directors also fail to question the other side – are there any people who dislike her; and if yes, why? Is it merely bigotry due to her transgender status? There was also a black and white footage of an interview cut up with transgenders during the 70s (I presume) which does not seem to serve much purpose to the story (to tell the story of transgenders?). The saving grace is the ending whereby the directors left the cliffhanger of how she copes with a blank personal love life and possible difficulties for her to speak out in the big political machine.
Directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini
Salo was Passolini’s last film before he was murdered by a 17 year old male prostitute though conspiracy theories speculate his death was attributed to more sinister underhanded work by right/left wing political groups. The mystery of his death is raised in a 90 minute documentary video, ‘Whoever Says the Truth shall Die” directed by Philo Gregstein, in which he also traces the life and work of Pasolini.
Pasolini, a gay man who loved “rougher boys“ was also a communist. He was expelled from the party however because of his sexual inclinations. A political speaker, writer and poet, he made positive affirmative films that are deeply mythical and religious such as Oedipus Rex and The Gospel According to St Matthew. Many concurred his best works are the 'Trilogy of life' which are The Decameron, The Canterbury Tales, and The Arabian Nights.
Yet, Salo, is probably the best because it was his last. He never survived to see the controversy that Salo or 120 Days in Sodom created. When released in 1976, it was banned, censored or limited to small theatres in Europe. Its subject matter, graphic violence and sexual debauchery was and is still considered shocking by today’s standards.
Loosely based on Marquis De Sade, The 120 Days of Sodom; Pasolini’s on screen adaptation moves the setting to post World War II, peaceful Republic of Salo, also considered the puppet republic and last bastion of Italian fascism in 1944.
Here, 4 powerful men – Duke, President, Bishop, and Magistrate; who had signed an agreement to tie their bond together by marrying one another’s sisters; captured 16 young boys and girls for their sexual fantasies and pleasure.
The air of dreadful expectation hangs over almost every scene. From the initial choosing of the girls or boys by the 4 libertines, where we feel something evil is brewing to the prisoners being told the rules of their stay in the castle, the plot constantly builds up and topples expectations – the terror of watching young adults subjected to their masters whims and fancies becomes unimaginable as Salo progresses.
Much has been analysed about Salo and its confrontational explicit scenes which has labelled it close to a hardcore XXX film. Critics also view it as a satire against fascism or in some cases, the blatant affront and onslaught of the neo material capitalism of its time. Its sexual provocativities acts as the opposite of what it displays, that it is anti-erotic art rather than erotic. It is also debated and generally agreed in circles that Salo depicts evils of absolute power that translates into total chaos and anarchy.
While some critics opposed the grotesque imageries as bad taste and simply employed as a mechanism to shock, Salo does tell more than just a haunting story beneath the violence and sexual sado-masochism. When the young adults were treated like dogs, strapped with a leash, made to bark and beg for food, the eerie uneasiness that degrading human lives is easy; couldn’t be made more clearer. As the female procurers relates their appalling pornographic tales of how they were abused, but almost as if they were tastefully recalling it, one cannot help be perturbed at how these women were very subversive.
Salo refusal of the traditional male – female – penis - vagina sexual preoccupation and focus on anal sex or sodomy as a form of sexual pleasure is disturbing. One of the female procurers was so proud of her ass that she bared it, while telling her story and even goes on to say her sister has the most beautiful bottom. There was also a competition to choose the best looking ass which is extremely ludicrous. Almost all forms of prohibited anti – normative sex was described in detail from piss to stool consumption. The libertines also prevents religion from being discussed or engaged among the captors as one of their rules. Their indulgence in shit eating is a metaphor for men as devils who have created hell on earth.
The most disconcerting experience of watching Salo is its lack of human expression and emotions in such extreme situations. The oppressors dwell in their ability to inflict punishments but power but does not maketh them happy. These 4 men which could represent the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse, were without a doubt, totally evil. The oppressed were tame and seems to languish; accepting their fate with the only exception of one of the girls who whispers to another female how she couldn’t handle it anymore. Otherwise, it seems as if God is non-existent when evil reigns. God was only mentioned when one of the girls, in a tub filled with excrement, called, “God, Why have you abandoned us?” It reminds us of the account in the Bible when Jesus was crucified.
Yet, unlike the New Testament, where Jesus was resurrected; Salo ends with more bloodshed as offenders of rules were raped and mutilated. This modern gothic dytopia of sexual oppression and killings chills the heart and disturbs the mind. The sexual equivalent of 1984 – a dark and bleak masterpiece.
Oligarkh / Tycoon (2002)
Directed by Pavel Lounguine
Based on Yuly Dubov's novel, "Bolshaya Paika" (The Big Slice) with shadows of billionaire Boris Berezovsky, Tycoon is touted as the Russian version of Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather.
Russians might be more interested in Tycoon as it is a more recent history of how businessman like Plato Makovski exploits the country for personal gain that was undergoing economic reforms.
Plato was murdered before the elections which sets a trail of events as District Attorney investigates the cause of his death involving the Kremlin. Like Citizen Kane, the film develops flashbacks to tell us more about the life of Plato and his cohorts. But unlike the masterpiece, Tycoon fails because it does not capture the imagination of the audience tight enough to want them to continue watching. In the flashbacks, we see Plato falling in love or getting into trouble; which builds the plot but hardly interests.
Strictly for gangster/ mafia film lovers.
Georgie Girl
Directed by Annie Goldston and Peter Wells
Georgie Girl is the first transsexual to be elected into any national government in the world. To add to that incredibility. she was a Maori and was elected by a largely white electorate in New Zealand.
The 90 minute documentary tells her story from childhood as a boy to how she underwent sex change to coming out to her mother; becoming a sex worker, actress and councillor. In between, we are told of the activities she engages as an MP in the New Zealand government.
There are funny moments such as a tale by her male friend revolving around a male truck driver that was given a good beating after he threatened Georgina with a knife. Or when Georgina stood up in Parliament and gave her virgin speech in the Parliament. There are also more serious recollections such as the time when she relates how she was molested and bashed up by two men that she met in an Australian bar. Her coming out story was also a tearjerker as her aunt read out Georgina’s mother’s diary excerpts.
Georgie Girl is a well produced and directed documentary that shows us how determination to succeed can go far; that a Maori transsexual is able to overcome all odds despite her background and gain popularity even with a conservative white electorate.
As a critic, while I applaud the move to make the documentary; Georgie Girls lacks punch in certain areas. The most interesting question which was unanswered was why she was popular with the majority of the people - what did she do to earn their trust? The directors also fail to question the other side – are there any people who dislike her; and if yes, why? Is it merely bigotry due to her transgender status? There was also a black and white footage of an interview cut up with transgenders during the 70s (I presume) which does not seem to serve much purpose to the story (to tell the story of transgenders?). The saving grace is the ending whereby the directors left the cliffhanger of how she copes with a blank personal love life and possible difficulties for her to speak out in the big political machine.
