Episode 91 - Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom

In Episode 91 of *When Banned Things Happen to Good People*, hosts Todd Sullivan and Peter Amin dissect Pier Paolo Pasolini’s 1975 film *Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom*, a harrowing adaptation of the Marquis de Sade’s novel that explores the grotesque excesses of fascist power through a 120-day orgy of torture, rape, and dehumanization. The film, banned in multiple countries for its graphic depictions of sexual violence and cruelty, is examined not just as a work of extreme cinema but as a political allegory on the corrupting nature of absolute power. The hosts explore its structure—divided into four circles inspired by Dante’s Inferno—and analyze how each phase escalates in depravity, from forced humiliation and ritualized rape to public defecation, best-ass competitions, and sadistic executions. They reflect on the film’s controversial reception, including its censorship in the UK, Canada, Australia, and the U.S., and discuss how the Australian Classification Board eventually approved an uncut version only after a special edition with documentary context was added. The episode draws chilling parallels between the film’s depiction of unchecked elite power and real-world events like the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, framing *Salò* as a warning about the commodification of impunity in capitalist and authoritarian systems. Despite its extreme content and difficult viewing experience, the hosts affirm its artistic and moral significance, arguing that such disturbing art is essential for confronting societal dangers, even as they acknowledge the film’s limitations in narrative realism and its potential to alienate audiences. The episode concludes with a reflective discussion on the role of banned or disturbing art in society. The hosts debate whether extreme depictions are necessary to convey the full horror of fascism and systemic abuse, or if they risk being dismissed as mere shock value. They express concern over the increasing real-life parallels between fictional dystopias and current events, suggesting that censorship of such works only deepens societal blind spots. With a tone that balances intellectual rigor with dark humor, they rate the film four fascists executed out of five, praising its cinematography and thematic power while critiquing its lack of logistical plausibility. The episode ends with a teaser for the next three-part series on *The Diary of a Young Girl* by Anne Frank, setting up a poignant contrast between historical trauma and the ongoing relevance of banned literature in the fight for truth and memory.