Literally one of the most grotesque things I've ever seen/heard on film, and I've seen it all— Cannibal Holocaust, I Drink Your Blood, and maybe even Saló can't reach the level of grimness that this film does in that single scene. Appalling, maybe genius.
shareThis is an extremely grim movie. Very well done, but the older I get, the less I can stomach this kind of thing. Brrrr...
share..the older I get, the less I can stomach this kind of thing. Brrrr...
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Yes, the grimness is not much of an entertaining factor and one has to be in the mood for this sort of film Mr H. One can feel like a good wash after. I attempted to re-watch SALO not long ago and decided after about 45mins, that I didn't want that perverse and disturbing film to contaminate my dvd collection anymore and promptly threw it away. It is good for shock value, even by today's standards and is also considered "art" by some; but it is also self-indulgent, cruel, mean-spirited and pretentious too boot.
Exorcist: Christ's power compels you. Cast out, unclean spirit.
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I attempted to rewatch SALO not long ago and decided after about 45 mins that I didn't want that perverse and disturbing film to contaminate my dvd collection anymore and promptly threw it away.
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Good for you, Rascal. I found the movie to be disturbing and exceedingly unpleasant.
It is also self-indulgent, cruel, mean-spirited and pretentious to boot.
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I agree. And I really can't appreciate the notion that this film is in any way artistic. Just because the horrific stuff is interspersed with lots of drawn out storytelling doesn't make it something special.
Just because the horrific stuff is interspersed with lots of drawn out storytelling doesn't make it something special.
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That was all just an excuse to pad out the runtime and purportedly show how sophisticated these bourgeoisie\libertines or whatever they were are, and then use the stories as an excuse to show how perverted they are and for Pasolini to indulge in his own self-absorbtion and excesses. I haven't seen any other Pasolini films Mr H and didn't seek them out after seeing this in the early 90's. I think 'Canterbury Tales and 'Arabian Nights have a bit of a art cult following.
Exorcist: Christ's power compels you. Cast out, unclean spirit.
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Hi Rascal -- I saw and very much enjoyed Accatone, which came much earlier in Pasolini's career, around 1961. I saw part of Canterbury Tales and even though the source is somewhat spirited, I guess, there was something unpleasant and troubling about it. The only movie of his that I really want to see now is Mamma Roma. It looks more like "raw Italy" and it's got Anna Magnani in it. I haven't seen anything that she's been in, but I've been reading a lot of great stuff about her, and I am beginning to get interested.
shareDo you think the troubling aspects of Canterbury Tales might be more to do with the Olde English setting? That is enough to trouble anyone. I really don't go for that Shakespearean\Chaucer era, very unappealing. Arabian Nights looks like a more exotic and also surreal setting. Both films appear to have a lighter and spirited edge to them over SALO.
I have never even seen a Fellini movie. What can you suggest here Mr. H. I think La Strada seems to be the most appealing. My folks have seen La Dolce Vita and I think they liked it.
Exorcist: Christ's power compels you. Cast out, unclean spirit.
Destinata:💩
Do you think the troubling aspects of Canterbury Tales might be more to do with the Olde English setting? That is enough to trouble anyone. I really don't go for that Shakesperean/Chaucer era, very unappealing.
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Wow, Rascal.
I don't think I've ever heard anybody explain it like that before. Yes, I definitely think that's more than a possibility. I think you just uncovered something in my psyche. I think I have always found that period in time very unappealing, even disturbing. There's something there that's uncivilized to the point of being unwholesome. It feels like it's only a few steps apart from the Dark Ages. However, surreal settings I often find very, very seductive. Maybe I will have to watch Arabian Nights sometime.
From Felini I have seen I Vitelloni, La Strada, Nights of Cabiria and Amarcord. I loved I Vitelloni and Amarcord. Amarcord is just so funny and charming and the theme music is this warm, sweet little tune. La Strada was actually my least favorite. It wasn't bad, I just found it a little dull. I do want to see La Dolce Vita very much. Any movies about European decadence stand a good chance of being interesting and/or atmospheric. And I haven't seen Satyricon, but it is my friend's favorite Felini. It looks interesting.
That's pretty cool that your parents watched AND liked La Dolce Vita. I actually had my mother watch Amarcord with me and she hated it, told me I was weird for liking it. Now that I am remembering I also had her watch 3 Women with me. She liked that even less. Lol. Mother has to have a straight narrative or she gets weirded out. Come to think of it, she told me once that she detested The Twilight Zone. What a horrible little woman.
That horrible little woman might not be being quite honest with you Mr. H. Some people can't buy into your enthusiasm, because if they are narcissistic and cold, they would have to acknowledge where you are coming from. It's about seeing into part of your own soul and it is too confronting, especially if they are operating from a disassociate negativity that is in complete contrast to your own bright and positive state of being. They will adopt a different or masked personality, because they fear being genuine, or someone or something being unique. If they give generous endorsement of something you like, that means they would have to share a part of themselves and fear it would make them vulnerable and they might lose a grip or control of whatever they feel they need to hold onto. They can't reach what you have because of their own lack of self-awareness, so will attempt to bring you down and suck your own enthusiasm out of you like a leech. If you're weird, then so is your mother. She is just an extension of you.
Exorcist: Christ's power compels you. Cast out, unclean spirit.
Destinata:💩
Hi Rascal -- I am still mulling your words over
I'm going to send you a pm with my thoughts. But re-reading your post and thinking about how my parents are I immediately thought of the mother from "Frances". Both my parents have more than a little bit of Lillian Farmer in them.
Simply put Mr H, your mother probably did enjoy or get something out to the films you like and watched with her, she just can't bring herself to admit it, due to a lack of genuine or authentic honesty within herself.
Exorcist: Christ's power compels you. Cast out, unclean spirit.
Destinata:💩