Salò, Or the 120 Days of Sodom and Ilsa, the Wicked Warden: Fascism, Pornography and Disgust

Abstract

This chapter examines Salò, Or the 120 Days of Sodom and Ilsa, the Wicked Warden. Although both films use Fascist imagery to comment on the corrupting nature of power, they continue to enjoy very different cultural reputations. In order to explore this, the chapter firstly examines the BFI’s special edition Blu-ray release of Pasolini’s film, discussing the way the product employs exploitation tactics over the more established art film marketing directives expected from a highbrow company. Exploiting the film’s more transgressive attributes, the analysis shows how in-text extremity can be externally commercialised. Thereafter, the chapter investigates Ilsa, the Wicked Warden’s appearance within Anchor Bay’s ‘Jess Franco Collection’. Considering whether the auteur branding successfully redeems the lowbrow reputation of both film and filmmaker, the chapter highlights the ways lowbrow distributors use highbrow approaches to legitimise their texts. Ultimately, the chapter suggest that although the BFI trade off notions of disgust, the product presents Pasolini’s film as an artistically challenging experience rather than mere exploitation. In contrast, the chapter asserts that Anchor Bay’s attempt to legitimise Franco’s film is undone be the consistent centralisation of sexually explicit content.