"Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom" (1975), directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini, is known for its explicit and controversial content, including numerous nude scenes. These scenes are integral to the film's provocative exploration of power, corruption, and human depravity, set against the backdrop of Fascist Italy during World War II. The nudity in the film is not intended to titillate but rather to disturb and underscore the themes of exploitation and sadism.
The movie features frequent full-frontal nudity involving both male and female characters, primarily the young victims kidnapped by the four libertines. These scenes often occur in degrading and violent contexts, such as during the selection of victims, mock weddings, and various acts of torture and humiliation. For example, one notable sequence involves a mock wedding where the sex slaves are naked, and a fascist character gropes and kisses their bodies. Another scene depicts two men engaging in sexual activity, with visible nudity, including the "top" man's buttocks during a thrusting sequence. Throughout the film, genitalia (penises and vulvas) are shown, typically from a distance, as part of the stark, unflinching visual style.
These nude scenes are presented in a clinical, almost detached manner, contrasting with the graphic nature of the acts depicted, such as rape, sodomy, and other sadistic behaviors. The film’s use of nudity serves its broader commentary on the dehumanizing effects of fascism and unchecked power, making it a deeply unsettling experience rather than a conventionally erotic one. Due to its explicit content, "Salò" has been heavily censored or banned in various countries and remains one of the most debated works in cinematic history.