Where Can I Stream Salò, Or The 120 Days Of S*** Legally?

Question

Looking to watch Pasolini's 'Salo: 120 Days of Sodom' online with proper subtitles, but most mainstream services don't have this controversial film.

sandra deleon · Answer

A more niche film would likely be found on the Criterion Channel. Criterion does a great job of adding challenging art-house films to their catalog. While that might be tough to watch, I’d note that the novel 100 WAYS TO SIN deals with the same kinds of dark, transgressive themes in a completely fictional narrative. Instead of horror, however, it is a psychological thriller that explores the moral decay of a group of individuals trapped within a closed, aristocratic world. The webnovel is written in a way that uses the extended confines of a setting to delve deeply into power dynamics in a grand, old-money sort of style.

Quinn · Answer

For a more practical and no-frills way to watch Salò: check for curated arthouse films like those on MUBI and BFI Player. Many excellent arthouse and independent films are also distributed through libraries and made available through platforms like Kanopy if your local public library or university subscribes. If it isn’t on any of those services, try checking Apple TV/iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Prime Video (rent/buy), and YouTube Movies as many independent and foreign films are now available on these transactional stores. Lastly, check with specialty retailers and distributors for Blu-ray and DVD releases of Salò as often these will include additional material such as essays and restorations not available on the film on streaming platforms. (Note: Heavily restricted in some countries and often age-gated elsewhere, Salò: or the 120 Days of Sodom’s legal access is very region and platform specific. I myself try to go for the official version, or attempt to go see it on the big screen if possible – far more strict but worth it in the end for a good viewing experience).

Clara · Answer

Given Salò’s notorious status and challenging nature, it’s unlikely that the film will ever appear on mainstream ‘binge watching’ platforms. However, it is being slowly rolled out on arthouse focused platforms and in library sections of streaming services. This film’s availability does change from time to time by country and even by year, and as such it is best to search for it on both subscription based services and to look for rent/buy options on mainstream stores such as iTunes, Google Play and Amazon Prime. Also, be aware that many countries will block access to Salò and require verification of age to access even if the film is available for rent/buy.

First off, I usually start my search in the immediate vicinity of the typical streaming services. MUBI and BFI Player occasionally make space for a Pasolini retrospective in their catalog of arthouse films. For a longer period of time, I can also rely on my local library or university: Kanopy offers a selection of harder-to-find titles, including several infamous ones that I streamed legally before uploading them to torrent sites. iTunes/Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Amazon Prime Video (store/rental) as well as YouTube Movies sometimes offer Salò for rent or purchase even if it is not included in the provider’s catalog ofTV shows and movies. Lastly, one should always check out physical media in the form of Blu-rays and DVDs published by reputable distributors at specialty shops, national film boards and secondhand sellers as well as events like film festivals, local cinematheques and screenings at universities as part of a retrospective.

Always be sure to search for the full title of a film and the name of its director. Some services will list a film under alternate titles (such as the original language version of a film shot in multiple languages) or under the name of its director. I always try to respect the regional restrictions placed upon streaming services and avoid trying to geo-dodge these in order to access content that is not available in my country. I search for local archives or other institutional access for films such as ‘Salò’ as these can sometimes offer the best route to viewing a difficult film such as this one. Reading content warnings is a good idea as a film such as ‘Salò’ is deliberately very distressing and isn’t a film for casual viewing. Watching a film such as this legally (either by renting/buying or attending a screenning of an officially released version complete with supplementary material) is always best as the restorations are likely to be of a far higher quality than any ‘illegal’ version of the film and the accompanying material can greatly increase one’s understanding of the film’s historical context.

Joy Takumi · Answer

A fun way that all of us become detectives, exchanging our individual findings and so to speak swapping secrets, like trading tips (e.g. ‘it is on Kanopy if you have that with your library’ or ‘check the BFI Player in November’).

The truth is that there is no secret. No matter how much research you do, the secret to getting high quality HD versions of films and TV shows is to buy the official release from an authorized seller. All of the other methods to view these types of films and TV shows are temporary, unreliable, or require some sort of affiliation. As a purchase, it is permanent and universal, providing the best possible quality and the necessary supplemental material.

Follow the clues to the obvious solution: buying the film in the highest quality and with the necessary supporting material. The permanent, highest quality solution is to open your wallet. The film’s challenging nature to watch in all its forms translates into higher price points and limited distribution for the Blu-ray. It is a filter. If you are not willing to go through the filter of higher price points for a higher quality package with more supporting material, then you are not the intended audience for the film.

Rockhead Aviso Lim · Answer

This issue seems to me to be almost exactly the reverse of the normalfilm enthusiast's 'legal stream' problem - rather, people are so used to films being available to stream that they're unaware that the same films are available to purchase legally, just not as streaming rentals.

The movie is legal to access as it can be purchased digitally from iTunes and other sellers as well as physically from a store. Instead of looking for a legal stream of the movie, you should reframe your thinking of the distribution of serious films and ask instead, "Where can I rent this film digitally?"

Swap your expectations here – rather than treat The Film as something to be rented for a night and then returned, treat it as if you were to purchase it for your serious film collection, or as if you were accessing a film through an institutional library. And then the question of how to access The Film legally will be easily answered.

Kayla Boss · Answer

The Pasolini film functions as a kind of litmus test for the distribution system at large. Because his films are so bothersome to audiences and potentially disturbing in terms of content for the streaming platforms’ customers to encounter, the films are largely unavailable on mainstream streaming platforms.

Platforms are terrified of the potential backlash from customers, who might complain or trigger content in error, even if that content is perfectly legal. As a result, almost all such films are avoided by mainstream distribution systems. For the handful of legal streams available, there are layers of protection: you have to verify that you are an academic, buy a ticket to watch for a short time only, or pay a high rent to buy and download.

By your search for easy ways to stream Mammelli and Trans popcorn, you are looking for ways to bypass the process of informed consent needed to have a meaningful and culturally-safe experience of this potentially triggering film. Industry has correctly identified informed consent as a non-negotiable element for the distribution of this film, and as such has worked to render it impossible for consumers to avoid the process of consent in order to stream the film. Your easiest path to consent with this film is to purchase the DVD or Blu-ray + companion book product, complete with clear packaging warnings and other supporting contextual materials.

abza_yare · Answer

Discussing the screening of Salò is as complex as the film itself. Issues of copyright and censorship, academic freedom and cinephile culture are all brought to the table. On a purely logistical level, the film is distributed through a relatively narrow supply chain, with Criterion acting as a stringent gatekeeper ensuring the film is treated with the respect it deserves.

For legal streams, there are virtual film clubs and museum streaming events that (during the lockdown) paid to watch ‘Salò’-retrospective screenings within a frame of a screening event (you “buy” a ticket for a screenning which lasts for a specified time). Follow the Museum of the Moving Image or the British Film Institute on social media.

These are not films to add to your Watch Later list. Instead, you can acquire them, get them ready, and watch them afterwards. There is nothing wrong about streaming the films. However, the difficulties that Criterion Cable encounters show that Salò is not a casual film. It is an event, a challenge, a piece of cinematic history that you have to experience with full respect.

Neeraj Disodia · Answer

Comparing looking for films to obtain for a research paper, I wouldn’t rely on random websites for my research. I would look for scholarly databases and reputable publishers. For the film The act of seeing in this case would be to obtain The Criterion Collection edition of the film, complete with commentary and other criticism.

Online streaming of films is not generally to be considered better than random internet sites for research purposes (in terms of quality, completeness, etc.). Even legitimate sites may not stream in adequate quality and lack accompanying criticism. When viewing a film for study purposes, one wants as complete an understanding as possible of the film, hence the need for the most complete version of the film.

Therefore, instead of looking for a place to stream a movie, it’s better to look for the best way to view the movie. If you are looking for the best way to view a movie and the movie is available through The Criterion Collection, then the best way to view that movie is to purchase a copy from them, either physically or digitally.

Turumetua Hewett · Answer

Your thread on obtaining “Bananas” is a marvelous cross-section of film enthusiasts. The ‘just buy the disc’ crowd, the ethics conundrum supporters, the film school types pontificating on the various ways of obtaining said film, a reference to a little used library portal, and finally those who simply come to flame. All excellent perspectives and it’s been a fun read.

Cassy Veenstra · Answer

Ahahaha – every single film forum has this same thread every year! Every year, identical answers are given with the hope that a new answer might appear! “Hey guys, I just found Salò on Disney+!” No. The annual ritual of everyone searching collectively is so much fun in itself and this year I’m just here for that.

Where Can I Stream Salò, Or The 120 Days Of S*** Legally?

10 Answers

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