Pier Paolo Pasolini murder: Who killed the famed Italian poet and filmmaker?
Aimee Ferrier
Wed 6 September 2023 21:45, UK
Pier Paolo Pasolini‘s Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom remains one of the most controversial movies ever made. Ever since it was released in 1975, viewers have been equally disgusted and enamoured by the film, which uses grotesque and violent imagery to convey the horrors of fascism and consumerism.
John Waters, the notorious director known for his shocking yet iconic back catalogue, believes Salo represents “the pornography of power”, adding: “I think it uses the extreme sexual subject matter in a very intellectual way.” He even referred to Pasolini as a “Catholic saint,” stating: “I want my gravestone to look like his. I pray to Pasolini”.
Clearly, Pasolini is a revered figure, with Salo attracting a cult fanbase since its release almost half a century ago. While it remains a contentious piece of cinema, it’s hard not to admire the director’s bravery and singular vision. The movie is a tough watch, featuring plenty of scenes that will undoubtedly burn into your brain. Characters are force-fed human faeces, viciously raped, and some even have their tongues ripped out and eyes gouged. Pasolini’s movie certainly challenges the notion of cinema as a form of entertainment and escapism.
The director’s career began in the 1940s, although he started out as a writer and Marxist advocate. In 1957, he received his first film credit, contributing to the screenplay of Federico Fellini’s Nights of Cabiria. A few years later, he made his directorial debut with Accattone, which proved controversial due to its focus on economically disadvantaged groups. Through the 1960s, he made movies such as The Gospel According to St. Matthew, Oedipus Rex, Teorema and Pigsty, frequently finding himself subject to much critical discussion.
Pasolini’s movies often took aim at bourgeois society, exploring themes of religion, myth and sexuality throughout. He was a fearless thinker, open in his identity as a homosexual and an atheist. Pasolini was a man of many talents, using various creative outlets to explore his ideas, leaving an indelible mark on Italy’s creative sphere for decades to come.
Not only did Pasolini centre shocking and transgressive themes within his work, but he did so with a unique cinematic language. He wanted to separate himself from Italy’s popular neorealist movement and instead create a more poetic form of cinema, drawing on classic paintings for visual reference.
His filmography contains some of the most astounding and unforgettable pieces of 20th-century cinema, although Salo is undoubtedly his masterwork. Yet, this film would be his last. Pasolini was murdered in November 1975, three weeks before Salo was released. Much speculation surrounds Pasolini’s death, which occurred near a beach in Ostia, Rome.
Pasolini was found with broken bones and crushed testicles, with the murder weapons including his own car and a metal bar. In 1976, a 17-year-old named Giuseppe (Pino) Pelosi admitted to the murder, stating that the director’s death was the result of a sexual liaison gone awry. He claimed that the pair dined at a restaurant before Pasolini wanted to engage in sexual activity that Pelosi was uncomfortable with, leading to the altercation and murder.
Yet, in the 2000s, his murder became the subject of conspiracy, with many people speculating that Pasolini’s outspoken political views might have contributed to his death. People close to Pasolini believed there was evidence that had been ignored in the initial trial. For example, when Pelosi was convicted of the crime, “unknown others” were also found guilty, with this statement later being retracted.
However, everything changed in 2005 when Pelosi gave an interview, revealing that he didn’t kill Pasolini. He claimed that a group of men murdered the director and forced him to stay quiet about the incident by threatening his family with violence. Pelosi claimed that the men called Pasolini a “dirty communist” and “queer”, stating they were associated with Italian neo-fascist groups.
But the speculation doesn’t end there. Pasolini’s friend Sergio Citti later suggested that Salo was responsible for his death. He believes the murder occurred after rolls of film containing Salo were stolen, prompting Pasolini to arrange a meeting with the thieves. However, upon meeting the men, he was met with his untimely fate. Despite eyewitness statements which make this seem like a viable theory, the case remains closed, and Pasolini’s death remains a mystery.
While it is primarily believed that Pasolini’s death was related to his political beliefs and strict anti-consumerist and anti-fascist stance, which he displayed in movies like Salo, we will probably never discover what really happened that tragic night.
en.wikipedia.org
And not, as "officially" stated, for "motivations of passion.
