IVO BARNABO MICHELI

Bil’s rating (out of 5):  BBB. 

Italy, 1995.  Istituto Luce.  Screenplay by Ivo Barnabo Micheli, Gianni Rondolino.  Cinematography by Luigi Verga.  Music by Gabriella Brunamonti.  Film Editing by Giuliano Mattioli.  

The career of one of Italy’s most influential and notorious artists is examined in this interesting if unenthusiastic documentary. Pasolini was already well known in the literary world when his first film, Accattone, was received with critical acclaim for its gritty realism and honest depiction of low-life characters. From there he made a series of films notable for both their original content as well as their notoriety, culminating in the last film he made before he was murdered, Salo: The 120 Days Of Sodom, based on the novel by Marquis de Sade. Friends and colleagues are interviewed, and while the information isn’t highly in-depth, the film footage is rich and interesting, giving a very full sense of the filmmaker’s oeuvre.