Pier Paolo Pasolini

"Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom" is highly controversial due to its graphic depictions of extreme sexual violence, torture, and psychological abuse. Pasolini loosely adapted the film from the writings of the Marquis de Sade, setting it in the fascist Republic of Salò during World War II.

Pasolini was brutally murdered in 1975, shortly after completing "Salò." While a 17-year-old male prostitute named Giuseppe Pelosi was convicted of the crime, many Italians believe he was assassinated by political extremists or blackmailed by a shadowy political figure.

While known for controversy, Pasolini also directed the acclaimed 1964 film "The Gospel According to St. Matthew," which was praised by religious institutions for its raw, realistic portrayal of Jesus. This film actually earned him the Grand Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival.

The "Trilogy of Life" consists of three films directed by Pasolini in the early 1970s: "The Decameron" (1971), "The Canterbury Tales" (1972), and "Arabian Nights" (1974). He later disowned these films, believing they had been commercialized and exploited by the burgeoning consumer culture.