Martyrs is far more intense than most anything in Salo. Salo is more about degradation, humiliation, and control. Martyrs is about brutally breaking down a person not only mentally, but moreso physically. I found that Salo had me thinking for days afterward. There are some interesting concepts and views that come through the movie. Martyrs on the other hand, while disturbing and tough to get through, is pure torture porn. I didn't have to ponder it at all afterward because the whole concept is so contrived and obviously kludged together to give a reason for the violence that it invalidates itself. As far as I'm concerned, Salo is a very good film that while disturbing is quite thought provoking if you're willing to look under the surface. Unfortunately due to the nature of the film, I doubt the vast majority of people get that far. (When I saw it in a theater a few years ago, by halfway through over half the people got up and left. By the end I think maybe 10 of us remained.) Martyrs on the other hand is pure violent titilation with a "deep" concept slapped onto the end that makes absolutely no sense when you pick up a dictionary and read the definition of "martyr."

I agree. The movie was killed with the last third or so. When it finally ended the relief I felt had less to do with the violence and brutality being over, but more with the ridiculous plot coming to an end.

I enjoyed The Last Lovecraft: Relic of Cthulhu - it was silly has hell but fun. They needed to drop that shitty Star Spawn costeume though.

I never thought I'd hear someone say they found Martyrs more disturbing than Salo. I haven't seen Salo so can't comment on it I just wonder if it strays too close to borderline snuff like the original I spit on your grave. But I completely agree with you about Martyrs being torture porn being disguised as deep. It is worrying with torture porn cos its inevitable someone will take it to the extreme and do a snuff film no one has yet that I know of but it seems that's where we are headed if someone finds away to do it without going to jail. I hope I'm just being paranoid.

I'm sorry I didnt find it funny or fun. Do you not agree that it made Lovecraft fans look like idiots and I like Reanimator, from beyond and castle freak. They were amusing without having a pop at Lovecraft fans.

I thought Salo was a remarkably well made film, but tame compared to the original Marquis De Sade book.

Maybe I have overlooked this film-a few people say it is tame compared with the book maybe I am just thinking the worst after Martyrs. Is the urban myth that the director was killed for making it true?

I think he was a rather outspoken person with some controversial opinions, and that might have led to his murder (the motive remains unclear).

I take it you've read The 120 Days Of Sodom?

It was just poking fun at Geek/Nerd culture. As a nerd and a part time geek, I'm good with that.


No there is no inevitable jump between exploitation/horror film makers (like those who made Martyrs) from shooting fictional stories to murdering people and filming the process....

The thing with Salo is that most people haven't seen it. So, much like The Human Centipede (which most people haven't seen either) people are coming up with these vastly overblown ideas of what is contained in the film based on a minimal amount of knowledge and hearsay. It's based off of the Marquis De Sade's work, there was a ton of controversy about, the director was even killed possibly just for making it, so Salo has to be an absolute atrocity right? Not at all. Far from it actually. It's no closer to being snuff than any other movie where people are tortured and killed. I think the main difference is that if a person is attentive enough, they can see that Salo is not just another torture flick. While some other similar movie can be watched and forgotten right away since it has no substance past the gore and violence, Salo leaves a lasting impression. It can hit you on a different level when you really think about the big picture of what is happening in the film. Which when talked about later can make people who haven't seen it mistake that intellectual impression for an impression made solely by violence which would be typically the case for other movies of this type.

Like Ferox13 said, there is no "inevitable jump." That's the kind of logic that says all people who watch horror movies or play violent video games turn into violent, sadistic people who will probably end up killing people. Is it a possible jump? Sure. If the person was already headed in that direction. But making horror movies isn't going to make someone go from using foam latex and chopping up real people. Real life just doesn't work that way.

I see what you are saying but I think I would recommend Salo over Martyrs after I've what I've just witnessed...