Directors: Pasolini at 99
With his willingness to confront the sexually taboo and the politically contentious, the career of director Pier Paolo Pasolini has been the object of both controversy and celebration. Here, in honor of his 99th birthday, we've curated a list of his most iconic films.
Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom
(Salò o le 120 giornate di Sodoma)
The final vision of a controversial filmmaker.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Italy, France • 1975
- Director Pier Paolo Pasolini
- Cast Paolo Bonacelli, Giorgio Cataldi, Umberto Paolo Quintavalle, Aldo Valletti, Caterina Boratto
- Genre War, Drama, Horror
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Arabian Nights
(Il fiore delle Mille e una notte)
An erotic revisiting of an ancient anthology.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Italy, France • 1974
- Director Pier Paolo Pasolini
- Cast Ninetto Davoli, Franco Citti, Franco Merli, Tessa Bouché, Ines Pellegrini, Margareth Clémenti
- Genre Drama, Fantasy, Adventure, Comedy
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, MGM Plus, fuboTV, Epix Amazon Channel, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Fandango At Home
The Canterbury Tales
(I racconti di Canterbury)
A controversial filmmaker's adaptation of Chaucer's famous poem.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Italy, France • 1972
- Director Pier Paolo Pasolini
- Cast Franco Citti, Ninetto Davoli, Josephine Chaplin, Dan Thomas, Hugh Griffith, Laura Betti
- Genre Comedy, Drama
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, MGM Plus, fuboTV, Epix Amazon Channel, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
The Decameron
(Il Decameron)
An adaptation of nine stories from Bocaccio's "Decameron".
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Italy, France, West Germany • 1971
- Director Pier Paolo Pasolini
- Cast Franco Citti, Ninetto Davoli, Jovan Jovanović, Vincenzo Amato, Angela Luce, Giuseppe Zigaina
- Genre History, Drama, Comedy
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, MGM Plus, fuboTV, Epix Amazon Channel, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Pigsty
(Porcile)
I killed my father, I ate human flesh, and I quiver with joy.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Italy, France • 1969
- Director Pier Paolo Pasolini
- Cast Pierre Clémenti, Jean-Pierre Léaud, Alberto Lionello, Ugo Tognazzi, Anne Wiazemsky, Margarita Lozano
- Genre Drama
- Available on Criterion Channel
Theorem
(Teorema)
There are only 923 words spoken in “Teorema” – but it says everything!
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Italy • 1968
- Director Pier Paolo Pasolini
- Cast Terence Stamp, Silvana Mangano, Massimo Girotti, Anne Wiazemsky, Andrés José Cruz Soublette, Laura Betti
- Genre Mystery, Drama
- Available on Criterion Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube
Oedipus Rex
(Edipo re)
A man flees, haunted by a shocking prophecy.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Italy, Morocco • 1967
- Director Pier Paolo Pasolini
- Cast Silvana Mangano, Franco Citti, Alida Valli, Carmelo Bene, Julian Beck, Luciano Bartoli
- Genre Drama
- Available on Criterion Channel
Hawks and Sparrows
(Uccellacci e uccellini)
A man and his son take an allegorical stroll through life with a talking bird that spouts social and political philosophy.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Italy • 1966
- Director Pier Paolo Pasolini
- Cast Totò, Ninetto Davoli, Femi Benussi, Francesco Leonetti, Gabriele Baldini, Ricardo Redi
- Genre Fantasy, Comedy
- Available on Criterion Channel
Love Meetings
(Comizi d'amore)
Microphone in hand, Pier Paolo Pasolini asks Italians to talk about sex.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Italy • 1965
- Director Pier Paolo Pasolini
- Cast Lello Bersani, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Alberto Moravia, Cesare Musatti, Giuseppe Ungaretti, Oriana Fallaci
- Genre Documentary
- Available on Criterion Channel
The Gospel According to Matthew
(Il vangelo secondo Matteo)
A retelling of the story of Christ.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Italy, France • 1965
- Director Pier Paolo Pasolini
- Cast Enrique Irazoqui, Margherita Caruso, Susanna Pasolini, Marcello Morante, Mario Socrate, Settimio Di Porto
- Genre History, Drama
- Available on Fandor Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Tubi TV, Freevee, Cineverse, Xumo Play, Kanopy, Hoopla, Plex, Plex Channel
Mamma Roma
A former sex worker attempts to make a new life for herself, despite the looming threats of her past.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Italy • 1962
- Director Pier Paolo Pasolini
- Cast Anna Magnani, Ettore Garofolo, Franco Citti, Silvana Corsini, Luisa Loiano, Paolo Volponi
- Genre Drama
- Available on Criterion Channel
Accattone
The poor man's "La Dolce Vita."
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Italy • 1961
- Director Pier Paolo Pasolini
- Cast Franco Citti, Franca Pasut, Silvana Corsini, Paola Guidi, Adriana Asti, Luciano Conti
- Genre Drama
- Available on Criterion Channel