13 Best Pier Paolo Pasolini Films: The Radical Poet of Cinema

Pier Paolo Pasolini was an Italian filmmaker, poet, writer, and intellectual, who is widely regarded as one of the most important figures in Italian cinema. Here are some of his best films:

Accattone (1961): Pasolini’s debut feature film, Accattone, is a powerful and gritty portrayal of the lives of people living on the margins of society in Rome.

The film follows the story of a small-time pimp named Accattone, who is forced to confront the consequences of his actions.

Mamma Roma (1962): Mamma Roma is another of Pasolini’s early films and tells the story of a middle-aged prostitute named Mamma Roma, who tries to start a new life for herself and her son.

The film is a poignant and moving exploration of the human condition and the struggles of those who are marginalized by society.

The Gospel According to St. Matthew (1964): This film is a retelling of the story of Jesus Christ as told in the Gospel of Matthew.

Pasolini’s use of non-professional actors, minimalist sets, and naturalistic lighting makes the film a powerful and emotional portrayal of the life of Christ.

Best Pier Paolo Pasolini Films

These films represent some of the best work of Pier Paolo Pasolini and showcase his talent for exploring complex themes and pushing the boundaries of cinema.

The full list

1. Love Meetings (1964)

Love Meetings (1964) is a documentary film directed by Italian filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini.

The film explores the themes of love, sexuality, and relationships in Italy in the 1960s through a series of interviews with ordinary people from different walks of life, including factory workers, priests, housewives, and students.

Pasolini’s aim was to examine the changes and contradictions in Italian society at the time, particularly in relation to issues of gender, class, and power.

The film is notable for its frank and sometimes explicit discussions of sex and relationships, as well as its use of footage from popular Italian films and newsreels to comment on the cultural and social context of the interviews.

It is also notable for Pasolini’s own presence in the film, as he occasionally interrupts the interviews or offers his own thoughts and observations.

While Love Meetings was controversial at the time of its release, it is now considered a classic of Italian cinema and an important document of the social and cultural history of Italy in the 1960s.

It remains a thought-provoking and often challenging exploration of human relationships, sexuality, and the ways in which societal norms and expectations shape our experiences of love and intimacy.

2. Arabian Nights (1974)

Arabian Nights (original title: “Il fiore delle mille e una notte”) is a 1974 Italian film directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini.

The movie is a loose adaptation of tales from One Thousand and One Nights. Its main thread is the story of the slave Zumurrud and Nur ed-Din, with other tales nested inside it, including Aziz and Aziza.

The movie is known for its sumptuous cinematography, its focus on the sensuality and violence of the original stories, and its blend of fantasy and realism.

If you like Pier Paolo Pasolini’s work, on our sister site AuteurGraph we have a profile page, a visual film timeline, and a ratings page that gives a tonne of info and data about their career in a visualized form.

Pasolini, who also wrote the screenplay, sought to capture the essence of the original tales by immersing himself in the culture and the language of the region.

The result is a movie that is both authentic and surreal, with striking imagery and a dreamlike quality.

One of the central themes of the film is the power of storytelling, and how stories can be used to transcend reality and connect people from different cultures and backgrounds.

The movie also explores the themes of desire, sexuality, and the struggle for power and identity in a world dominated by violence and oppression.

Overall, Arabian Nights is a visually stunning and thought-provoking film that captures the spirit and essence of the classic tales in a way that is both authentic and innovative.

The movie is a testament to Pasolini’s unique vision and his ability to merge the traditional and the avant-garde in a way that is both provocative and enchanting.

3. Oedipus Rex (1967)

Oedipus Rex is a film adaptation of the Greek tragedy Oedipus the King by Sophocles. The movie was directed by Italian filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini and released in 1967.

The film follows the story of Oedipus, a mythical king of Thebes who unwittingly fulfills a prophecy that he will kill his father and marry his mother.

Pasolini stages the myth in an archaic world filmed in Morocco, and frames it with a prologue and epilogue set in twentieth-century Italy. Franco Citti plays Oedipus, and the dialogue is Pasolini’s Italian version of Sophocles.

The film received mixed reviews upon its release, with some praising its artistic merit and others criticizing it for its deviation from the source material.

The film was notable for its bold and provocative depiction of violence and sexuality, as well as its commentary on the human condition and the nature of fate.

Overall, Oedipus Rex is an interesting and unconventional adaptation of a classic tragedy that offers a unique perspective on the timeless themes of fate, free will, and the human experience.

4. The Gospel According to St. Matthew (1964)

The Gospel According to St. Matthew is a 1964 Italian biographical drama film directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini.

The film is a retelling of the story of Jesus Christ, based on the Gospel of Matthew from the New Testament. The film was shot on location in the poverty-stricken areas of southern Italy and features non-professional actors, giving it a realistic and authentic feel.

The film is notable for its stark and unadorned portrayal of the story of Jesus, as well as for its use of a neorealist style that emphasizes the suffering and oppression of the working class.

Pasolini’s decision to use non-professional actors and to shoot on location also gives the film a raw and immediate quality, emphasizing the human aspect of the story and the struggles of those living in poverty.

The Gospel According to St. Matthew was well-received upon its release and is now considered a classic of world cinema.

It has been praised for its uncompromising vision and for Pasolini’s unique approach to the story of Jesus.

The film offers a powerful and thought-provoking portrayal of one of the most significant figures in human history, and is a testament to the enduring power of the story of Jesus Christ.

5. Teorema (1968)

Teorema is a 1968 Italian film directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini. The movie explores the lives of a wealthy Milanese family whose lives are transformed by the arrival of a mysterious stranger (played by Terence Stamp).

The stranger seduces each member of the family, including the mother, father, daughter, son, and maid, and then leaves, causing them to question their own identities and their place in the world.

The film is notable for its use of symbolism and surreal imagery, as well as its exploration of themes of sexuality, religion, and societal norms.

Pasolini, who also wrote the screenplay, sought to use the stranger’s presence as a metaphor for the way in which individuals are controlled by external forces, whether they be religion, societal norms, or personal desires.

Teorema is also notable for its music. Ennio Morricone’s dissonant score sits alongside 1960s pop songs and Mozart’s Requiem.

Overall, Teorema is a powerful and thought-provoking film that explores themes of identity, desire, and the struggle for personal liberation.

It is a testament to Pasolini’s unique voice and his ability to create works of art that are both challenging and deeply moving.

6. The Decameron (1971)

The Decameron is a film adaptation of the medieval Italian book Il Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio. The movie was directed by Italian filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini and released in 1971.

The film is divided into a series of episodes that are loosely based on stories from Il Decameron, which tells the tales of 10 young people who retreat to the countryside to escape the Black Death ravaging the cities.

The film’s stories explore themes of love, lust, religion, and social class, and are often infused with Pasolini’s characteristic mix of humor, sensuality, and social commentary.

The film was controversial upon its release due to its graphic sexual content and unconventional storytelling style. However, it has since been recognized as a landmark in world cinema and a masterpiece of Pasolini’s career.

Overall, The Decameron is a visually stunning and thought-provoking film that captures the spirit and essence of Boccaccio’s classic work.

It showcases Pasolini’s unique ability to combine humor, sensuality, and social commentary, and remains an important film in the history of Italian cinema.

7. Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975)

“Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom” is a controversial 1975 Italian-French drama film directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini.

The film is based on the Marquis de Sade’s book The 120 Days of Sodom and is set in the Italian Social Republic, a fascist puppet state established by the Nazis during World War II.

The film depicts a group of wealthy fascist leaders who kidnap young men and women and subject them to a series of increasingly brutal and sadistic sexual and violent acts.

The film is notable for its graphic and disturbing depictions of violence, torture, and sexual abuse, as well as for its scathing criticism of fascism and its exploitation of power.

The film’s intense and confrontational subject matter has led to it being banned or censored in many countries, and it continues to be a controversial and divisive work.

Despite its difficult subject matter, “Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom” is also considered a powerful and thought-provoking work of cinema.

It is a meditation on power, abuse, and the darkest aspects of human nature, as well as a searing indictment of fascist ideology and its effects on human beings.

While it is not a film for everyone, it remains an important and influential work in the history of Italian and world cinema.

8. Accattone (1961)

Accattone is a 1961 Italian neorealist film directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini, and it was his directorial debut.

The movie focuses on the life of a small-time criminal and pimp named Accattone (played by Franco Citti) who lives in the slums of Rome.

When Maddalena, the prostitute he lives off, is beaten and then jailed, Accattone loses his income and has to confront his place in society.

The film is notable for its raw and unflinching portrayal of life in the slums of Rome, as well as its use of non-professional actors. Pasolini wrote the dialogue in Roman dialect.

Pasolini, who also wrote the screenplay, sought to capture the gritty reality of life on the fringes of society, and the result is a movie that is both powerful and emotionally raw.

Accattone is also notable for its exploration of themes of poverty, desperation, and the struggle for personal dignity and self-respect.

The movie portrays the lives of people who are often ignored and marginalized by society, and it seeks to humanize and understand their struggles in a way that is both compassionate and unflinching.

Accattone uses the locations and non-professional casts associated with Italian neorealism, but Pasolini conceived it as a reaction against that movement. It remains an important work that captures a particular time and place.

It is a testament to Pasolini’s unique vision and his ability to use cinema as a means of exploring the human condition in all its complexity and nuance.

9. The Canterbury Tales (1972)

The Canterbury Tales is a film adaptation of the medieval English book The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer. The movie was directed by Italian filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini and released in 1972.

The film is structured around a group of pilgrims who travel from London to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket in Canterbury.

Along the way, the pilgrims take turns telling stories that reflect their personalities, experiences, and perspectives.

The film’s stories explore themes of love, sex, power, and religion, and are often infused with Pasolini’s characteristic mix of humor, sensuality, and social commentary.

The film received mixed reviews upon its release, with some praising its artistic merit and others criticizing it for its graphic sexual content and unconventional storytelling style.

However, it has since been recognized as an important work in Pasolini’s oeuvre and a bold and provocative adaptation of Chaucer’s classic work.

Overall, The Canterbury Tales is a visually striking and thought-provoking film that captures the spirit and essence of Chaucer’s classic work.

It showcases Pasolini’s unique ability to combine humor, sensuality, and social commentary, and remains an important film in the history of world cinema.

10. Medea (1969)

Medea is a 1969 Italian drama film directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini. The film is an adaptation of the Greek myth of Medea, a woman who seeks revenge against her husband Jason after he betrays her.

The film stars opera singer Maria Callas in the title role and features a mostly non-professional cast.

The film is notable for its minimalist style, with Pasolini emphasizing the use of long takes and static camera shots to create a sense of timelessness and mythic resonance.

Pasolini, with Elsa Morante, assembled the soundtrack from existing Japanese sacred music, Iranian love songs, Tibetan chant, and other traditional pieces.

Medea received mixed reviews upon its release, but is now considered a classic of world cinema. It is notable for its powerful and haunting portrayal of a woman’s revenge, as well as for Pasolini’s unique and striking visual style.

The film is a timeless meditation on the destructive effects of betrayal and the power of revenge, and remains a powerful and affecting work of cinema.

11. Mamma Roma (1962)

Mamma Roma is a 1962 Italian neorealist film directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini.

The movie tells the story of a former prostitute named Mamma Roma (played by Anna Magnani), who tries to start a new life with her teenage son Ettore (played by Ettore Garofolo) after leaving the streets.

However, she soon finds that her past follows her, and her attempt at a new life is doomed to fail.

The film is notable for Anna Magnani, a major professional star, playing Mamma Roma opposite a largely non-professional cast, including Ettore Garofolo in his first film role, and for its portrayal of life on the fringes of society, with a focus on the struggles of working-class people in post-war Italy.

Pasolini, who also wrote the screenplay, sought to use Mamma Roma’s story as a metaphor for the struggles of a generation of Italians who were trying to leave their past behind and build a new future.

Mamma Roma is also notable for its exploration of themes of identity, motherhood, and the struggle for personal liberation.

The movie portrays Mamma Roma as a complex and multifaceted character, who is both a victim of circumstance and an agent of her own destiny.

Overall, Mamma Roma is a powerful and emotionally resonant film that captures the essence of a particular time and place.

Anna Magnani’s central performance, and Pasolini’s refusal to give Mamma Roma a redemptive ending, are what give the film its lasting weight — it denies the audience the easy uplift that Italian melodrama of the period often reached for.

12. Porcile (1969)

Porcile is a film directed by Italian filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini and released in 1969. The movie intercuts two separate but thematically connected stories.

One story, set around 1500 on the slopes of Etna, follows a young man played by Pierre Clémenti who wanders a volcanic landscape, turns from animals to human flesh, and is left to be eaten by dogs.

The other, set in 1960s Germany, follows Julian, a wealthy industrialist’s son played by Jean-Pierre Léaud, who withdraws from his family and a political fiancée into a sexual obsession with pigs, and is eventually devoured by them.

The film’s two storylines are connected by the themes of capitalism, consumerism, and decadence, and Pasolini uses the characters’ taboo behaviors to comment on the darker aspects of contemporary society.

The film is known for its graphic and controversial depictions of violence, sexuality, and cannibalism.

While Porcile received mixed reviews upon its release, it has since been recognized as a provocative and thought-provoking work that highlights Pasolini’s unique blend of artistry and social commentary.

The film’s commentary on the intersections of capitalism, consumerism, and violence continues to resonate with contemporary audiences today.

13. The Walls of Sana’a (1971)

The Walls of Sana’a is a 1971 Italian documentary film directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini.

The film is a short documentary appeal to UNESCO about Sana’a, the capital of Yemen, whose ancient architecture Pasolini saw being demolished for modern building.

Shot in color by Tonino Delli Colli and running about 13 minutes, it is narrated by Pasolini. He filmed it in Yemen at the end of the Decameron shoot in 1970, and also in Orte, Italy, and in the Hadramawt.

While The Walls of Sana’a is not as well-known as Pasolini’s features, the appeal had a long afterlife: in 1986 UNESCO named the old city of Sana’a a World Heritage Site.

3 Characteristics of Pier Paolo Pasolini Films

Pier Paolo Pasolini was a highly influential and controversial Italian filmmaker whose works were known for their distinct style and social commentary. Here are three characteristics that are commonly associated with Pasolini’s films:

Neorealism: Pasolini’s early films borrow methods from Italian neorealism — location shooting, non-professional actors, and the lives of the poor — even though he conceived Accattone as a reaction against that movement.

His early films, such as Accattone and Mamma Roma, were known for their raw and unflinching portrayal of poverty, desperation, and the struggle for personal dignity and self-respect.

Critique of Society and Authority: Pasolini’s films often featured a critique of society and authority, particularly the church and the government.

He was known for his controversial and provocative views, and his works often challenged traditional values and beliefs.

For example, The Gospel According to St. Matthew follows Matthew’s text closely — Pasolini dedicated it to Pope John XXIII and said he did not want a Marxist reconstruction of Christ — while Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom was a scathing indictment of fascism and totalitarianism.

Symbolism and Allegory: Pasolini’s films often used symbolism and allegory to explore complex themes and ideas.

His works were known for their intellectual depth and philosophical complexity, and they often incorporated elements of poetry, myth, and philosophy.

For example, Teorema used the arrival of a mysterious stranger to explore the way in which individuals are controlled by external forces, while Oedipus Rex retold Sophocles inside a mythic past framed by modern Italy.

3 Reasons Why You Should Watch Pier Paolo Pasolini Films

Pier Paolo Pasolini is considered one of the most influential filmmakers of the 20th century. Here are three reasons why you should watch his films:

Bold and Provocative Themes: Pasolini’s films are known for their bold and provocative themes that explore the darker aspects of human nature, including sexuality, violence, and social inequality.

His films often challenge conventional ideas and push boundaries in their depiction of taboo subjects, making them a must-watch for anyone interested in bold and challenging cinema.

Unique Aesthetic Style: Pasolini’s films are also recognized for their unique aesthetic style, which blends realism with poetry and allegory.

He often used non-professional actors, naturalistic settings, and minimalistic dialogue to create a sense of raw and authentic emotion.

His films are known for their use of color, composition, and imagery, which create a visual language that is both beautiful and powerful.

Social Commentary: Finally, Pasolini’s films are also celebrated for their social commentary and political engagement.

He was a committed Marxist and used his films as a means of critiquing the socio-political systems of his time, particularly the corruption and violence of capitalism.

His films are a powerful testament to the power of cinema to raise awareness and provoke social change.

Overall, Pasolini’s films are a unique and important contribution to the history of cinema, and a must-watch for anyone interested in bold and challenging cinema, unique aesthetics, and social commentary.

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Best Pier Paolo Pasolini Films – Wrapping Up

Pier Paolo Pasolini was a highly influential and controversial Italian filmmaker, poet, and intellectual. His films and other works were often provocative and challenged societal norms and conventions. Some of his best-known films include:

The Gospel According to St. Matthew (1964): a powerful and moving retelling of the life of Jesus Christ, shot in a stark and minimalist style.

Accattone (1961): a gritty and realistic portrayal of life in the slums of Rome, featuring a cast of non-professional actors.

Teorema (1968): a provocative and surreal exploration of the relationship between an enigmatic stranger and a wealthy family.

Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975): a highly controversial and disturbing film set in a fascist puppet state during World War II, depicting extreme violence and sexual abuse.

Mamma Roma (1962): a powerful and emotional story of a former prostitute trying to make a new life for herself and her son.

Each of these films showcases Pasolini’s unique and highly influential style, combining social commentary with poetic and highly artistic elements.

While some of his works may be challenging and controversial, they remain powerful and thought-provoking statements on the human condition and the role of art and culture in society.

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