Who Killed Pasolini? (1995) User Reviews (3)

Strong retelling of Pasolini's murder

[PeterJackson · 7/10 · 18 July 2000]

This film focuses on the events and the investigation after Pasolini's murder. Pier Paolo Pasolini was one of Italy's greatest and controversial poets. He was however not only known for his words, but also for his deeds, especially the sexual ones and mostly with younger boys. It is no secret that he often angered the leading Italian politicians of his time, which was a very troubled time in his country. In this way it's interesting to take a closer look at his murder, because there was obviously more to it than meets the eye.

This film is a strong insight in the life of Pasolini. While focusing on the police investigation of his murder, we get to know more about his life. I didn't know Pasolini(or his work) very well, but after having seen this film I'm determined to learn more about him as soon as possible.

However, don't expect to much of this little documentary/film either. It's not a great history lesson, but it offers bits and pieces of the life(and murder) of an interesting man. What one makes of it from there on is up to the viewer. Certainly worth a look! 7/10

A Silenced Poet

[EdgarST · 9/10 · 10 August 2016]

How did Pier Paolo Pasolini die? What were the motives behind his assassination? Moreover, who was Pier Paolo Pasolini? The question is more than timely because today he has not only been forgotten by many of those who saw his films or read his writings, but most youngsters do not know who he was. Especially many young males who today paint their lips, wear a skirt and go out carrying an LGBTQ+ banner and do not know the work done before them by generations with a firm stand, a solid ideological discourse and militancy for social issues beyond their sexual orientation, who were perhaps more radical in times of less permissiveness. Pasolini was one of those. Not only was he an open homosexual who protested against Italian politics in the middle of the past century, but a great poet, novelist, filmmaker, essayist and politician, and for some "the greatest Italian intellectual of the 20th century". But he knew too much. He knew what politician did what to whom, what this or that politician was after, who they bribed, who they had killed. So his assassination in 1975 was not the simple story of the middle-aged pederast who picks up a young proletarian hustler, who ends up killing him. As soon as the news was known, intellectuals and a few journalists raised their voices of protest, among them the well-known Oriana Fallaci, author of "Interview with History", who had a love-hate relationship with the poet, who, as she said, invoked violence with his statements. "Pasolini, an Italian Crime" is not a retelling of his life, his intimate dealings or his guilts, to satisfy curious people. It is a legal drama, sometimes somber, sometimes sad, but always moving, an investigative work of dramatic force, with good performances (with a few poignant moments, as the one delivered by Adriana Asti), directed by Marco Tullio Giordana, the award-winning filmmaker who gave us "La meglio gioventù". Made in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of Pasolini's death, the film is based on the novel "Life of Pasolini" by Enzo Siciliano and it deservedly won the Gold Medal of the President of the Italian Senate at the Venezia Film Festival in 1995. A mature, fine film.

very sad and not bad

[marymorrissey · 19 February 2005]

I wasn't expecting a lot from this movie but it was pretty good. also it has a beautiful ennio morricone score. it incorporates footage of Pasolini and his associates sometimes in a very strange way, for instance cutting in footage of him to make it look as though he is driving by the crime scene after everyone begins to converge on it.

You won't see a made for TV movie about anything remotely like this in the u.s. of course you won't find anyone remotely like Pasolini here. Or, if such people exist and they probably do, they languish in obscurity . . .

I especially just liked seeing the footage of pasolini and hearing the thoughts of moravia, bertolucci and especially nino davoli's simple remarks.