Franco Merli
Acting
Biography
Franco Merli was an Italian actor born in Rome, Italy, on the 31st of October, 1956. Much of Merli's earlier life is unknown, but whilst working as a petrol station attendant at 16, he was discovered by the Italian poet and filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini, and was cast in Pasolini's Arabian Nights as Nur Ed Din thanks to his lean figure and dark complexion. Later, Merli would go on to play one of the male victims in Pasolini's last film, Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom. He became the face of the film, the picture of him with a gun to his head being one of the most famous images from Salò. He was cast in Salò as Pasolini found him easy to work with, and he already knew Merli was comfortable with doing nude scenes, however during filming when the gun was brought to his head, he began to panic and had to be calmed down. Rumours arised on set that he was homosexual, which also caused him anxiety whilst filming the movie. He also went on to play Fernando, the transvestite prostitute and son of the main character, in Ettore Scola's Ugly, Dirty And Bad (1976) [also titled Down & Dirty]. After Pasolini's death, Merli struggled to find further work in the industry as his usual roles were unconventional, and thanks to him being the "image" of the controversial Salò. Due to this he stopped acting altogether. He died in Rome on the 17th of May in 2025 after a long period of illness.
Known For
Four corrupted fascist libertines round up 9 teenage boys and girls and subject them to 120 days of sadistic physical, mental and sexual torture.
Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom
The final part of Pasolini's Trilogy of Life series is rich with exotic tales of slaves and kings, potions, betrayals, demons and, most of all, love and lovemaking in all its myriad forms. Mysterious and liberating, this is an exquisitely dreamlike and adult interpretation of the original folk tales.
Arabian Nights
Giacinto lives with his wife, their ten children and various other family members in a shack on the hills of Rome. Some time ago he has lost his left eye while at work, and got a consistent sum of money from the insurance company, which he keeps hidden from the rest of the family. His whole life is now based on defending the money he sees as his own, while the rest of the family tries to kill him.
Ugly, Dirty and Bad
The sexually naive Daniela returns home from boarding school only to realize that her family is involved in an excess of bed-hopping and sexual perversion.
La collegiale
During the year 1673, Rome was besieged by poverty and violence. The rich Mr. Argante has two servants to look after him, while his wife is only waiting to see him dead to inherit.
Hypochondriac
We are on the set of "Salò or the 120 days of Sodom". Pasolini lets a small camera team led by the journalist Gideon Bachmann follow him around engaging him in a long and extraordinary interview/conversation. The interview turns into a long, clear-sighted and violent attack on society that accompanies photos of the set in a surprising juxtaposition of film and reality, revealing Pasolini's metaphorical portrait of modernity.