Dystopian sci-fi worlds are mostly dark and dreary places where humanity struggles for survival and/or reclaiming lost freedoms against overpowering forces. But Italian director and satirist Elio Petri flipped this genre around with his 1965 classic The 10th Victim – a movie that is extraordinary in so many ways.

In contrast to the traditional dystopian society, where individuals are hiding from the government (authority), Elio’s post-WW3 world is sunny and open, full of activity and entertainment – music, dance, theatre, you name it. The governments (at least in the developed world) have realized the human need for dissipating their pent-up anger and frustration as violence. So people are allowed to engage in violence by choosing to play The Big Hunt, a one-on-one hunting sport. You ca...

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