Although it's probably not what you had in mind, I envisioned "Seven Beauties" by the inimitable Lina Wertmuller. This film is, to say the least, disturbing, and could easily qualify as a sadomasochistic horror flic, were it not for the brilliant cast (led by the great Giancarlo Giannini) and the continous thread of humor and absurdity that are so characteristic of Italian cinema at its finest. The Italians excel at finding humanity in even the darkest situations, and "Pasqualino Settebellezze" personifies it.