Caligula: The Unrated Edition
Customer's review
Monumental Filmaking Failure
Caligula is an utter mess of a film if only for the sole purpose that the possibilities for the concept itself were pretty good ones. Gaius Caligula Caesar's rise to power and ultimate early fall and assassination is a story worth telling a million times over, especially in the daring form of an X-rated film. It is a direct warning to the social ills of power in the wrong hands and cultural excess. There seemed to be a superstar lineup for this unique idea. Peter O'Toole, Helen Mirren and John Guilguild are three great actors. The film is directed by Italy's racy Tinto Brass and produced by the editor of Penthouse Magazine who brought a bunch of his girls to `co-star' when things got too hot for the real actors. It co-stars an exhibitionist model Theresa Ann Savoy and the lead is played by the insane and undeniable presence of Malcolm McDowell. So what the hell happened? Gore Vidal wrote an awful screenplay and Brass seemed to have problems with the writer wanting all of the credit for the film. This conflict itself along with all the other ego issues probably contributed to its failure. I also think it is entirely possible that all of the focus, costs and discipline were replaced with piles and piles of uncut cocaine. Seriously though, the set must've been one enormous party and as we see it was at times a real-life orgy and acting became secondary. The flaws are almost wholly directorial in nature. I feel for the cast because the guys behind the scenes had no idea what to do so why bother delivering a decent performance?
Anyway, the rumors of Caligula's insanity and the stories that exhibit this were tossed into the picture in spurts and the film follows, and perhaps even sets the standard for, many of the varied cliches applied in shocking the hell out of its audience. The film stands as a landmark for this alone. You will not forget Caligula but you may want to forget just how exploitative and stupid it really is. It's not a movie as much as it is an attempt to hold the title as most disturbing footage ever filmed. To draw a parallel, I think of the scene were O'Toole's Tiberius is showing Caligula his circus of sex and freaks. It is almost as if this idea of showing just how indecent and indulgent he has become to Caligula mirrors the intentions of the film itself to it's audience. I don't believe this is intentional as that would give too many morons too much credit. I will credit Bob Guccione of Penthouse for adding the hardcore scenes after the film, because let's face it the R-rated version is completely disposable. You got that? Don't waste any of your time on that version because everything that the film Caligula sets out to accomplish is on display exclusively on the unrated version. Guccione probably imagined that his director and writer could inject some artistic merit while he brought his merry band of naked women. As egotistical as he is, I'm not sure he can be blamed...he kind of did his job.
Allow me to point out a few key scenes and why they are monumentally shameless and disqualify Caligula from being a real movie. At the beginning of the movie we see Caligula dancing around, chasing and flirting with his sister Drusilla (Theresa Ann Savoy). The scene's only purpose is to tease the audience with Savoy's body. She is hardly dressed and by the end of the scene we get a look between her bum cheeks, and then the title of the film appears and the dramatic score is cued. Why now? What about the exit of Savoy's lower gastro-intestinal system represents Caligula as a horrible individual or makes any kind of social commentary at all? It seemed like kind of a strange place to emphasize the direction of the film, although it sure is consistent with what follows. Moments later (after naked men break rocks or something) we get even closer and more lingering shots at Savoy's intimate areas as she begins rolling around in bed with her brother. The film goes on and on like this focusing on different sexual acts and parts of the body, which I guess is all Tinto Brass really does anyway.
Judging from behind the scenes extras with Guccione's ranting about some kind of vision, this film is even more unforgivable and ostentatious. We see blatant fellatio up close and graphic about four or five times, actual brief penetration twice, a long and completely random girl-on-girl scene, a girl peeing on a dead castrated man, people being impaled, a guy being forced to drink whine and then stabbed in the stomach and several other odd things I probably shouldn't get into (I think I've said quite enough). All of this in the name of what? It's a mixture of mindless motives because this film is lost. It says nothing.
Notice I refused to make comments on historical accuracy. Firstly, it is hard to accurately portray something two thousand years old. Secondly, the film is not convincing. I don't believe for one nanosecond that any of these characters remotely represent the real people from that real era. Historical commentary can only be made within a compelling context to begin with. Theoretically, there could've been something to say here and the film is a complete failure in doing so. I would love to see someone try to take this story on again, if only to create a film that is this controversial in addition to a film that is actually smart. This notorious movie fails on so many levels.
Monumental Filmaking Failure
Caligula is an utter mess of a film if only for the sole purpose that the possibilities for the concept itself were pretty good ones. Gaius Caligula Caesar's rise to power and ultimate early fall and assassination is a story worth telling a million times over, especially in the daring form of an X-rated film. It is a direct warning to the social ills of power in the wrong hands and cultural excess. There seemed to be a superstar lineup for this unique idea. Peter O'Toole, Helen Mirren and John Guilguild are three great actors. The film is directed by Italy's racy Tinto Brass and produced by the editor of Penthouse Magazine who brought a bunch of his girls to `co-star' when things got too hot for the real actors. It co-stars an exhibitionist model Theresa Ann Savoy and the lead is played by the insane and undeniable presence of Malcolm McDowell. So what the hell happened? Gore Vidal wrote an awful screenplay and Brass seemed to have problems with the writer wanting all of the credit for the film. This conflict itself along with all the other ego issues probably contributed to its failure. I also think it is entirely possible that all of the focus, costs and discipline were replaced with piles and piles of uncut cocaine. Seriously though, the set must've been one enormous party and as we see it was at times a real-life orgy and acting became secondary. The flaws are almost wholly directorial in nature. I feel for the cast because the guys behind the scenes had no idea what to do so why bother delivering a decent performance?
Anyway, the rumors of Caligula's insanity and the stories that exhibit this were tossed into the picture in spurts and the film follows, and perhaps even sets the standard for, many of the varied cliches applied in shocking the hell out of its audience. The film stands as a landmark for this alone. You will not forget Caligula but you may want to forget just how exploitative and stupid it really is. It's not a movie as much as it is an attempt to hold the title as most disturbing footage ever filmed. To draw a parallel, I think of the scene were O'Toole's Tiberius is showing Caligula his circus of sex and freaks. It is almost as if this idea of showing just how indecent and indulgent he has become to Caligula mirrors the intentions of the film itself to it's audience. I don't believe this is intentional as that would give too many morons too much credit. I will credit Bob Guccione of Penthouse for adding the hardcore scenes after the film, because let's face it the R-rated version is completely disposable. You got that? Don't waste any of your time on that version because everything that the film Caligula sets out to accomplish is on display exclusively on the unrated version. Guccione probably imagined that his director and writer could inject some artistic merit while he brought his merry band of naked women. As egotistical as he is, I'm not sure he can be blamed...he kind of did his job.
Allow me to point out a few key scenes and why they are monumentally shameless and disqualify Caligula from being a real movie. At the beginning of the movie we see Caligula dancing around, chasing and flirting with his sister Drusilla (Theresa Ann Savoy). The scene's only purpose is to tease the audience with Savoy's body. She is hardly dressed and by the end of the scene we get a look between her bum cheeks, and then the title of the film appears and the dramatic score is cued. Why now? What about the exit of Savoy's lower gastro-intestinal system represents Caligula as a horrible individual or makes any kind of social commentary at all? It seemed like kind of a strange place to emphasize the direction of the film, although it sure is consistent with what follows. Moments later (after naked men break rocks or something) we get even closer and more lingering shots at Savoy's intimate areas as she begins rolling around in bed with her brother. The film goes on and on like this focusing on different sexual acts and parts of the body, which I guess is all Tinto Brass really does anyway.
Judging from behind the scenes extras with Guccione's ranting about some kind of vision, this film is even more unforgivable and ostentatious. We see blatant fellatio up close and graphic about four or five times, actual brief penetration twice, a long and completely random girl-on-girl scene, a girl peeing on a dead castrated man, people being impaled, a guy being forced to drink whine and then stabbed in the stomach and several other odd things I probably shouldn't get into (I think I've said quite enough). All of this in the name of what? It's a mixture of mindless motives because this film is lost. It says nothing.
Notice I refused to make comments on historical accuracy. Firstly, it is hard to accurately portray something two thousand years old. Secondly, the film is not convincing. I don't believe for one nanosecond that any of these characters remotely represent the real people from that real era. Historical commentary can only be made within a compelling context to begin with. Theoretically, there could've been something to say here and the film is a complete failure in doing so. I would love to see someone try to take this story on again, if only to create a film that is this controversial in addition to a film that is actually smart. This notorious movie fails on so many levels.
The worst film I think I have ever seen
Caligula is just one of those films that goes beyond being a bad film; it simply is so horrible it can't be watched very long without a desire to turn it off immediately. The camera work is atrocious, the lighting and sets look very poor, the direction is that of a student film and the acting is mediocre at best. This all goes without saying it is not at all historically accurate.
Caligula is full of gratuitous REAL sex, that isn't in the least erotic, nor enjoyable, as well as some of the sickest acts of violence I have ever seen that caused me to flinch on multiple occasions. The cast largely is made up of porn stars without a shred of acting talent, and poor old Malcolm McDowell who must have taken the role out of desperation. For such a talented actor it is a shame to see him in such a horrible film.
Don't get me wrong I have nothing against controversy, and I have a lot of respect for a film such as Pasolini's Salo; a film that is quite disturbing, but at the same time offering an anti-fascist statement and some good direction. Caligula however has no real message, is poorly executed and just a terrible film.
Perhaps the worst film I have ever seen, and one I would advise you avoid at all costs. 1/10.
I need a shower
What a horrid, disgusting little movie "Caligula" is. If anyone knows much about history, then thay know that Caligula was an insane Roman Emperor who had most inappropriate relationship with a lot of women (including a prostitute and his sister), played sick games with gladiators and political opponents, and was too self absorbed for the Imperial Senate to let rule. That story would be very interesting to tell, and to film. But this is not that movie. I guess I should have known better than to go watch a Bob Guccione movie (for those of you who are unaware of who Mr. Guccione is, he is editor in cheif of "Penthouse" magazine). But I like Malcolm McDowell, and it was about one of my favorite historical periods, so I took the chance. The plot of the movie is as I had stated above. We are introduced to Caligula while he is commiting the moral crime of incest. He is then summoned by the current Roman Emperor (played by Peter O'Toole), and sees (and approves of) the perversions and corruption of the current throan. After O'Toole's death, Caligula is appointed Emperor, and then brings the Empire through the most depraved and perverted era of human existance. The violence in the movie is done with such a combination of malice and nonchalance that it was hard to take, even for me. The many (many) sex scenes are handled much the same way, with all the sensitivity that an ape would have. "Caligula" has to be the most unpleasent movie I have ever set through and watched. There was absolutly no redeeming value to this move what so ever. The spirit of the movie is so mean that it is almost like the directors (well Guccione anyway) is daring you to like it. I have a feeling it will appeal to only the most hardcore members of the S&M lifestyle. I usually don't have a problem with some sex and violence in a movie for gratuitous sake only (look at my reveiws for the "Friday the 13th" movies); but this was too over the top, completly and pointlessly sleezy. I just couldn't stomach it. The cast is an odd assortment. Like I said, Peter O'Toole is present, which really sort of shocked me; I would have thought he would have been above such junk as this. Malcolm McDowell I can imagine in a movie like this; his Caligula is like Alex from "A Clockwork Orange" if Alex had remained unchecked. Helen Mirren looked totally lost here, and indeed she probably was. And the rest of the cast was filled out by "Penthouse" centerfolds who are subject to humiliations innumerable. I would like to see a movie that takes the material about Ancient Rome and the Emporer Caligula seriously. But not this piece of junk; not by a long shot.
One of the best movies ever produced
I first saw this movie when it came out in the movie theatre. I have been waitng since then to purchase the movie. I almost bought it on VHS about 10 years ago but wasn't prepared to pay $80 then. This is a must see. It has one of the best story lines of any movie in recent history. Oh the sex scenes aren't too bad either.
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