Caligula is one of the most infamous movies of all time. Penthouse magazine founder Bob Guccione wanted to make a sexually explicit adult film that had high production values and big name actors. The rise and fall of one of history’s most controversial Roman emperors seemed like the perfect subject. Its release was met with largely negative critical reviews, censorship, and legal action from countries around the world. At the time, many considered it one of worst films ever made.
The movie was besieged by production problems. Gore Vidal’s initial script had a strong focus on homosexuality and wanted a story that was more about a good person gone mad with power. When director Tinto Brass was brought on, he rewrote the script to include more female nudity and violence. Actors such as Orson Welles refused to take a role based on moral objections. Others left Caligula because they felt uncomfortable about the nudity and sexual content. Thieves and ex-convicts reportedly played extras and Penthouse Pets were cast in sex scenes.
Somehow, it all managed to come together. Renowned actors Malcolm McDowell and Helen Mirren joined the cast and though the movie was savaged by critics, it left an enduring legacy. Since its controversial release, Caligula has garnered a cult following. The Ultimate Cut made its premiere at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival and has received mostly positive reviews.
(True to the film’s turbulent history, Brass took legal action against Penthouse Films regarding the release.)
Caligula: The Ultimate Cut uses almost 100 hours of original footage – much of it unused – to align more closely with Vidal’s original vision. This includes a larger part for Mirren’s Caesonia who is in less than half an hour in the initial release, but almost an hour of the new cut. There is also a new animated sequence that is supposed to tie the overarching story together.
How well it works will depend on what the audience is expecting to get out of it. All of the pornography that Guccione added without the actors’ knowledge has been removed. Which is not to say Caligula: The Ultimate Cut is safer for mass consumption. There is so much nudity that many will be left wondering what exactly was left out. Especially since this is longer than what was released in 1980.
Caligula: The Ultimate Cut is just as violent as any other version. There is a monstrous device that beheads people, scenes of people being whipped while they are suspended, and a child graphically being bashed against the ground. Plus, there are scenes of sexual violence. Oddly, when Caligula slaps his sister/lover Drusilla (Teresa Ann Savoy) the camera shows nothing.
The real stand out are the magnificent set pieces. An early scene in what can best be described as a sex carnival looks like something out of a Las Vegas stage show. The costumes are gorgeous and the film is filled with moments that overshadow a great performance from McDowell. It all looks great, but it is a shame that acting and writing take a backseat.
So, what does Caligula: The Ultimate Cut add aside for additional footage? In all honesty, not much. The original was a choppy affair that suffered from pacing issues and a promising story that went nowhere. This was mainly due to Guccione’s interference, but the film never had much of a chance to begin with.
Though the expanded cut is supposed to follow Vidal’s vision, it is important to remember that version of Caligula never existed. As soon as Brass was brought on, he made extensive rewrites. Caligula: The Ultimate Cut is more of the same, just without the unsimulated sex.
Caligula: The Ultimate Cut opens in theaters August 16
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