Caligula (1979)

Details the graphic and shocking, yet undeniably tragic story of Rome's most infamous Caesar, Gaius Germanicus Caligula.

Director:

Tinto Brass

Writers:

Gore Vidal (adapted from an original screenplay by), Masolino D'Amico

Stars:

Malcolm McDowell, Peter O'Toole, Helen Mirren

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Malcolm McDowell	...	Caligula
Teresa Ann Savoy	...	Drusilla
Guido Mannari	...	Macro
John Gielgud	...	Nerva
Peter O'Toole	...	Tiberius
Giancarlo Badessi	...	Claudius
Bruno Brive	...	Gemellus
Adriana Asti	...	Ennia
Leopoldo Trieste	...	Charicles
Paolo Bonacelli	...	Chaerea
John Steiner	...	Longinus
Mirella D'Angelo	...	Livia (as Mirella Dangelo)
Helen Mirren	...	Caesonia
Rick Parets	...	Mnester (as Richard Parets)
Paula Mitchell	...	Subura Singer

Storyline

The rise and fall of the notorious Roman Emperor Caligula, showing the violent methods that he employs to gain the throne, and the subsequent insanity of his reign - he gives his horse political office and humiliates and executes anyone who even slightly displeases him. He also sleeps with his sister, organises elaborate orgies and embarks on a fruitless invasion of Britain before meeting an appropriate end. There are various versions of the film, ranging from the heavily truncated 90-minute version to the legendary 160-minute hardcore version which leaves nothing to the imagination (though the hardcore scenes were inserted later and do not involve the main cast members).

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Plot Keywords:

unsimulated sex | vaginal penetration | incest | masturbation | brutality | 

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Taglines:

What would you have done if you had been given absolute power of life and death over everybody else in the whole world?

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Genres:

Drama | History

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian English

Release Date:

15 February 1980 (USA)

Also Known As:

Caligula

Filming Locations:

Dear Studios, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Box Office

Budget:

$17,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$8,669, 19 September 1999, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$23,438,120

Company Credits

Production Co:

Penthouse Films International, Felix Cinematografica

Technical Specs

Runtime:

156 min 102 min (R-rated) 123 min (recut) 148 min (re-release) 115 min (original)

Sound Mix:

Mono (original release)

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.95:1

Did You Know?

Trivia

During production, Malcolm McDowell took members of the production to dinner at an expensive restaurant to celebrate England's win in a football match against the Italian team. He left the choreographer to pay for the meal, saying he had forgotten to bring enough money.

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Goofs

Naevius Sutorius Macro committed suicide in 38 AD after his arrest, and would not have been executed as depicted.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Caligula: I have existed from the morning of the world and I shall exist until the last star falls from the night. Although I have taken the form of Gaius Caligula, I am all men as I am no man and therefore I am a God.

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Crazy Credits

The opening credits are shown over a bleeding coin.

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Alternate Versions

A version running 133 minutes, containing a "softcore" selection of sex scenes, and rated "18+" was shown on German TV.

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Connections

Referenced in Inside Salon Kitty (2003)

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Soundtracks

Spartan War
(uncredited)
Written by John Leach

User Reviews

Historical Curiosity

As a piece of high film-making, this is acceptable trash. It's over-the-top blubbery and overblown. The 'I wanna be Fellini' italo-euro 70's stylings don't help. It's hard to believe that anyone ever thought this thing should be taken seriously... so I don't! I look at Caligula as a blowout-budget b-movie. It allows me to laugh at the effluvia on the screen while simultaneously looking at boobies, and heaven forbid, actual copulation (depending on the version). It saves the film from being a poorly lit, pretentiously staged, unevenly acted pile of rueful garbage. Each and every one of the big names that appeared in this probably rues the day they heard of Bob Guccione, but they all cashed the checks...