Caligula (1979)

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

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 (Malcolm McDowell), 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, organizes elaborate orgies and embarks on a fruitless invasion of Britain before meeting an appropriate end. There are various versions of this movie, ranging from the heavily truncated one hour and thirty-minute version to the legendary two hour and forty-minute hardcore version which leaves nothing to the imagination (though the hardcore scenes were inserted later and did not involve the main cast members).

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Plot Keywords:

unsimulated sex | sadism | caligula | brutality | incest | 

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Taglines:

The most controversial film of the 20th century is now the most controversial film of the 21st century.

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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)

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

One of at least five movies shot during the late 1970s through to the late 1980s in which a character was buried in sand or ground, with only his head shown above ground level. It was Scott Glenn in The Challenge (1982), whose character Rick spends five days in it. The other actors and movies were: various extras in this movie, Ted Danson in Creepshow (1982), Bryan Brown in the 1989 filmed Sweet Talker (1991), and David Bowie in Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence (1983).

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Goofs

Caligula is stabbed many times by the guards, yet his robe shows no signs of damage.

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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

Due to numerous pending lawsuits and settlements at the time of the film's release, no one is technically fully credited for writing and directing the finished film.

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Alternate Versions

The British DVD (running approx. 90 minutes) appears to be the same as the old American R-rated version. It contains several shots not included in the "complete, unedited and unrated"-US DVD.

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Connections

Referenced in Atop the Fourth Wall: Spider-Man: One More Day - 200th Episode (2012)

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Soundtracks

Zolushka
(Cinderella) (uncredited)
Written by Sergei Prokofiev
Conducted by Bruno Nicolai

User Reviews

A tasteless and overblown farrago despite the presence of great actor as Gielgud, O'Toole, McDowell, and Helen Mirren

The film builds around one of the most notoriously decadent of the Roman emperors, Caligula… The movie covers his rise to power, his four-year rule, and his bloody assassination… His vile deeds include crashing a wedding and sexually abusing the bride and groom, playing erotic fantasies with his sister (who is also his lover) and turning the Imperial Palace into an exclusive brothel…

For a really big-money film, the treatment of the sexual scenes is daringly explicit, but somehow the obsession with it makes the film uneven… It blends very good actors, O'Toole and McDowell, with some simple-minded Penthouse models… The overall effect is disappointing...

Guccione does deserve a hand for the exquisite sets, costumes, production values, and very fine cinematography…