Caligula

CALIGULA (18)/(X)

D: Tinto Brass, Giancarlo Lui & Bob Guccione

GTO/Felix/Penthouse (Bob Guccione & Franco Rossellini)

Italy/USA 🇮🇹 🇺🇸 1979

150 mins

Historical

W: Bob Guccione [based on a screenplay by Gore Vidal]

DP: Silvano Ippoliti

Ed: Nino Baragli

Mus: Paul Clemente

PD: Danilo Donati

Malcolm McDowell (Caligula), John Gielgud (Nerva), Peter O'Toole (Tibierius), Helen Mirren (Caesonia), Teresa Ann Savoy (Drusilla), Giancarlo Badessi (Claudius)

Dire historical and occasionally violent biopic about the life and times of a Roman Emperor, which might have been a powerful historical drama had the original screenwriter and director had more control over the project.

An uncut version, filled with additional sex scenes directed by Bob Guccione, received infamy for featuring hardcore pornographic material (the owner of Penthouse magazine was the film's producer).

This film is completely left without identity due to the producer's meddlings, and is a perfect example of too many cooks spoiling the recipe. Regardless which version you watch, it's a total mess.

3/10