Customer Reviews
The most controversial film ever made ? - By: Mr. S. Ogley, 25 Mar 2008 
It's very rare to see a version of Caligula in this country above 90 minutes. This is the complete & uncensored version - a Dutch import, but it plays in English. This version does contain hardcore sex, sometimes carelessly inserted into the finished movie as it was. Young Italian director Tinto Brass's original vision was to be shattered, forcing him to withdraw his name from the movie. Producer Bob Guccione fired Brass for over-filming & running up huge costs from filming beyond what was financiallly acceptable. Guccione then took control of the film, & assisted by Giancarlo Lui later sneaked back onto the set & shot 6 minutes of hardcore sex which was later edited into the film. Lui re-cut, re-edited & changed parts of Gore Vidal's script to fashion what is possibly the most expensive porn film ever made, which bore little resembalance to Tinto Brass's original vision.
Despite the troubled production, Caligula could be looked at as a masterpiece of cinema, for various reasons. It's a wonder it ever got released at alll. Still it maintains its power to shock & repulse - the power of cinema has never been so evident as what it is here. Caligula has beautiful lavish sets, semi-beautiful photography, a stunning classic score, epic orgy scenes, & superb performances from British thespians Malcolm McDowell, Sir John Gielgud, Peter O'Toole & Helen Mirren. McDowell & O'Toole are particularly outstanding in their performances, & none of the 'thesps' take part, or appear in any of the sexuallly explicit hardcore scenes. Thank goodness.
If you haven't ever watched Caligula & you're not easily offended then subject yourself to this version. If you have seen the film, watch it again because it still remains to be seen, & deserves a place in the 21st Century. We mustn't forget about films like Caligula because despite our repulsion & attitude towards sex & violence, this is human nature, & Caligula probably reflects the happy, & not so happy times when Rome rulled the world.
