An irresistible mix of art and genitals! Featuring real sex (thanks to a porn baron), it was one of the most notorious films ever. Now Caligula’s been re-cut using unseen footage

As a cinephile who has seen more than my fair share of films, I must say that Caligula: The Ultimate Cut is a cinematic rollercoaster ride like no other. Having read about its tumultuous production and the personal conflicts between the cast and crew, it’s fascinating to see how such chaos could give birth to something so audacious and unapologetic.

Tyrannical, immoral, and unbalanced: Emperor Caligula of Rome was known for his cruelty, indulgence in perverse acts such as sleeping with his three sisters, and a bizarre ambition to appoint his horse as a consul.

He was extremely sensitive about his bald spot, to the point where if someone stood higher than him and looked at it, he considered them guilty of a capital offense.

He had a strong aversion to his abundant body hair and reacted harshly if anyone brought up goats, regardless of the conversation topic. Despite his notoriously depraved behavior, Caligula is often referred to as the ‘GOAT’ (greatest of all time) – a term that can be used with confidence since the emperor was assassinated in 41AD at age 28.

It’s hardly unexpected that Caligula (1979 biopic starring Malcolm McDowell, Helen Mirren, John Gielgud, and Peter O’Toole), financed by Bob Guccione, founder of Penthouse magazine, continues to be one of the most debated and infamous films in history due to its controversial content.

For decades, it was prohibited in various nations, with Belarus being the sole exception; even cinemas screening it during its initial worldwide release in 1980 faced protests led by outraged moral activists.

The film was strongly condemned by American critic Roger Ebert as “nauseating, completely valueless, disgraceful junk”. In a similar vein, British critic Leslie Halliwell described it as “a repugnant oddity, mainly appealing to those with a taste for self-harm or humiliation.”

In the case of the movie, renowned author Gore Vidal (the screenwriter) and director Tinto Brass shared a common viewpoint. They both distanced themselves from the film Caligula, as it turned out that Guccione, without their awareness, added explicit, unsimulated sex scenes to the production.

Currently, the film, praised by one of its actors, Helen Mirren, as a captivating blend of art and sensuality, is returning to the limelight. This week marks the premiere of Caligula: The Extended Version, which, clocking in at nearly three hours, boasts a 22-minute extension compared to its initial release.

In one of the film’s extravagant scenes filled with nudity, a man walking on towering stilts is just one of the common sights. In this scene, Caligula (McDowell) announces that if anyone can last longer than three hours, he will reward them with a clay replica of a phallus as a token for their perseverance.

As a lifestyle expert, I’d put it this way: Taking on Caligula: The Ultimate Cut is no small feat, but trust me, it’s worth every effort. This masterpiece is not just an upgrade from the original, but rather a complete transformation. The credit for this extensive makeover goes to American film historian Thomas Negovan, who painstakingly bypassed all the 1979 footage and meticulously re-edited the film using 90 hours of long-forgotten material that had been sitting untouched in a Hollywood warehouse for decades.

Negovan aimed to uphold Brass’s original creative vision for the movie, but this concept was abandoned when Guccione took control and made changes that were not in line with the director’s intentions.

Brass aimed to portray Caligula as a young man initially kind-hearted and just, who was subtly and startlingly influenced by power, rather than the deviant lunatic he seemed to become almost immediately upon ascending the throne, succeeding his great-uncle and mentor, Tiberius (O’Toole).

In the original production of the movie at the 1979 Cannes Film Festival, Dame Helen Mirren’s portrayal of Caligula’s wife Caesonia was initially given less recognition. She was listed quite low in the credits, appearing just above Bonnie Dee Wilson and Valerie Rae Clark, who were both recognized as “Penthouse Pets of the Month” and featured as “Empresses of the Imperial Brothel.”

Originally, I graced the screen for merely nine minutes. However, in this latest production, I’ve extended my presence to an hour, making a significant impact particularly during the climactic third act. I’m one of the few bold enough to challenge the tyrannical emperor, skillfully portrayed by McDowell, who channels a chilling, power-hungry take on the iconic character Mr. Humphreys from the 1970s sitcom Are You Being Served? – a captivating blend of charm and menace.

The new manifestation of the film certainly shows a great deal more nuance than ever interested Guccione, who really just wanted to make an extravagant porn flick.

81-year-old McDowell has now accepted the recent adaptation, having initially turned down the original due to its perceived negative impact on his career and calling it a “betrayal of the actors.” It’s worth noting that Negovan doesn’t have much control over some of the monotonous acting and heavy, explanatory dialogue. For instance, disenchanted with life in Rome, Caligula complains: “No wars, no disasters, nothing… it’s been a long time since we had a real earthquake.”

Nevertheless, the lavish, almost dramatic stage designs continue to captivate. The initial action that left audiences stunned long ago still retains its ability to startle, especially a scene where the deranged Caligula forces himself upon the bride and groom, Livia and Proculus, on their wedding night, leaving them both terrified.

In this rephrased version, I’ve attempted to maintain the original meaning while making it more accessible and easier to read:

Despite criticism, Caligula certainly has its place in film history. In 1979, it was the costliest independent movie ever produced. At that time, Helen Mirren wasn’t as well-known as she is now, but John Gielgud and Peter O’Toole – both of whom openly admitted they took the roles for a large paycheck – were already esteemed figures in theater and cinema.

In simpler terms, what’s their take on the subject, and isn’t the untold tale of Caligula filled with just as much intrigue, betrayal, and arrogance (or pride), if not with bestiality, necrophilia, and sadomasochism, as the stories we see portrayed on screen now?

Born and raised in New York City with Sicilian roots, Guccione was a charismatic man who once contemplated joining the priesthood but instead chose a different path. Known for his flair for open shirts and gold jewelry, he launched Penthouse magazine in 1965. His fierce rivalry with Hugh Hefner, publisher of Playboy, led to what came to be known as the ‘Pubic Wars’, where both men competed to create more daring and provocative centerfold photos.

It was partially due to Hefner’s lack of success in the film industry, that Guccione aspired to achieve the same. His ambition was to pioneer a new path by creating an explicitly ‘adult’ movie with such extravagant production values that it would demand respectful consideration.

Despite his long-term involvement in film investments, including the 1974 Academy Award-winning masterpiece Chinatown directed by Roman Polanski, he yearned for greater authority over his projects.

When Gore Vidal extended an invitation for him to finance a movie portraying the most notoriously depraved Roman emperor, he found it irresistible. Then, the Italian director Brass, who had recently produced the controversial sexploitation film titled “Salon Kitty” with a Nazi theme, joined the project as well.

Vidal and Guccione, the nobleman and the porn mogul, considered each other friends. Vidal affectionately referred to him as ‘Big Gucco’, and they even had a mutual acquaintance in Princess Margaret, whom Vidal introduced to Guccione.

However, once Brass began shooting in Rome, tempers flared up much like the infamous Mount Vesuvius. It seemed every individual had a firmly held belief about how the film should unfold.

Negovan claims that Tinto intentionally hired individuals who were ex-convicts or sex workers, as he sought out people with life’s hardships etched into them. Simultaneously, Bob was jetting off with glamorous models in his luxurious penthouse. In contrast, Gore aimed to create a historically accurate portrayal of Rome on screen, while designer Danilo Donati imagined the Rome of Mussolini’s era.

When Gore mentioned that the scene brought to mind the Fontainebleau Hotel lobby in Miami, Tinto took over the script (and collaborated with McDowell and Ted Whitehead, who later contributed to the TV series Cracker). To say the least, the set was far from cheerful.

O’Toole gave a memorably demented performance as the malicious, syphilitic Tiberius, but he and Brass loathed each other (O’Toole delighted in calling the director ‘Tinto Zinc’) while Mirren said it was like descending to Dante’s Inferno every day.

In a strange turn of events, everyone hobbled their way to the conclusion of the filming session. Following this, Guccione secretly re-entered the production stage alongside adult actors. He captured them engaging in intimate acts on camera, subsequently dismissed Brass from his position, and took charge of the editing process himself.

Shocked by the outcome of the photo, Vidal and Brass filed lawsuits to withdraw their names from it, while Guccione hurled criticisms in all directions, claiming repeatedly that he had never witnessed O’Toole in a sober state.

He might have had reason to be upset, as a significant portion of his wealth went into the production. Under Donati’s extravagant management, over 3,500 costumes were sewn, and 2,000 wigs made from real hair. At that time, the 175ft long Roman galley was the largest film prop ever constructed. Unsurprisingly, it developed leaks.

If just two of the movie’s leading actors had spoken negatively about it, Dame Judi Dench (Mirren) might have frequented Dante’s Inferno regularly. However, these visits were profitable for her. She received a payment of £40,000 for four months of work, an amount sufficient to cover the cost of her first home and a vast portion of a Scottish forest.

In the movie, Gielgud’s character, Nerva – who takes his life just 20 minutes in – expressed unrestrained joy at the age of 62 for being immersed among numerous young, bare-skinned men.

As an ardent admirer looking back, I’d say it wasn’t about his supposed promiscuity, no, not at all. Instead, what struck me, as if I’d been observing since the dawn of time itself, was that I’d never encountered anything quite like him before.

In his own delightful words, Gielgud referred to a pool scene filled with people, both male and female, frolicking while cameras captured the action. As soon as the lunchtime bell chimed, everyone quickly covered their private areas and hurried off to enjoy a pizza meal with their loved ones.

Despite Caligula being a flop both commercially and critically, Gielgud managed to avoid any negative associations. As noted by Sheridan Morley, Gielgud’s biographer in 2001 after his death, “Critics seemed to presume that the film was made without Gielgud’s awareness, and that his participation amidst these sleazy, adult-oriented settings was somehow an accident.”

As a devoted admirer, I’ve sincerely hoped to have corrected an error – or so I think – in the case of Negovan and the film “Caligula”. It’s no longer the movie it once was, but let me assure you, it remains utterly, dramatically over-the-top bonkers.

Caligula: The Ultimate Cut is in cinemas now

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2024-08-10 00:23