(Originally published on https://blogcritics.org/)
Caligula: The Ultimate Cut, which premiered at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, is a must see for filmmakers, film buffs, and fans of Malcolm McDowell or Helen Mirren, with one warning about salacious content. It will begin a theatrical run with mostly single night showings throughout North America beginning August 16, to be followed by a release on Blu-ray and streaming platforms in 4K Ultra High Definition.
For you non-historians, Caligula was an Emperor of Rome at the height of its power. He was known for his depravity and savagery, inspiring the theme of the movie that power corrupts. So, what makes this film originally released in 1980 so special?
Not 1980 Anymore
The original film featured an all-star cast with not only McDowell and Mirren, but also Peter O’Toole and Sir John Gielgud. Written by one of the 20th Century’s most popular writers, Gore Vidal, and with an enormous budget to recreate ancient Rome, you would have expected the film to rack-up awards. It was at that point the most expensive film in the history of filmmaking.
Before it was released, the film’s financer, and founder of Penthouse magazine, Bob Guccione, got control of the negative. He randomly inserted graphic sex scenes and scenes with gratuitous violence, desecrating Vidal’s themes. Nearly everyone associated with the making of the film disavowed it. Vidal even sued to have his name removed from the project.
Ironically, the controversy surrounding the editing of the film and so many people denouncing it had an unintended effect. Caligula was a huge box-office success.
Skip Ahead 40 Years
Film historian Thomas Negovan discovered nearly 100 hours of original footage from Caligula in the Penthouse Archives. He used it to reconstruct the film, going back to Vidal’s original story. The reconstructed Caligula: The Ultimate Cut consists totally of never-before-seen footage, using alternate takes and camera angles, and features the complete film narrative.
The new version of the film brings back the amazing performances of McDowell and Mirren. McDowell’s Caligula, for the most part, does not elicit sympathy from viewers. At the very beginning of the story, while still somewhat innocent, he suffers at the hands of his grandfather Emperor Tiberius, played by Peter O’Toole. Once he gains power, however, McDowell shows us how dangerous having too much power can be.
Helen Mirren plays Caesonia, who, for reasons of court politics, Caligula chooses as his wife. Mirren’s performance and character arc should be studied by young actresses. She expresses so much with just her eyes. Her looks and glances tell so much of the story, especially in the second half. I confess to not being that familiar with her work. After seeing her in this film, I will correct that.
The Warning
Before heading off to see Caligula: The Ultimate Cut, two things you should know. The film is just under three hours long. Epic films used to be longer. Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago were both over three hours.
Second, male and female full-frontal nudity and simulated sex scenes make up a large portion of the movie. There was so much of this that by an hour and a half into the film, it just seemed normal to me. Maybe that was a message about ancient Rome.
If the warnings don’t scare you away, this will be a film you remember. You can watch the trailer below and search for screening dates by entering your ZIP code at the Drafthouse website.
