Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4725 in DVD
• Released on: 2008-09-29
• Rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
• Formats: Box set, PAL
• Number of discs: 4
• Running time: 156 minutes

Synopsis
A reputedly faithful cinematic depiction of the historical events of Caligula's Rome, including the decadence and debauchery that marked his reign. This notorious release has faced rather hysterical hostility from would-be censors. Financed by Penthouse Magazine magnate Bob Guccione, who was accused of inserting hardcore sex scenes after completing photography with the impressive and esteemed cast of British actors. Features three different versions of the film; the full uncut version, UK theatrical version, and the alternative version, which replaces much of the more sexually explicit scenes with alternative scenes and camera angles. Contains graphic sex and violence.

Customer Reviews

Uncut? Or Unfettered?
Ah, "Caligula"... Is it Hardcore drivel, or a highbrow masterpiece on a level with "I, Claudius"? (With Hardcore drivel inserted, of course). Whatever your opinion, it can only be surmised that all participants hadn't a clue what they were getting themselves into. The director(s), the actors, even the editors seem like innocents here; and the story behind it is one that can hardly be believed, in the context of the modern esteem "period" works are held.

Bob Guccione, Penthouse Scion and overall Peddler of Smut had dreams of producing something that would survive the ages and be held as a work of high regard (with hardcore bits in it). Hence, erotic director Tinto Brass was hired for the job - and somehow Guccione and Brass persuaded some of the greatest British Thesps of the period to sign on to acting in it. How? simple. NONE of them had any idea of what they had gotten themselves into. Had Brass been given Final Cut them perhaps their sensibilites wouldn't have been too scorched, but Guccione, horrified with the film that Brass had presented, locked the poor hack out of the editing room, re-cut the film with a blunt instrument (resembling a dirty spoon, most probably) and added many hardcore inserts. Hence, a Legend was born - a near-pornographic epic with John Gielgud in it. Only in America...

Over the years, the film has been presented in many truncated forms; in 1979 the BBFC massively cut the film down to 1 Hour 42 minutes from it's original 2 Hours 36 minutes. But now, for the first time in this country we can see the full film in all it's (smutty) glory. The set includes 4 discs - The original UK version, the uncut version and an "Alternate" version that is 2 Hours 33 Minutes long, but with the smut "covered up" by alternate camera angles and differing sequences and the like. The 4th disc is comprised by a lavish set of extras, such as interview, press notes etc. So, what's not to like? Even if such a film offends your "Stiff Upper Lip", at least you now have the option to actually SEE it. Thanks, BBFC!

The Imperial Edition
You cannot defend 'Caligula'. It is a monstrous epic of over excess in almost every way possible. Useless porn spliced into an already labyrinthine production, oppulent sets, brilliant ideas, twisted imagery, crazed camerawork, hysteria and madness. It's closest cousin - bizarrely - is Gibson's 'Passion' in the sense of it being a film you admire for its balls, but don't necessarily approve of. And yet, 'Caligula' is fascinating. Perverse for all the wrong reasons and yet - genuinely - bordering of maniacal, bloody insane genius. The fact that it fails so magnificently is fitting for the production. A weak-kneed, boring film would have been a disaster. Okay, 'Caligula' might veer towards boring in some places (usually involving the 'Penthouse pets') but it is also the stuff of cinematic legend, graced with some of the finest British actors of the time.

This version is similar to the US 'Imperial Edition' except you have an extra disc (and I presume it is the cut to pieces version, which is going to stay in the box and never see the light of day). Like the 'Imperial Edition' you get the full, uncensored version (with lots of hardcore porn - working in the boat orgy and in the pleasure palace of Tberius, but nowhere else) and a rough edit with different and extended takes and really badly filmed inserts of softcore porn, shot on a different film stock. This cut on the US disc has 2 commentaries by Malcolm McDowell and Helen Mirren. The track with McDowell is an absolute blast.

The disc of extras has various documentaries and interviews that veer from genuinely interesting to late 70's promotional blag.

I agree with Mark Kermode that there is 'a bloody good film somewhere in Caligula' - at least you have the opportunity (at long last) to judge for yourself and quite possibly enjoy one of the most controversial films ever made. Don't get me wrong, it's a piece of sh*t, but it still stands head and shoulders above the growing, disposable dung heap of contemporary cinema.

Censored into incoherence
The US edition of "Caligula" runs for more than two and a half hours. This version is almost an hour shorter. It has been emasculated by the censors, and the result is incoherent and robbed of much of its meaning.
Development of character , setting, and plot in the uncensored "Caligula" depends on scenes involving nudity (erotic and otherwise), explicit sex, and brutal violence. The censored version lacks almost an hour, and what little is left is without context and therefore incomprehensible.
Don't waste your money on the 98 minute emasculated version. Get the 155 minute US version instead.