Caligulaa peplum turned pornographic
Released in 1980 in France, Caligula he is interested in the Roman emperor who reigned between 37 and 41 and was assassinated on 24 January 41 at the age of 28. The film is especially brought by Malcolm McDowell in the title role, Elena Mirren in that of his wife or even Peter O’Toole in that of the emperor Tiberius. Having become a cult over time, the feature film was produced and a very complicated post-productionfor a final result far from corresponding to the initial project.
Indeed, director Tinto Brass, known for his fascination with eroticism, initially wanted to focus on Caligula’s destructive madness and notorious depravity. He seized power and set about dismantling the Roman Empire from within. The director has planned erotic sequences. But she eventually saw his work being significantly edited by producer Bob Guccione tipping it off Caligula in the porn box.
Bob Guccione, from Penthouse to the cinema
Bob Guccione first became known in 1965 creating the pornographic magazine Attic. The businessman’s goal was to compete Playboy AND Hustler. He was also the first to publish images of completely naked women, whole and uncensored. It only took him ten years to become one of the richest men in America.
Logically, Bob Guccione didn’t stop at his magazine and decided to launch it in film production. His first project will be an erotic peplos : Caligula. To fulfill his ambition, he hired novelist Gore Vidal to write the script and Tinto Brass to produce.
It also manages to bring together the aforementioned beautiful cast. In an article by Publication of 2008, on the DVD release of the full-length version of the film, the French media highlighted suspected by movie star Malcolm McDowell before joining the project – the actor had made a splash a few years earlier with Clockwork Orange (1971).
When Gore Vidal told me about Guccione, I asked him if he really was the pornographer. He replied that yes but that I shouldn’t worry, Guccione would only sign the checks.
Secretly filmed sex scenes
Of course, Bob Guccione didn’t just finance Caligula. During filming, the producer was not satisfied with Tinto Brass’ proposal the staging of sequences of orgies. Brass”favoring a collection of dwarf and obese extras at the expense of pornstars hired by the expert Guccione“.
Indeed, the latter went to look for some of the models of Attic. Having them at hand, she took the opportunity to sneak around at night and with the complicity of the chief operator Silvano Ippoliti, pornographic sequences. Including a lesbian sex scene or a long orgy with a close up on a blowjob.
Tinto Brass wasn’t thrilled with the twist of the elements, he just was returned by Guccione at the time of assembly From Caligula. The producer then changed many things, modifying through editing the meaning of some sequences.
Malcolm McDowell, for example, remembered a shot where he was supposed to be admiring a horse, which ended up being a reverse shot to a lesbian stunt.
For his part, Tinto Brass has totally denied “his” film. The one who wantedmake a film about the origin of power“, ended instead with “a sex film, luxurious yes, but vulgarHe then declined to be credited as director, just like Gore Vidal who asked that we remove his name from the credits. Also, a playmate of Attic filed a lawsuit against Guccione, believing that his pornographic scenes had harmed the rest of his career.
The different versions of the film
Upon its release in a 144-minute uncensored versionthe film was logically X-rated. A 105-minute “soft” version was then released in 1981. Then, in July 1985, Canal+ broadcast the full version which included seven minutes of sex scenes. Era the first pornographic film transmitted by the encrypted channel.
Finally, in 2023, Caligula was highlighted again. This time at the Cannes Film Festival in the Cannes Classics section and in an Ultimate Cut version. An unprecedented montage of 173 minutes with “an unprecedented amount of never-before-seen footage“said the organizers of the festival.
Source: Cine Serie
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