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Caligula: Uncut Edition [DVD] [1979]
enlarge	Director: Tinto Brass Actors: Malcolm McDowell, Peter O'Toole, Teresa Ann Savoy, Helen Mirren, Adriana Asti Studio: Arrow Films Category: DVD List Price: ~~£12.99~~ Buy New: £5.29 as of 25/11/2009 06:02 GMT details You Save: £7.70 (59%) New (12) from £5.29 Seller: dvdsanity Rating: 20 reviews Sales Rank: 9556 Format: PAL Language: English (Unknown) Rating: Suitable for 18 years and over Region: 2 Number Of Discs: 1 Running Time: 156 Minutes Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2 Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6 EAN: 5027035005348 ASIN: B002B8ELGS Release Date: July 27, 2009 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days


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Customer Reviews: Showing reviews 1-5 of 20 1 2 3 4 Next » Caligula 1979 February 2, 2004 Lisa Hutson (Woking, Surrey United Kingdom) 36 out of 40 found this review helpful The highlight of this film is without doubt the superlative portrayal of the protagonist. Mr McDowell#8217;s Caligula is menacing, intense, frighteningly unpredictable and ultimately fascinating. pWe are drawn into his world as if by hypnosis, he is by turn both appallingly evil and yet has a capacity for tenderness - he is somehow vulnerable and even likeable. This bizarre ambivalence in some ways echoes #8216;Alex#8217; from #8216;A Clockwork Orange#8217; #8211; the character that made Malcolm McDowell#8217;s name about a decade previously. Indeed, Alex would probably choose to be Caligula in his wildest fantasy! pThe film has some other great names in its cast: Peter O#8217;Toole as the decaying, treacherous Tiberius, fighting the arms of death that threaten to enfold him any minute, John Gielgud in stark contrast as his wise and good mentor and Helen Mirren, cast as Caligula's wife, and marvellously referred to at one point as 'the most lascivious slut in Rome#8217;. pThe film is a visual feast: moodily atmospheric, its rich hues and imaginative sets provide the perfect backdrop to the main action. The plot bears only a passing resemblance to what little historians actually know of the real Caligula, yet all artistic license employed is not only believable, but seemingly quite likely, and serves to enhance the story, which is engaging, if not intoxicating, from beginning to end. pIt is true that #8216;Caligula#8217; created huge controversy over its scenes of violence and orgiastic sex #8211; however the full version has never been shown and what we have today is violence which is comparatively mild by modern standards, and eroticism that is often quite sensual.pIt seems a shame, given the quality and depth of this excellent production, that some of those involved in it chose to disown it shortly afterwards. Tinto Brass successfully petitioned to have his name removed from the credits#8230;a sad day when an artist feels it necessary to deny his own work #8211; especially when that work is a true masterpiece that anyone ought to be proud to have on their resumé. The Imperial Edition August 23, 2008 Ian Armer (Lancashire, United Kingdom) 64 out of 66 found this review helpful 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. br / br /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. br / br /The disc of extras has various documentaries and interviews that veer from genuinely interesting to late 70's promotional blag. br / br /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. Good, bad and funny November 29, 2008 squeeze (Oxford, UK) 5 out of 5 found this review helpful I have to 'admit' that i saw this when i was a student when it first came out at the Prince Charles theatre, Leicester square. As an 18 year old i was only really interested in the s-e-x and was inevitably disappointed by the lack of it in the edited version of the time. Now seeing the full uncut version that probably would have made me see it again and again hehe. Its certainly more explicit in terms of mainstream cinema than anything ive seen anywhere else. Not a great film by any means but the 'storyline' and depiction of Rome at that time probably is fairly faithful. The acting of all the leads is good and the script for the most part isnt bad at all. And lots and lots of humour. As for the reviewers who suggest it is 'well known' that the actors didnt know what they were letting themselves in for, yes they did! Both the audio commentaries by Malcolm McDowell and Helen Mirren confirm that they were well aware that it would have a lot of sexual content - the scenes they were in also confirm this (they both get their kit off - as both of them had done in films before and since). And both dined out with the Penthouse 'pets' - it wasnt a secret at all! And according to McDowell, Gieldgud 'loved' the film. Overall, worth buying for the audio commentaries and the interview with Tinto Brass. Dont bother watching the theatrical version - its too heavily edited and the sound continuity is destroyed because of this. The 'alternative' version - which is also the one the actors comment over if you want to hear them -well worthwhile - is the best compromise - still very explicit in parts, but not as hardcore as the uncut version. Imperial bedroom February 17, 2009 12stringbassist (NorthWest, UK) 2 out of 2 found this review helpful So far I have only watched the full uncut version of this set. br / br /Malcolm McDowell is terrifyingly insane in this film. If the real Caligula was one tenth as barking mad as he is portrayed here, you have to pity him. The poisonous relationship between an increasingly mad Caesar and his bullied and degraded Senate is played out perfectly. There is no-one he doesn't manage to alienate as he moves closer to declaring himself a God. Except, perhaps, the horse with whom he shares a bed after his sister dies. br / br /Much is said about the pornographic elements of this film and not without very good reason. However, the real story is of Caligula's relationship with his sister and his descent further into total madness after her death, when all of his control had gone. It is dealt with touchingly at times and the performances of McDowell and the lovely Teresa Ann Savoy simply get lost in the mix when weighed up against all the controversy the film attrated. br / br /You do have to wonder if Rome actually was one big seething orgy all the time. I doubt it. The sex scenes in the uncut version beggar belief. Everthing is done in practically every position. It's a wonder that anyone ever had the energy to get up and walk about, never mind conquer the world. br / br /Not one for the kids to teach them history. Fascinating footnote to cinema history October 21, 2008 pointone (Bournemouth UK) 2 out of 2 found this review helpful Caligula [1979] (Imperial Edition) [DVD] br / br /There were apparently four main versions of Caligula, Guccione's (boss of Penthouse) original four hour horror that is lost forever, leaving the three versions in this box. br / br /UNCUT - This version includes the Penthouse Pets orgy scenes probably derived from the four hour version and is frankly boring. br / br /THEATRE CUT - This was made independently of Guccione to ensure a general theatrical release. The least satisfactory because too much is missing, and is confusing as some scenes are inexplicable. br / br /ALTERNATIVE CUT - this is the one to watch as one gets a good idea of Tinto Brass (the directors) interpretation of the screenplay and replaces the Penthouse Pets with his Italian extras. br / br /It illustrates Caligula could have been a very good movie if only there had been greater development of the relationships between Caligula (Malcolm McDowell) his sister Drusilla (Teresa Ann Savoy) and his wife Caesonia (Helen Mirren), this is a fatal error. br / br /The acting is surprisingly good throughout, but even in 1976 the Italian method was to dub all films, so the Italian actors were dubbed by English thespians. br / br /Guccione claimed that the film was faithful to the known (very scant) details of Caligula's reign, and this seems confirmed by the Wikipedia entry. br / br /There are very good commentaries and comprehensive bonus material, with some crazy contradictions between commentators, interesting in their own right. br / br /If you can accept the undoubtedly excesses of these versions of Caligula this is an absorbing issue. br / Showing reviews 1-5 of 20 1 2 3 4 Next »

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