In 1976, Penthouse magazine founder Bob Guccione wanted to make a film about the fallen Roman emperor nicknamed Caligula who ruled in fits of random violence and terror. Millions were spent on scripts, sets, and stars as the tortuous shoot unfolded.
While directed by Tinto Brass, Guccione took control over the final cut and added additional hardcore scenes which kicked off a long and storied history of recuts. New voices tussled to tell and retell the story in the belief of how it should have been released, some retaining the seductive nature of Guccione’s vision and others embracing the original direction of Brass and screenwriter Gore Vidal.
Join us over December to discover five of the different cuts that impose their own take on the film and add to the wild, erotic, and infamous history of Caligula.