Post by Neverending on Aug 20, 2024 16:05:03 GMT -5
Disclaimer: I watched the original theatrical cut of Caligula, like, 15 years ago. This was back when you had to play a disc to access Netflix streaming on your TV. Remember those wild days? So I’m not in a position to compare the two versions. That said, this “reimagining” begins with Caligula and his sister roughhousing in bed and is followed by Peter O’Toole in ridiculous old man makeup in a pool with naked Penthouse models (both female and male). So rest assured, if you wanted Caligula, you’re getting Caligula.
American cinema in the 1970’s was a rare moment in which the suites stepped out of the way and gave the talent free rein. It began with small-to-mid budget films and ballooned into Heaven’s Gate. Yes, there was Jaws and Star Wars in-between, but those were mainstream movies that signaled the return of corporate Hollywood. Artistically speaking, most scholars recognize the period between Easy Rider and Heaven’s Gate as the inmates running the asylum.
Parallel to this was the porn industry.
They too had a renaissance going on in the 70’s. Debbie Does Dallas. Deep Throat. The Devil in Miss Jones. The Emanuelle series. This was back when you had to watch these forms of expression in a theater and react with your best Pee-Wee Herman impression. The porn business made tons of money and it culminated in Caligula, which in essence, is their version of Heaven’s Gate.
Caligula was an attempt to merge porn with British prestige. In this case, when they say BBC, it can mean either/or. The reception was what you’d expect and Caligula has spent nearly 50 years as a punchline. Now, there’s a 3-hour cut, assembled from the original raw footage, that is an attempt to add some dignity into Caligula.
Did they succeed? Sure.
The movie begins with Caligula as an errand boy to his grandfather, the Emperor of Rome. From the start, you can tell that Caligula is unhinged. His father was a famed Roman general. Murdered. His mother and brothers were exiled. Also murdered. Now here he is, living under his demented grandfather’s roof, and being the subject of ridicule. You know where this is going. His grandfather is murdered and he becomes the new ruler of Rome. At first, Caligula is like a kid in a candy store. It’s fair to say that the Roman senate is very much in charge as Caligula spends all his time hosting wild orgies. As I said, you want Caligula, you’re getting Caligula. Plus, Helen Mirren, in her prime, in 4K. Chef’s kiss. Anyhoo, all good things come to an end. Caligula’s sister dies. That’s when he cracked. Historically speaking, that’s accurate. Whether or not the real Caligula had a romance with his sister is up for debate, but he did go crazy after her death. That’s when the film turns into the story of a damaged man dealing with grief. The depiction appears to be historically accurate. We get to explore his downfall, his war against the senate and his eventual murder.
Overall, good stuff. It’s well-made. The cast did their job. The music is fitting. I think it’s worth checking out. It’s porn with a plot that you actually care for. You get to stimulate the mind and the genitals.
American cinema in the 1970’s was a rare moment in which the suites stepped out of the way and gave the talent free rein. It began with small-to-mid budget films and ballooned into Heaven’s Gate. Yes, there was Jaws and Star Wars in-between, but those were mainstream movies that signaled the return of corporate Hollywood. Artistically speaking, most scholars recognize the period between Easy Rider and Heaven’s Gate as the inmates running the asylum.
Parallel to this was the porn industry.
They too had a renaissance going on in the 70’s. Debbie Does Dallas. Deep Throat. The Devil in Miss Jones. The Emanuelle series. This was back when you had to watch these forms of expression in a theater and react with your best Pee-Wee Herman impression. The porn business made tons of money and it culminated in Caligula, which in essence, is their version of Heaven’s Gate.
Caligula was an attempt to merge porn with British prestige. In this case, when they say BBC, it can mean either/or. The reception was what you’d expect and Caligula has spent nearly 50 years as a punchline. Now, there’s a 3-hour cut, assembled from the original raw footage, that is an attempt to add some dignity into Caligula.
Did they succeed? Sure.
The movie begins with Caligula as an errand boy to his grandfather, the Emperor of Rome. From the start, you can tell that Caligula is unhinged. His father was a famed Roman general. Murdered. His mother and brothers were exiled. Also murdered. Now here he is, living under his demented grandfather’s roof, and being the subject of ridicule. You know where this is going. His grandfather is murdered and he becomes the new ruler of Rome. At first, Caligula is like a kid in a candy store. It’s fair to say that the Roman senate is very much in charge as Caligula spends all his time hosting wild orgies. As I said, you want Caligula, you’re getting Caligula. Plus, Helen Mirren, in her prime, in 4K. Chef’s kiss. Anyhoo, all good things come to an end. Caligula’s sister dies. That’s when he cracked. Historically speaking, that’s accurate. Whether or not the real Caligula had a romance with his sister is up for debate, but he did go crazy after her death. That’s when the film turns into the story of a damaged man dealing with grief. The depiction appears to be historically accurate. We get to explore his downfall, his war against the senate and his eventual murder.
Overall, good stuff. It’s well-made. The cast did their job. The music is fitting. I think it’s worth checking out. It’s porn with a plot that you actually care for. You get to stimulate the mind and the genitals.
