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Visitors Review

2013-05-22 21:42:30

dvd froze

This review is from: Caligula (Unrated Edition) (DVD) dvd froze part way through it looks like it might have been copied from a camera picture fuzzy and sdistorted

2013-05-22 06:20:52

Don't bother with the edited version!

I have not yet seen the unedited version of this film but I made the mistake of renting the edited version a few years ago. Don't do it, people! They must have had to cut out so much footage, the plot is completely hard to understand and all of a sudden it's all over. However, it was almost worth it to see Bob Guccione at the end come on screen and say, "Hello, I'm Bob Guccione. What you have just seen is a drastically edited version of my movie Caligula. I do not approve of censorship. If you would like to order the unedited version through the US mail, where FEDERAL laws, not LOCAL laws apply, please call..." Believe it or not this short little spiel actually inspired a lengthy intelligent discussion amongst me and my family concerning censorship, etc. But otherwise, stay away!

2013-05-21 00:43:52

Disgusting

This review is from: Caligula (The Imperial Edition) [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray) This is the most disgusting, immoral, gross, movie I have ever seen in my life. I enjoy history, but this is not a history related movie - this is porn. I am really disappointed that it is non-returnable. Had I known the contents, I never would have ordered it. It should be rated and labled "xxx".

2013-05-20 04:57:16

Erotic, repulsive, fine entertainment!

A very entertaining portrail of Roman times. One must be into rather dark humor to appreciate it. It does have one of the hottest Lesbian sex scenes I have ever seen!

2013-05-19 23:06:58

An unintended joke?

This movie sits right up there with "Showgirls" as one of the most outrageously BAAAAAAAAD films ever made---the script, direction, acting, camera work, production values...are just unbelievably cheesy.About the only half-OK parts of the film are the sex and nudity, a few of which are really twisted and difficult to watch (e.g. Caligula's intrusion into a wedding party during which he violates both bride and groom). Many people have panned Guccione's sad attempt at high art as "pornography"---I certainly agree in that most porno films, you constantly find yourself fast forwarding to all the sex scenes. Sad, when considering what a true cinematic genius like Stanley Kubrick could've done with this material.

2013-05-19 11:21:38

Hotter than Georgia asphalt

This review is from: Caligula (The Unrated Edition) (DVD) This movie is perfect for anyone who loves over-the-top cheesy movies w/ a historcal/porn edge. I loved watching the unrated version. And while yes, my modern 2010 brain was even shocked by some of the scenes, I loved every minute of it. What more can you ask for really? :D Other notes:- Helen Mirren was super hot back in the '70s- Malcolm McDowell might really be insane- Caligula was so effed up, but so were Romans on a whole- Were the deformed actors the real thing?Prepare yourself for some nasty, nasty stuff!

2013-05-17 02:06:57

A Movie with an Attitude!!

There was no movie before or after that will come close to Caligula. This movie has balls! It went were no other movie has dared to go before..It tells the story of the emperor Caligula with all its depraved details,with an excellent tongue-in-cheek performance by the great and still largely underrated Malcolm Mc Dowell. Caligula was not only a genuine and very dangerous psycho! but a lunatic with a lot of power and a libido to match, and Malcolm Mc Dowell portrays this beautifully. Yet what makes Caligula a one off cinematic occurance is the sheer nerve of producer and Penthouse maestro Bob Guccione, by including hardcore porn in the film, as the legend goes after the mainstream actors and technicians went to bed!!And this combination adds a unique flavor to the film, it shows the decadence and depravity of romans, without being disgusting just maybe shocking and real: in your face, porn.Many people have attacked the film as a piece of garbage,and the film became infamous for the wrong reasons, for I believe the filming, acting (Mc Dowell, O'Toole andf Mirren) and direction are above average. Watch Caligula as a unique experience in cinema, and even if you think it is a bad film, it is one of these films that are so bad they're actually good..very good in fact.but a Warning!!!! the DVD quality is very poor, similar if not worse than the VHS version..yet included is the making of documentary which is as interesting to watch as the film itself!go on indulge yourself in a bit of roman decadence, in the safety of your own home!!

jaiken007 2013-05-16 16:02:57

A Stunning Mess

First of all, I believe that anyone who says that this is an accuratedepiction of ancient Rome has done little reading about the period.Costuming errors abound and the use of glass is hystericallyincorrect. The second problem is that, I, Claudius not withstanding (Robert Gravesmade a lot of stuff up), we have very little information about this era.Taking the word of Suetonius, who had an axe to grind, would be like usingthe National Enquirer to understand the life of Diana Spencer. We do noteven know for sure whether thumbs up or down meant life or death. Okay on to the film. Without a doubt this movie has the biggest budget ofany porno film I've ever seen. Peter O'Toole and Sir John are lucky in dyingin the first 20 minutes. Malcolm McDowell is excellent as always and HelenMirren puts in her usual stellar performance. The sets are beautiful, ifinaccurate (Romans painted their statues in life-like colors for oneinstance), likewise the costuming (Roman matrons were dressed with far moremodesty). I also was amused at the bad ADR. It looks almost like dubbedGodzilla movie and the music, in a word, sucks. Someday someone will make a film that combines the wonderful writing andacting of the British mini-series, I, Claudius, and the budget of thishorrible movie. I hope it's soon.

2013-05-14 23:30:06

Caligula

Great Movie! It is a shocker! It really makes you think about politics and the people with power.

2013-05-14 12:15:03

Not what I expected

This review is from: Caligula (Unrated Edition) (DVD) I was expecting a little more sex, a little less history. It's pretty slow-moving and somewhat lengthy. I still watch it, but only for certains scenes. But for what it was in the year of it's release, I'm sure it was amazing. By today's standards, it's a little too long with not enough action to hold one's interest through the whole thing.

2013-05-13 22:19:29

HORRIFIC EXCESS....

Huge, lavish expansive vehicle for depicting every sort of depravity imaginable (or even UNimaginable). Financed by Penthouse (of course), "Caligula" manages to trot out good "name" actors to give a pornographic film some respectability. Too bad. The film is historically debatable on any count and no one's watching this excrement on film for history anyway. I truly believe you can pay Malcolm McDowall to do anything but Helen Mirren is totally debased here. Scatalogical in the extreme, "Caligula" stands as a total embarrassment to one and all. Camera work is downright poor at times. Mcdowall hams it up unmercifully and really seems to be enjoying the hideous things he does. A total gross-out for people who like watching bloody car accidents. Help yourself.

2013-05-13 07:56:31

Controversial, Purile, Revolting - and boring......

I saw Caligula when it was first in theaters. It was one of those movies that all my friends said we had to see, because it was so controversial. Controversial it is. Good it is not.I've heard through the years that Sir John Gilgud did not know that the part he was playing would be in a film showing explicit sexual acts and degredation. I find this hard to believe, given the producer of the film - it was Penthouse magazine.That said, Caligula is dull, dull, dull. It is only the scenes of horror and sexual predation that make this film rise above the sublimely mind numbing - and that's really sad.You know you're going to watch it, because you're curious, but just know this: after you watch this repugnant film, if you're anything like me, you'll want to bathe afterward. It's really a creepy gross film.

2013-05-11 18:49:50

Pure perversion

I didn't think of it much as a movie as I did a porn frenzy. I'm very much interested in history and also psychology and neither was apparent to me in this movie other than we know Caligula was nuts. Otherwise, then I guess so was all of the Roman Empire. I simply cannot believe one stroll down the streets would produce such frenzy. It was stupid, simple and as soon as it was done I immediately threw it out. Not for the faint of heart. Not for the sophisticated either. Or anywhere in between.

2013-05-11 12:39:04

Poorly done

This review is from: Caligula (Unrated Edition) (DVD) While I like to see naked women just like most guys this is just tasteless. I had to turn it off about 20 minutes into the movie just to keep from barfing.

2013-05-11 03:42:54

Still an interesting watch ...

This review is from: Caligula (Unrated Edition) (DVD) We saw this movie when it first was broadcast on HBO a long, long, long time ago ... had to watch it twice to make sure what we were seeing was actually what we were seeing. Then had to watch it a third time to make sure.This is NOT a movie for children to watch! Even if "Caligula" was called "Little Boots" in ancient Rome, THIS IS NOT A film for the kiddies. Actually, I'm not sure my Grandmother is old enough to watch this! But I am ...Malcolm McDowell portrays Caligula as a lot of history implies - sadistic, degenerate and totally amoral. Reminds me a bit of his role in Kubrick's "A Clockwork Orange", but not quite as unnerving. Obviously, we cannot attest to the historical accuracy of the content, but it is an interesting film.If you have the chance, watch it for yourself. You'll agree.

TOMASBBloodhound 2013-05-10 18:13:48

A $17.5 million dollar abomination.

Maybe this is what the Burt Reynolds character from Boogie Nights hadin mind when he wanted to make a large scale porno film with realactors and an actual plot. Bob Guccione's Caligula might have beensomething truly memorable and noteworthy, but it ends up being nothingmore than simply "notorius". It isn't just the eye-opening hard coresex and violence that mars this film. The film is hurt every bit asmuch by the terrible editing, lack of cohesive plot, and the generalugliness of its tone. The film is still viewed regularly, and has morethan made a profit. Mostly because of the curiosity factor. Once theviewer gets used to the copious amounts of gratuitous nudity, torture,and explicit sex, they quickly notice that there isn't much else tothis project.A very entertaining project could certainly be made about the paganruler Caligula of early A.D. Rome. And Malcolm McDowell is certainly agreat choice for the title role. As Caligula, McDowell basically getsto extend his lusty fantasy he has mid way through A Clockwork Orange.Imagine Alex from that film as emperor of the known world, and that'sthe perspective this film takes. There really isn't much of a linearstory here. Gore Vidal wrote the original script but who knows how muchof the finished product is his idea. Likely not much since he wouldlater disown the film. Director Tinto Brass did likewise after producerGuccione insisted on editing the film himself. He is apparently the oneto blame for all the incessant zooming in and out throughout the film.It seems like they rarely even knew the right perspective in which toshoot most of these scenes. The post dubbing of voices is all tooapparent, and the running length is ultimately just too long. Some ofthe sets look impressive, and it must be noted that the acting is oftenvery convincing. There are some big named actors here like John Gielgudand Peter O'Toole that should be ashamed for appearing in this.McDowell has always been a daring performer who brings such effort tohis character that he can be forgiven. Incredibly, Bob Guccione wasoriginally trying to get John Huston and Jack Nicholson. At least theyhad the good sense to pass.Overall, it was the mean and cynical tone of the film that put me offthe most. The technical problems were also too much to overlook.Another problem was the lack of historical perspective. The film neverreally defines Caligula, or the times in which he ruled. And therereally aren't enough actual porn scenes to satisfy the horny voyeur whomight only be looking to get off. The film is pretty much a failure atevery level. It made Guccione a good chunk of change, though. 2 of 10stars.The Hound.

Mort-31 2013-05-09 18:17:35

Excessively excessive

As many reviews have stated, this film is utter rubbish. It seems tohave no point but violence and porn - and I can say this, although Ihaven't seen the 170-minutes version, only one that ran 147 minutes.But I guess all they left out was some ejaculations.For me, "Caligula" has about the quality of "The Passion of theChrist": it is a film worst seeing because it lacks any notion of art,because its pompous an megalomaniac, and because famous actors are init. McDowell is a good actor, he does his best to portray the mademperor convincingly. Peter O'Toole is really great as Tiberius: forme, he is the ultimate highlight of this film. And Helen Mirren is atleast well-cast as Caesonia, Caligula's worn-out but clever andaffectionate wife.I don't know why but I think it is a film one should have seen, maybebecause of the extremity of disproportion and excessiveness.

2013-05-09 03:40:41

Gruesome and beautiful

This review is from: Caligula (Unrated Edition) (DVD) Amazing cast of actors, this film is probably near the truth of how Caligula truly was. Being that it's unrated, there are a lot of graphic sexual scenes-has been described by some as near porn.

David Downing 2013-05-08 04:34:23

Friends, Romans, countrymen, can I have your ears back for one more second?

This is actually a follow-up to a review of CALIGULA that I've already posted. In that review, I stated the Malcolm McDowell's portrayal of the title character was an interesting departure from the creepy, effeminate image you usually see. I also, ignored John Hurt's portrayal in I, CLAUDIUS, because I hadn't seen the classic BBC television series when I wrote that review. Having remedied that situation, I wish to say that I still stand by my original statement. Hurt is a fine actor, but I still thought his portrayal fell into the effeminate creep category.I also think it's worth mentioning the CALIGULA omitted the brutal murder of his sister and unborn child that was attributed to him in I, CLAUDIUS.

2013-05-07 18:23:20

WOAH! Who forgot the good taste?

Movies like this look much better in print then they are. "The Most Controversial Movie in History" is the best title for it. It is one of those movies that a bunch of guys rent on a Friday night just to see how far it goes. Well having seen it I can say that it goes FAR! WAY TOO FAR! Do not get me wrong, the acting and the sets are wonderful (the actors that aren't Penthouse pets or porn stars). Malcom Macdowell is great in the title role. But the movie is just plain sickening. The porn factor is one thing (some of the most graphic sexual activity you will ever see in a major motion picture) but the violence is way out of control. There is no redeaming value to watching dogs hungrily eat a man's genetaila after being castrated. And the sexual content goes beyond just the graphic orgies. There is beastiality, necrophilia, homosexuality, midgetry, etc... Sorry guys, you won't be watching this one in history class anytime soon. The movie makes you want to jump in the shower after it ends for there is nothing clean about it at all. It is really quite sickening. But if you watch it for the basic reason just so you can say you have seen it all, then there is some value to the film I guess. But be forwarned, it doen't just push the limits, it destroys them.