‘Caligula: The Ultimate Cut’ Review – Bloody Eroticism Meets Historical Epic In New Revival Of A Controversial Film

Caligula is a film with a storied history. What began as a sprawling historical epic saw much of the film land on the cutting room floor. In its place, a violent and pornographic cash-grab that bore little resemblance to the script by Gore Vidal. Though a box office success, thanks to the controversy surrounding the film, critics derided it, and the cast disowned it. Now, forty-four years later, Caligula: The Ultimate Cut intends to showcase the film’s original vision—a riveting and complex historical drama showcasing the intoxicating allure of sexuality and power. The film runs nearly three hours, is entirely fascinating, and delivers a triumphant expose on how ‘absolute power corrupts absolutely.’ In an era of director’s cuts and alternate versions, Caligula is a magnificent restoration with a triumphant zeal.

For the record, I have not seen the film’s original version, but by all measures, it is a disaster. Gratuitous violence, rampant sex, and choppy scenes stray far from Gore Vidal’s original vision of a soaring historical epic. Caligula: The Ultimate Cut uses new takes and unseen footage to preserve the narrative in this latest version. There is still an opulence of bloodshed and orgies, but it is in service of the more significant story. Now, the one-time most expensive independent film in history can be seen in its entirety, and the result is a film for the ages.

The great chameleon Malcolm McDowell anchors the film as Caligula, threading a story of deception, obsession, and power. Telling the tale of how Caligula rose to power, the film begins with his ascension following the death of Emperor Tiberius (Peter O’Toole). Now, Emperor of Rome, challenges reveal themselves. Caligula self-destructs into madness and pays the price of power. While an intimate story of one of Rome’s most infamous rulers, the film is a more profound tale. It is upfront with the themes of corruption; the film paints a dramatic portrait of how infighting and depravity laid the road to Rome’s eventual destruction.

The original version sought to do its business by upping the violence and unfettering the sex scenes. The movie was described as a cheap porno, void of any artistic merit or intellectual vigor. Here in the revised version, The Ultimate Cut still showcases rampant sexuality and relentless violence, but it is never an overindulgence. As intended and shown here, the film showcases how sexuality was unbridled in the Roman Court. This narrative, while never explicit, hints at the internal corruption and perversion that rotted out the Roman Empire. The film plays for cinematic appeals and takes triumphant swings, many of which pay off. However, the underlying treatise that film drives at makes it both stirring and historically accurate.

Malcolm McDowell is sensational. He portrays a reluctant leader who lacks the courage of his conviction and a penchant drive for power. He plays a charming despot, one riddled with fear and even quasi-imposter syndrome. One of the sacrifices of the original film came at the apparent cost of McDowell’s performance. Here, he commands every scene with his clever dialect and even a dark sense of humor. Caligula is arguably one of his finest performances, and it is triumphant and finally seen in its entirety.

In addition to McDowell, the film features supporting performances by Peter O’Toole and, notably, Helen Mirren, who plays Caesonia, Caligula’s fourth wife. Mirren, in magnetic force, holds court next to McDowell. There is a tragic, almost operatic quality to her performance that lies in the subtleties. Mirren’s character is fully developed, resulting in total dividends by the film’s final act. There is a lovely bit of foreshadowing at the start, where the appearance of a blackbird frightens Caligula, signaling an omen. Coming full circle, Caesonia witnesses a blackbird in the film’s climax and its inevitable harbinger of her family’s fall.

The climax is a bloodbath. It is easy to see how claims of over-the-top violence would dog the earlier version because the ending leaves little to the imagination. However, every action has a purpose and arises from this sweeping and quite tragic story. Caligula is a treatise on the limits of power. It brings that point of view with a riveting spectacle on the dangers of decadence.

As noted, the film was the most expensive independent film of the day. This fact appears in its design and aesthetic. The film’s dramatic look, from the costumes to the props, gives the impression of a stage play. It sometimes operates like a moving portrait or mural. However, there is more to the film than simple window dressing. The performances are masterful, and the score is haunting.

Troy Sterling Nies’s score elevates the drama. In a sweeping tale of betrayal, Nies hits the right notes — forgive the pun. There is a breathless quality to the music that works almost like a Greek chorus, foreshadowing the many triumphs but also the destructions. The score acts as a companion piece in many films, but the music elevates the narrative and ambitions to an almost divine status here.

Caligula: The Ultimate Cut is a gift for cinephiles and film purists. In an era where Director’s Cuts and Ultimate Editions are becoming more commonplace, it is a treasure to see a nearly fifty-year-old film restored. For some, the almost three-hour runtime may prove a slog, and some may find it overzealous in its stagecraft and sexual imagery. However, those nitpicks aside, this movie is soaring. Audiences may find themselves in a fever dream, but one laced with the dramatic rendering of history. 

Caligula: The Ultimate Cut is a historical epic worthy of being said in the same breath as Ben-Hur, Gladiator, and Cleopatra. Brash, but bold. Wildly erotic but historically charged. Now complete, this restoration will posit new opinions and appreciation. 

Caligula: The Ultimate Cut will debut exclusively in theaters beginning August 16, 2024, courtesy of Drafthouse Films. Check to see if the film is playing near you here. The film will be released on 4K UHD Blu-Ray and Digital on a date yet to be determined.