Statement from Unobstructed View regarding their Caligula 4K/Blu-ray Release (1 Viewer)

[Josh Steinberg]

When I went to film school, I watched Caligula too many times to count. It sorta became a good luck ritual the night before any shoot I’d have. It made me feel like no matter what I did, it would all be ok. And for better or worse I’ve retained those memories of the film all these years later.

 

[SD_Brian]

Incidentally, with regards to the sets, apparently the production designer didn’t read the script before designing and building the sets, so the cast and crew would show up and see these magnificent constructions that didn’t match what was on the page.

I remember hearing in one of the older commentary tracks that the brothel/barge set was built so large that there nearly wasn't enough room for the camera on the sound stage. Such a wacky movie on every level, which is what makes it fascinating.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

It’ll never be a great movie but it somehow withstands being put together and cut apart a thousand different ways, and that’s not something you can say about most films.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

It’s quite something that it’s 2024 and we’re having deep dive conversations about Caligula. I love it!

 

[Jonathan Perregaux]

I ordered it, hoping to get a copy numbered LXIX. "Hot dice, hot dice! Roll them bones!" <rolls the dice on this one>

Or, as Commander Adama was fond of saying 150,000 years ago, sometimes you just gotta roll the hard six.

 

[Robert Harris]

A more serious answer: the edited theatrical version, offered as a bonus feature, has been trimmed of some of the most extreme moments of sex and violence. Some violence shot by Brass has been cut out, and the hardcore pornography shot by Guccione hasn’t been completely removed but has been edited to become more of a softcore presentation.

The ultimate cut, which is what the new version has been christened, doesn’t use any of the hardcore pornography shot by Guccione, but does retain the graphic violence shot by Brass and still has copious amounts of nudity.

Both versions on the disc are more graphic than what an “R” rating would allow for.

So might the edited theatrical be considered the Hallmark cut?

 

[Josh Steinberg]

So might the edited theatrical be considered the Hallmark cut?

If your Hallmark cards traditionally included naked men standing around a syphilitic Peter O’Toole as Malcolm McDowell prances in the background…

 

[SD_Brian]

So might the edited theatrical be considered the Hallmark cut?

Christmas With Caligula! Now streaming on The Hallmark Channel.

 

[SD_Brian]

If your Hallmark cards traditionally included naked men standing around a syphilitic Peter O’Toole as Malcolm McDowell prances in the background…

And they do.

 

[Jonathan Perregaux]

“You just described the exact contents of my purse.”

“Hmm. Wild guess.”

 

[Josh Steinberg]

And they do.

Makes one wonder what exactly Lawrence was doing in the desert to come back looking like that.

 

[Robert Harris]

Makes one wonder what exactly Lawrence was doing in the desert to come back looking like that.

I actually asked Peter about the film, as a print had recently come my way in a collection. I contacted Penthouse, but they didn’t want it.

Peter told me that it was basically a short job, for a decent wage. He had no idea that they were going to intercut hard core footage. But he laughed it off.

 

[Allansfirebird]

It’ll never be a great movie but it somehow withstands being put together and cut apart a thousand different ways, and that’s not something you can say about most films.

Agreed. It's not high art in the least, but I found The Ultimate Cut to be a tremendously improved movie. I can actually see the story that was engaging enough to draw some of the biggest actors in the UK at the time as the leads.

 

[cinerama10]

I saw the uncut film in Hollywood back in 1980 during it's original release.I will stick with the uncut bluray which I have. The film was modified for Australian cinema release but the uncut film was eventually released with an 'X' rating for home video release only.

 

[jayembee]

If your Hallmark cards traditionally included naked men standing around a syphilitic Peter O’Toole as Malcolm McDowell prances in the background…

From Hallmark's Full Frontal Collection.

 

[jayembee]

Peter told me that it was basically a short job, for a decent wage. He had no idea that they were going to intercut hard core footage. But he laughed it off.

Because he's not an actor; he's a star!

 

[Neil S. Bulk]

Because he's not an actor; he's a star!

He's an actor, of course he's beneath us.

 

[Bob Cashill]

I guess there was no way to reuse Bruno Nicolai’s score, a highlight of the original film. The new one is humdrum.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

So, I have this, I am just trying to find the time to watch this new version. I am very curious. I've seen the picture many times over the years, cut, uncut, with the added porn, without the porn, so this will be a new experience. The porn parts I've felt often stopped the film dead in it's tracks. I don't recall there being a lot of porn in it, I mean the primary porn parts I recall are an obviously thrown in lesbian scene with two women on a bed and of course the orgy with the senator's wives Caligula stages on the big fake boat. The one other scene I recall was a group of guys masturbating onto an older woman in a tub, which the last couple times I saw the film I don't think was in it. I don't know really what version I was watching, it was a few years ago, but the lesbian scene and the big orgy with the wives were both in it.

I think the thing that always disappointed people about this film was that the big stars in it were not the ones doing the porn. Sure they do some nudity but they do not do full on porn scenes. I believe Savoy shows off her nether regions quite frequently in her scenes, in full Penthouse style. Mirren, well, I don't think she is quite as exposed.

I think the best part about the film is the incredible cast and the sets, which I guess there are more of in this new version. Also the big scene that always stood out and I recall my friends commenting on a lot was the scene with the big machine chopping off heads of people buried up to their necks in the ground. The second most commented on scene being the one where they force the guy to drink wine until he is about to burst and then they cut him open. So, the violence in this was always what I recall standing out.

I'll post my thoughts and comments once I have watched this new version. Should be pretty soon.

 

[Jonathan Perregaux]

My numbered copy turned out to be CMXLIV out of V̅, which doesn't seem nearly as awesome as LXIX... until you think about what it would physically mean to get into the position of 9 with two 4's. I think a pair of contortionists, or very limber individuals at least, might well be required to execute that maneuver.