I didn’t know that famed porno director Tinto Brass was still alive. But at 90, he surviving on his pure, unadulterated hatred for Bob Guccione (who died in 2010). According to recent reports, Tinto is still fighting to keep his name off the recent version of Caligula, which, according to Malcolm McDowell, was released at Cannes. Brass argues that editing is an important part of his directing process, and since he wasn’t involved in editing any version of Caligula…including the latest one…it’s not his film.
I’m sort of with Brass on this. Not because I give a shit about the integrity of his “process”, but because producers and Penthouse executives need to leave well enough alone. Caligula is a cult classic. It’s flaws, inexplicable porno shots, and incoherent plot are actually what make that movie memorable. It’s sort of perfect in its own unique, stupid way. Despite the protests of the talent involved, I don’t think there’s any way to cut Caligula into a great, or even good, film.
But I get it. It’s sort of embarrassing to have a film written by Gore Vidal, and starring Malcolm McDowell, Helen Mirren, Peter O’Toole, and John Gielgud get reduced to a hardcore porno. I feel McDowell’s frustrations in his Instagram post. He gave a performance of a lifetime that perhaps doesn’t get recognized due to the film’s controversy.
But I had a similar concern when Peter Bogdanovich announced that he was finishing Orson Welles’ The Other Side of the Wind for Netflix. What was fascinating about The Other Side was that IT WAS unfinished. It fit Welles’ reputation perfectly: he couldn’t finish a film, and The Other Side of the Wind was supposed to be his magnum opus. There was no way that the finished product could have matched our expectations, especially since Welles couldn’t be involved in finishing it (because he died in 1985).
Good for McDowell. He might finally be recognized for his hard work. But Caligula will always be remembered as an expensive, and violent, hardcore porno film starring the best talent that money could buy. Of course it was a train wreck, but it was a beautiful one at that 👍
The Internet Ruined Everything 
“Caligula” gave me nightmares. There are still some scenes I haven’t gotten over.
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It fucked me up big time as a teen. I still largely can’t watch it today
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I read about this! There’s a website and everything. Apparently, Penthouse hired an archivist to recut the movie conforming to Gore Vidal’s script. He had 96 hours of footage (!) to work from. They’re calling it “the Ultimate Cut”/”MMXX cut” because it was commissioned in 2020. I agree that Caligula is a beautiful dumpster fire, but I’m also interested to see this new version. Salon Kitty is my favorite Tinto Brass movie. Paprika is good too.
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I’ve been wanting to dive into Brass’ filmography. Despite his sometimes nauseating style, I think he’s an interesting visual filmmaker. As for Caligula, now that I know they’re trying to follow Vidal’s script, I’d be interested in seeing it. But much like ‘The Other Side of the Wind’, the ‘what if’ has been built up too much in our imagination that there’s no way that the finished product will meet our expectations. And without Brass’ involvement, I’m just skeptical that it will be worth it.
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