# Tell me about Caligula **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 24, 2010, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-caligula/558201 "2010-10-24T17:39:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2010, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-caligula/558201/21 "2010-10-24T23:05:47Z")
Then Guccione added the explicit sex scenes, locking the director out of the editing proccess. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2010, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-caligula/558201/22 "2010-10-24T23:23:16Z")
It’s not a good movie overall. Liking a poor movie just because it offends others is a waste of my time. However, and it’s a big however. I’ve always felt Caligula to be the visual definition of the word “decadence.” The art and set direction, the attitudes of the nobles, the depiction of what it really means to dedicate a life to excess, truly excel at the portrayal of this one single attribute. When people say that we live in a decadent society I want to haul them to this movie and force them to watch what decadence is and why the U.S. isn’t like Imperial Rome. Is that enough to recommend it? Not really. It’s more useful as a way of staying awake during the boring parts. You can look at the background instead of the junk occurring in the foreground. That hasn’t been enough to get me to watch it a second time. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2010, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-caligula/558201/23 "2010-10-25T15:41:06Z")
> [@Jim\_s\_Son](#): > > Not only is it dreck but it is boring dreck. Historically it’s reasonably accurate although in dealing with Gaius Caligula, we don’t have Tacitus’s complete account and as The Master noted, the farther Roman historians were from Caligula, the worst they described him.[Was the Roman emperor Caligula as crazy as they say? - The Straight Dope](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2102/was-the-roman-emperor-caligula-as-crazy-as-they-say). Not a column by Cecil but a Staff Report by one of his deranged minions. You can tell because it’s about 10 times longer than any of Cecil’s columns. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2010, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-caligula/558201/24 "2010-10-25T16:01:48Z")
> [@bibliophage](#): > > Not a column by Cecil but a Staff Report by one of his deranged minions. You can tell because it’s about 10 times longer than any of Cecil’s columns. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2010, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-caligula/558201/25 "2010-10-25T17:19:50Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > It’s also fairly historically accurate, by the way, at least in the broad outlines, and some of the scenes are quite accurate renderngs of incidents described by Suetonius and Josephus. Yes, but **their** accuracy is doubted by many historians. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2010, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-caligula/558201/26 "2010-10-25T17:46:04Z")
But those accounts are all we have to go by. As has been mentioned, Tacitus’ chapter on Caligula has been lost from his _Annals_. At least the movie stuck to the existing accounts (disputed or not) rather than just making stuff up completely. The original screenplay (which was eventually rather compromised) was written by Gore Vidal, who knew what he was doing. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2010, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-caligula/558201/27 "2010-10-25T18:12:57Z")
I’ve only seen the edited version (on netflix) and it was ok. The plot was a little harder to follow because of sections where scenes had obviously been removed, but overall it was an interesting look into that period of history. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2010, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-caligula/558201/28 "2010-10-25T18:17:43Z")
As an _I, Claudius_ fan, I disliked the way Guccione portrayed Claudius as an idiot. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2010, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-caligula/558201/29 "2010-10-25T18:37:08Z")
In fairness, Claudius represented himself as an idiot during Caligula’s reign for self-preservation. Pretending to basically be retarded made him look like a non-threat to the throne. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2010, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-caligula/558201/30 "2010-10-26T11:10:19Z")
Frankly, I don’t remember much about the sex scenes; the gore scenes were much more memorable (for better or for worse). ---
**Author:** ![caligulathegod](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caligulathegod/32/9685_2.png) [@caligulathegod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caligulathegod)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2010, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-caligula/558201/31 "2010-10-26T13:45:40Z")
The Blu-ray has three versions. One is an attempt to recreate Tinto Brass’ cut of the film before Guccione messed it up. It’s actually almost watchable and nearly makes sense. The commentary with Malcolm McDowell strongly implies that Gielgud was thrilled was thrilled with the film. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2010, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-caligula/558201/32 "2010-10-26T14:34:03Z")
It is quite literally the worst piece of shit I have ever seen. It doesn’t work as cinema, and it doesn’t work as porn. The plot made no sense, the editing looks like it was done by a hyperactive child, the lighting looks like it was done by a blind man, and anything remotely resembling good acting was overshadowed by hideous production values. I saw it on VHS. It took me a week to get through it, because I could not watch more than 20 minutes at a time. I still never finished. It’s not so bad it’s good, it’s so bad that it’s begging to be ignored. ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-caligula/558201/33 "2010-10-27T00:17:16Z")
> [@Antinor01](#): > > I’ve only seen the edited version (on netflix) and it was ok. Netflix has it on Instant Viewing and it has this disclaimer: “Warning: This unrated edition contains explicit sex, nudity and violence as well as disturbing imagery.” The rating is UR (unrated) Have they added the unedited version or is even the edited version graphic? I enjoyed it the first time I saw it. The second time it bored me. Both times I saw it, I rented it from a porn store. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-caligula/558201/34 "2010-10-27T01:16:13Z")
TV Tropes, as usual, seems to have a [nice little write-up on the movie, and it’s production history.](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Caligula) ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-caligula/558201/35 "2010-10-27T05:11:47Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > But those accounts are all we have to go by. As has been mentioned, Tacitus’ chapter on Caligula has been lost from his _Annals_. At least the movie stuck to the existing accounts (disputed or not) rather than just making stuff up completely. Well, not entirely. - the ‘giant lawnmower’ was an invention of the movie; there is no historical record of any such machine at any time of the Roman Republic/Empire. - the bridegroom fisting scene has no historical record to back it up. It certainly could have happened, but the historians (who were politically anti-Caligula) would have been eager to record this, even if it was just a slanderous rumor. Plus Caligula was one of the most strictly heterosexual of the Roman Emperors; almost all of his reported sex scandals involved women (his sisters, other mens’ wives, etc.). - the later execution of Proculus actually happened, but it was a different person. [It seems to me that Romans had only a few names, which they used over and over.] And both removing his genitals and feeding them to dogs aren’t mentioned in the historical records (and, as scandals, they would have been). - the movie seemed to play a bit with ages. Caligula ruled for 3 years 10 months\*, from age 24-28. He seemed older than that in the movie. And Gemellus was 18 or 19; he certainly seemed younger than that in the movie. - the boat scenes. Caligula had a very large floating-palace boat built, it was an actual functioning boat, which rode upon the waves (and eventually sunk below them) – not a dry-land boat on rollers as shown in the film. And it seems to have been a regular (though large) Imperial palace-boat – not a whorehouse as shown in the film. And the whole idea of a whorehouse to raise money is un-historical. Caligula had lots of money, the previous Caesar Tiberius had left the Empire very well-off financially. (Caligula spent most of this money; it was his successor Claudius who was left with financial problems.) - The film took a longer time to produce than Caligula spent as Caesar. ---
**Author:** ![Capitaine\_Zombie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@Capitaine\_Zombie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capitaine_Zombie)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-caligula/558201/36 "2010-10-27T10:31:07Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > It is quite literally the worst piece of shit I have ever seen. It doesn’t work as cinema, and it doesn’t work as porn. The plot made no sense, the editing looks like it was done by a hyperactive child, the lighting looks like it was done by a blind man, and anything remotely resembling good acting was overshadowed by hideous production values. > > I saw it on VHS. It took me a week to get through it, because I could not watch more than 20 minutes at a time. I still never finished. I had the same problem with most Porn VHS tapes I owned. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-caligula/558201/37 "2010-10-27T19:05:28Z")
> [@congodwarf](#): > > Netflix has it on Instant Viewing and it has this disclaimer: > > “Warning: This unrated edition contains explicit sex, nudity and violence as well as disturbing imagery.” > > The rating is UR (unrated) > Have they added the unedited version or is even the edited version graphic? > > I enjoyed it the first time I saw it. The second time it bored me. > > Both times I saw it, I rented it from a porn store. I’m not sure, but comparing the run times the one I saw was the edited version. There was still a shit ton of violence and lots of casual nudity. (naked slaves both male and female, lots of breasts, etc). No real sex though, the rape of the wedding couple was mostly removed, including the fisting, the castration scene was mostly implied and so on. Not having seen the full version I don’t know what all was cut. (pun intended). ;). I don’t want to say I was disappointed but that’s why I checked after watching it because I was surprised by the lack of sex based on what I had heard about the film and found out it was an edited release. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-caligula/558201/38 "2010-10-27T19:09:09Z")
> [@newcrasher](#): > > \*\*Tell me about Caligula \*\* He was a very naughty person. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-caligula/558201/39 "2010-10-27T19:17:15Z")
> [@Capitaine\_Zombie](#): > > I had the same problem with most Porn VHS tapes I owned. Yeah, but for very different reasons, I’m sure. I rented that, Eraserhead, another movie I didn’t like, and a VCR. It was my first VCR experience. I racked up some serious late fees for movies that I hated. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-caligula/558201/40 "2010-10-27T20:03:35Z")
I actually prefer the extended unrated version…even minus the gratuitious sex scenes. The cuts in the rated version are just grating and awkward. Scenes jump around to avoid penises or too many boobs and vaginas in a shot. It’s unwatchable. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-caligula/558201.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-caligula/558201.md?page=3)