Caligula: The Official Story of the Film

The official retrospective for controversial erotic historical drama Caligula, adapted from an original screenplay by Gore Vidal, with principal photography by Tinto Brass.

The official retrospective for controversial erotic historical drama Caligula, adapted from an original screenplay by Gore Vidal, with principal photography by Tinto Brass.

Tracing Caligula’s difficult production and the versions released, from the 1979 Penthouse Publisher and producer Bob Guccione cut to the Cannes 2023 Ultimate Cut.

Conceived by screenwriter Gore Vidal as a depiction of absolute power corrupting absolutely, Caligula depicts the ascent to emperor and subsequent reign of Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, nicknamed Caligula, one of the most notorious rulers of ancient Rome, in 37 A.D. Shot as an erotic historical drama by Tinto Brass, the version released theatrically in 1980 was notoriously altered in post-production editing by producer - and Penthouse magazine publisher - Bob Guccione, who added hardcore sex scenes featuring Penthouse Pets that had been filmed separately. 

Written by Aaron Shaps, editor of the 2023 Ultimate Cut of the film, Caligula: The Official Story of the Film traces the film’s history, from the original concept drafted by Roberto Rossellini, through the difficult production, cinematic release and resulting legal battles to have the film declared not obscene so it could be screened in mainstream cinemas. The story comes right up to date, covering the different international cuts of the film released over the subsequent decades, and concluding with the 2023 Cannes screening and release of the Ultimate Cut. Illustrated with stills from the original and 2023 cuts of the film, the book also includes previously unpublished behind-the-scenes photos of the shoot from the Penthouse archives.