Caligula: The Ultimate Cut
classified 18Please note: This was screened in Sept 2024
Forty three years after the 1980 release of the notorious Roman Empire spectacle Caligula, producer and reconstructionist Thomas Negovan has realised the creators’ original vision with Caligula: The Ultimate Cut, a version comprised of entirely never-before-seen footage shot in 1976 and a new animated opening sequence by Dave McKean and a new (synth-heavy) score by Troy Sterling Ties.
Shadowed by the murder of his entire family, the young, wary Caligula (Malcolm McDowell) eliminates his devious adoptive grandfather (Peter O'Toole) and seizes control of the declining Roman Empire, descending into a spiral of depravity, destruction, and madness.
A treatise on the corrupting influence of power, this extensive reconstruction reveals the complete performances of McDowell and Helen Mirren as Caligula's wife,Caesonia, whose role is greatly expanded from less than 20 minutes to almost an hour onscreen.
Please note: there will be a 10 minute interval during this screening. This film will screen without adverts and trailers.