On C List of Movie Reviews
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Caligula (1979)
Rate:
3
Viewed:
11/13
11/13:
Caligula is a trashy sexploitation picture that fails on many levels, hence its much-deserved disreputation.
Moreover, it's so theatrical, nonsensical, unstructured, and free-going that it no longer resembles a film.
Random scenes are followed by more random scenes, making the whole thing a disjointed mess. Any notion of
plot has gone out of the window.
Of course, none of what's shown is factually true, so I'm instructed to pay more attention to the sex scenes
and the parade of naked men and women. That being said, the Roman emperor was probably used as an excuse to
make the picture somewhat relevant.
However, I admit Malcolm McDowell is perfect as Caligula. Peter O'Toole is fine as Tiberius, but Helen Mirren
is a joke of an actress. By the way, Netflix sucks. Since it was the only way I could see Caligula with
English subtitles, it was heavily edited with all of the X-rated stuff cut out. Why?
All in all, Caligula is a one big sexfest mess.