As many reviews have stated, this film is utter rubbish. It seems to have no point but violence and porn - and I can say this, although I haven't seen the 170-minutes version, only one that ran 147 minutes. But I guess all they left out was some ejaculations.
For me, "Caligula" has about the quality of "The Passion of the Christ": it is a film worst seeing because it lacks any notion of art, because its pompous an megalomaniac, and because famous actors are in it. McDowell is a good actor, he does his best to portray the mad emperor convincingly. Peter O'Toole is really great as Tiberius: for me, he is the ultimate highlight of this film. And Helen Mirren is at least well-cast as Caesonia, Caligula's worn-out but clever and affectionate wife.
I don't know why but I think it is a film one should have seen, maybe because of the extremity of disproportion and excessiveness.
For me, "Caligula" has about the quality of "The Passion of the Christ": it is a film worst seeing because it lacks any notion of art, because its pompous an megalomaniac, and because famous actors are in it. McDowell is a good actor, he does his best to portray the mad emperor convincingly. Peter O'Toole is really great as Tiberius: for me, he is the ultimate highlight of this film. And Helen Mirren is at least well-cast as Caesonia, Caligula's worn-out but clever and affectionate wife.
I don't know why but I think it is a film one should have seen, maybe because of the extremity of disproportion and excessiveness.