Caligula sees an evil Roman heir delve the depths of depravity as he is gifted the supreme power of Cesar of Rome and 'leader of the world.'
An experiment in what they could get away with at the time, Caligula still has some of the power to shock with its gratuitous depiction of sex and violence, which it weaves into a rather dark and nasty film.
Caligula isn't without its merits, as everyone involved (and there are some notable names involved) plays their part well, particularly a young Malcolm McDowel who once again captivates in the same reptilian way he did in A Clockwork Orange some 8 years earlier. The cinematography is grand and theatrical and the direction is compelling.
But there is little to make the film artistically as unique as it is controversial.
An experiment in what they could get away with at the time, Caligula still has some of the power to shock with its gratuitous depiction of sex and violence, which it weaves into a rather dark and nasty film.
Caligula isn't without its merits, as everyone involved (and there are some notable names involved) plays their part well, particularly a young Malcolm McDowel who once again captivates in the same reptilian way he did in A Clockwork Orange some 8 years earlier. The cinematography is grand and theatrical and the direction is compelling.
But there is little to make the film artistically as unique as it is controversial.