Drafthouse Films revealed the trailer for the remastered and reconstruction of the 1980 controversial cult classic ‘Caligula’. Caligula: The Ultimate Cut is a complete reconstruction of one of cinema’s most lavish-yet-notorious productions in a glorious 4K Ultra High Definition restoration. This presentation of the legendary title made its World Premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in 2023, introducing both new generations of movie audiences and classic filmgoers. Its miraculous reconstruction, comprised of 100% of never before seen footage, uses alternate takes and camera angles, and features – for the first time – the complete film narrative.

Initially Released in 1980, Caligula was the most expensive independent film in cinema history but had a tumultuous journey to the screen. Written by the esteemed Gore Vidal and headed by the stellar cast of Malcolm McDowell, Dame Helen Mirren, Peter O’Toole and Sir John Gielgud, Caligula was meant to be an epic showcase of the generation’s finest talent, addressing the corrupting influence of power amid the rampant sexuality of the Roman court.

Release Date

Reconstructed by film historian Thomas Negovan, Caligula: The Ultimate Cut will open exclusively in theaters starting August 16th 2024. The film initially had its world premiere at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.

Synopsis

Absolute power corrupts in Caligula: The Ultimate Cut, an extensive reconstruction of the notorious 1980 spectacle. Shadowed by the murder of his family, Caligula (Malcolm McDowell) eliminates his devious adoptive grandfather (Peter O’Toole) and seizes control of the Roman Empire alongside his wife Caesonia (Helen Mirren) before descending into a spiral of depravity, destruction, and madness.

Caligula:The Ultimate Cut aligns closely to Vidal’s original script, especially with the addition of a prologue that illustrates one of Vidal’s missing scenes, created by noted graphic artist Dave McKean (Grant Morrison’s Arkham Asylum, Neil Gaiman’s Sandman). Nearly 100 hours of original footage was discovered by the film’s reconstructionist, film historian Thomas Negovan, in the Penthouse archive, which showcases astounding performances from the film’s cast, fully realizing McDowell’s complex, charismatic ‘Caligula’ and resurrecting Mirren’s layered character arc, which now cements the film’s final hour.

Reviews

Todd Gilchrist, in a Variety review wrote, “there’s much to admire in the scale and size of the production, and McDowell and Mirren both fare much better, appropriately, in a cut of the film actually interested in letting them deliver recognizable human performances.”, he added, “What emerges from this version is the sense that Negovan decided that more is more with the production’s 90-something hours of footage, and attempted to get as much “story” as possible into the film while minimizing its sexual and violent content.”.

Official Trailer

Watch the trailer for Caligula: The Ultimate Cut.