review: CALIGULA (IMPERIAL EDITION)

Image Entertainment  //  Buy from Amazon.com The rise and fall of the notorious Roman Emperor Caligula, showing the violent methods that he employs to gain the throne, and the subsequent insanity of his reign - he gives his horse political office and humiliates and executes anyone who even slightly displeases him. He also sleeps with his sister, organises elaborate orgies and embarks on a fruitless invasion of England before meeting an appropriate end. There are various versions of the film, ranging from the heavily- truncated 90-minute version to the legendary 160-minute hardcore version which leaves nothing to the imagination (though the hardcore scenes were inserted later and do not involve the main cast members). The first I'd ever heard of "Caligula" was a buddy of mine telling me several years ago that he wanted me to sit down and check out this crazy 70s flick he'd discovered called "Caligula" - the name alone sounded bizarre, but I never did end up sitting down to watch his 2nd (9th?)-hand VHS copy with him. However, reading up on the film online, I was intrigued by all the controversy that swirled about this film, even 25 years later. Well, the fine folks @ Image have now given this "classic" a loving remastering and super-deluxe release via a 3-disc set, jam-packed with different cuts of the film, multiple commentaries & featurettes, and a whole lot more. But how does the film stack up, esp. for someone who had never before seen it (such as myself?) This is a kooky film. It's definitely epic, oppulent, far-reaching and button-pushing... and truth be told, I could've done without the XXX content (if I'm sitting down to watch a film about decadent Rome, I don't need to see 70s porn mixed in to jar my senses back to the fact that this film was made/produced by ol' Penthouse Bob. However, skin aside, this is a highly entertaining film, as Malcolm McDowell is a tour de force as the crazy-ass emperor, and the all-over-the-place story will keep you fixated (and probably chuckling quite a bit as well.) It's not a great film, but it's a fun one, and I'm glad to now be able to say that I've seen it. More impressive than the film, however, is Image's deluxe "Imperial Edition" - they once again provide why they are one of the best DVD labels out there! Video Remastered to its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio, this transfer is gorgeous, showing a level of detail and richness that undoubtedly make the film look infinitely better on disc than it ever did in the movie theaters of its day! Audio A Dolby 5.1 surround remix does an excellent job of delivering both the dialogue and powerful score. Extras 2 versions of the film: hardcore (XXX) version + 1979 theatrical cut (no XXX) 3 audio commentarys: 1 w/ Malcolm McDowell, 1 w/ Helen Mirren, 1 w/ Penthouse spokesman deleted footage 3 featurettes documentary (made at the same time as the film) production stills screenplay trailers Closing Thoughts Truly infamous epic + 2 discs of extras (!!) = unbelievbable package of otherwordly entertainment!