DVD Review: Caligula (Blu-ray)

By Fused Film Staff • February 2, 2009 • 3 Comments

By: Ben Songer

I recently reviewed the film Caligula on Blu-Ray, and I must say that this was definitely an interesting movie. This movie tells the tale of a man named Caligula, set back in the Roman Empire. He is the third of the Julius’, and the next ruler to the throne of Rome, that is of course only after his grandfather dies either naturally or unnatural without anyone knowing the truth.

This movie stars Malcolm McDowell who most likely the younger audiences would know as Linderman from the TV show Heroes. This film goes beyond what I believe most movies of the seventies did. It gives a unique and twisted look at how distort this family is, and just how much hatred and betrayal can take affect. This movie focus’ on the more in depth life of the people in Rome and how care free they were when it came to a display of affection or sexual interest.

On the Blu-Ray version it gives you the unrated and uncensored film. The special affects and the look of the film may make it hard for people to watch, I personally have heard different people that have watched it either say they like it or they hate it, I do not think with this movie there is really an in between, and that’s ok. Not everyone will always like the same thing. The special effects for the time were pretty descent, but not what we are use to now of course. They have really nice scenery shots for how they dipicted ancient Rome. With this version the high-definition and sound really makes you feel like you are there, or at least to some extent living parts of the movie.

Ah, the wonder of Blu-Ray. This is definitely not a movie that anyone under the age of 18 should watch. But, if you were a fan of the movie when it came out in 1979, and you have the high-def TV and the Blu-Ray player then this is one you want to add to your collection.

Directed by: Tinto Brass
Produced by: Bob Guccione, Franco Rossellini
Written by: Gore Vidal, Malcolm McDowell, Massolino D’Amico, Tinto Brass, Ted Whitehead
Starring: Malcolm McDowell, John Gielgud, Peter O’Toole, Helen Mirren, Teresa Ann Savoy
Music by: Sergei Prokofiev, Aram Khachaturyan, Bruno Nicolai (under the pseudonym of “Paul Clemente”)
Theatrical Release date(s): August 14, 1979 Italy, February 1, 1980 USA
Blu-ray Release Date: Nov 4, 2008
Running time: 210 Mins

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