Caligula

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Caligula

Released Feb 1, 1980

2h 36m

Drama

History

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

18%

Tomatometer

33 Reviews

38%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Critics Consensus

Endlessly perverse and indulgent, Caligula throws in hardcore sex every time the plot threatens to get interesting.

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Michael Blowen

Boston Globe

If you want a turn-on, turn-off Caligula. Stay home and read Robert Graves' I, Claudius, it's much sexier.

Apr 28, 2018

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Variety Staff

Variety

Such established names as John Gielgud and Peter O'Toole will have to be seen to be believed.

Dec 8, 2007

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Caligula is sickening, utterly worthless, shameful trash. If it is not the worst film I have ever seen, that makes it all the more shameful: People with talent allowed themselves to participate in this travesty.

Rated: 0/4

Dec 8, 2007

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Despite all the gruesomeness, the picture often borders on camp.

Rated: 2/4

Oct 10, 2024

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

…it doesn’t take a lot of tinkering to ruin a film, and the much-tinkered with 1980 version of Caligula is a mess, with the guts of Vidal’s script removed, replaced by irrelevant sex, then having the sex removed, rendering the result utterly pointless…

Rated: 1/5

Jul 9, 2024

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Rob Gonsalves

Rob's Movie Vault

Too dull and repellent to be a guilty pleasure.

Rated: D

Aug 30, 2022

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Ahmed E

A shameful, disgusting, and disgraceful picture, the filmmakers have overtly earned the contempt of so many by the exaggeration of the hardcore scenes in the film.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

05/03/25

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David H

This film is almost as despicable as Bob Guccione. Made my skin crawl.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

10/05/24

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Scott W

man oh man does this movie ever have a reputation, one of the most controversial films ever made.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

08/14/24

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Bobo S

This will be perfect score at AVN lol

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/25/24

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Lucy B

saw the R rated version at the movie theatre.. i was a young woman on a date, lol. anyway, steller cast, ancient history light porn. appaling, uncomfortable to watch. then when the unrated came out on vhs: YIKES. bump the porn drench up 10 notches, Bob Guccione added the hard core porn. i wish he had not. i actually do not recommend it to anyone. no really

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

09/11/23

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Olivia Y

Surely one of the worst films of all time? As I haven't seen every film made, I can't confirm, but it's certainly the worst I've ever seen. It has absolutely no saving grace and is utterly appalling. Actually, one thing that interested me - who was badly dubbing Macros voice - is it Roger Moore or Richard Burton?

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

07/03/23

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Tinto Brass

Director

Malcolm McDowell

Caligula

Teresa Ann Savoy

Drusilla

Helen Mirren

Caesonia

Peter O'Toole

Tiberius

John Steiner

Longinus

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Director: Tinto Brass
Producer: Bob Guccione, Franco Rossellini
Screenwriter: Gore Vidal
Distributor: Analysis Film Releasing Corporation
Production Co: Penthouse Films International
Genre: Drama, History
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 1, 1980, Original
Runtime: 2h 36m