Helen Mirren dances up a storm in CALIGULA (1979)
Even though I know she's not a professional dancer, her dance number during this scene is so cringeworthy. They all seemed to be just winging it as they went along. It doesn't help that she's supposed to be pregnant and the baby bump clearly looks fake. I'm not a fan of this film but I do enjoy watching it for all of its gaudy 1970s excessiveness. They all thought they were doing something ne plus ultra in regards to debauchery but it wasn't that shocking. Like a Fellini film with more nudity and sex. Many careers suffered after making this but Helen's career continued on without a hitch.
The history of the most expensive porno movie ever made is certainly complex. Screenwriter Gore Vidal and director Tinto Brass subsequently disavowed the film.
ReplyDeleteAfter filming was seeming complete producer Bob Guccione hired Penthouse pets for actual (unsimulated!) sex scenes which were added to the film. This longer explicit version remains banned in several countries.
I just find this film tremendously boring, with or without the sex. Speaking of him, Fellini's crazy (and sometimes sexy) "Satyricon" is far more interesting, and never stops surprising.
ReplyDeleteMany times both Malcolm McDowell and Peter O'Toole said they weren't aware of what type of movie it was going to be. What a laugh! They are clearly right in the middle of the hardcore sex scenes at Tiberius palace. And Malcolm takes a pee right at the camera. Truly, it was "that shocking" when it first came out.
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ReplyDeleteThere is a new 153min "Caligula - The Ultimate Cut" currently screening at Cannes:
https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/f/caligula-the-ultimate-cut/