Directed by Tinto Brass from a screenplay by Gore Vidal (which many people tinkered with while bringing it to the screen), the 1979 film Caligula was the most expensive independent film in cinema history – but the story told in the film was overshadowed by the behind-the-scenes story. As a press release notes, “Penthouse founder (and the film’s financer) Bob Guccione seized control of the negative, randomly inserting graphic scenes of unsimulated sex and gratuitous violence. The cast and film team disavowed what had become a blatant desecration of Vidal’s themes, and Vidal sued to have his name removed from the project. The extensive coverage of behind-the-scenes notoriety also had an unexpected effect: the film was a box office success.” Last year, Caligula: The Ultimate Cut had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, and this version of the movie was described as a “miraculous reconstruction” that is “comprised of 100% of never-before-seen footage,...
- 4/5/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Exclusive: Drafthouse Films has acquired Caligula: The Ultimate Cut, the 4K Ultra HD reconstruction of the notorious Tinto Brass movie.
This latest presentation of the famous movie made its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in 2023 and includes never-before-seen footage and alternate takes and camera angles.
Drafthouse will release the film theatrically across North America in August 2024, followed by a streaming and 4K Uhd Blu-ray release. The Uhd Blu-ray will have new interviews with star Malcolm McDowell and the film’s reconstructionist, art historian Thomas Negovan.
Initially Released in 1980, Caligula was one of the most expensive independent films to date but had a tumultuous journey to screen. Written by Gore Vidal and starring Malcolm McDowell, Dame Helen Mirren, Peter O’Toole and Sir John Gielgud, Penthouse founder (and the film’s financer) Bob Guccione seized control of the negative and made significant changes to the movie, including the addition of...
This latest presentation of the famous movie made its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in 2023 and includes never-before-seen footage and alternate takes and camera angles.
Drafthouse will release the film theatrically across North America in August 2024, followed by a streaming and 4K Uhd Blu-ray release. The Uhd Blu-ray will have new interviews with star Malcolm McDowell and the film’s reconstructionist, art historian Thomas Negovan.
Initially Released in 1980, Caligula was one of the most expensive independent films to date but had a tumultuous journey to screen. Written by Gore Vidal and starring Malcolm McDowell, Dame Helen Mirren, Peter O’Toole and Sir John Gielgud, Penthouse founder (and the film’s financer) Bob Guccione seized control of the negative and made significant changes to the movie, including the addition of...
- 4/4/2024
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Gkids has released the new English language trailer for Hayao Miyazaki’s “The Boy and the Heron.” Both the original Japanese and English language versions premiere in nationwide theaters on Dec. 8, following special preview engagements in New York and Los Angeles beginning on Nov. 22.
The trailer features a first look at vocal performances from Christian Bale, Dave Bautista, Gemma Chan, Willem Dafoe, Karen Fukuhara, Mark Hamill, Robert Pattinson and Florence Pugh. The English-language dub was made in alignment with the SAG-AFTRA Foreign Dubbing Agreement.
The animated feature from Studio Ghibli was written and directed by Miyazaki, produced by Toshio Suzuki and features a musical score from Joe Hisaishi, a longtime collaborator of Miyazaki. Kenshi Yonezu wrote and performed the film’s theme song “Spinning Globe.” Miyazaki and Suzuki were co-founders of Studio Ghibli.
“The Boy and the Heron” first premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 7.
See the full trailer below.
The trailer features a first look at vocal performances from Christian Bale, Dave Bautista, Gemma Chan, Willem Dafoe, Karen Fukuhara, Mark Hamill, Robert Pattinson and Florence Pugh. The English-language dub was made in alignment with the SAG-AFTRA Foreign Dubbing Agreement.
The animated feature from Studio Ghibli was written and directed by Miyazaki, produced by Toshio Suzuki and features a musical score from Joe Hisaishi, a longtime collaborator of Miyazaki. Kenshi Yonezu wrote and performed the film’s theme song “Spinning Globe.” Miyazaki and Suzuki were co-founders of Studio Ghibli.
“The Boy and the Heron” first premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 7.
See the full trailer below.
- 10/30/2023
- by Jazz Tangcay, Caroline Brew and Jaden Thompson
- Variety Film + TV
In “Caligula: The Ultimate Cut,” absolute power corrupts absolutely, but even using absolutely all of the footage shot for the notorious production back in 1976 does not necessarily result in a better film. The most expensive independent film ever produced until that time, “Caligula” was conceived by late Penthouse founder Bob Guccione as a sexually explicit film that also featured real actors and high production values; hiring bestselling author Gore Vidal to write a script for Italian avant-garde director Tinto Brass (“Salon Kitty”), Guccione subsequently attracted such respected thespians as Malcolm McDowell, Peter O’Toole, John Gielgud and Helen Mirren to star. But after disputes between Brass and Vidal prompted the author to sue to remove his name from the film, Guccione commandeered final cut and inserted shots of graphic sex and violence, prompting cast and crew alike to disavow the film.
Devoting a substantial portion of his adult life to “Caligula...
Devoting a substantial portion of his adult life to “Caligula...
- 10/4/2023
- by Todd Gilchrist
- Variety Film + TV
The lineup for Beyond Fest 2023 has been announced, and, as per usual, attendees will be in for a pretty incredible lineup of sci-fi classics, horror favorites, and more than 30 premieres. The event takes place from September 26th – October 10th.
With 55 features, Beyond Fest 2023 looks like a winner yet again. Some of the major attractions this year are special screenings of The Abyss (hopefully with news of a 4K Blu-ray?), Manhunter, Piranha, The Raven, and Pacific Rim, all with their directors – James Cameron, Michael Mann, Joe Dante, Roger Corman, and Guillermo del Toro – in attendance…and those are just some of the retro screenings! Fans might also want to try nabbing tickets for movies like folk-horror All You Need is Death, Cannes debuted Vincent Must Die, the remake of The Toxic Avenger, and so many more.
You can see the full lineup for the 2023 Beyond Fest below, complete with details on the premiere,...
With 55 features, Beyond Fest 2023 looks like a winner yet again. Some of the major attractions this year are special screenings of The Abyss (hopefully with news of a 4K Blu-ray?), Manhunter, Piranha, The Raven, and Pacific Rim, all with their directors – James Cameron, Michael Mann, Joe Dante, Roger Corman, and Guillermo del Toro – in attendance…and those are just some of the retro screenings! Fans might also want to try nabbing tickets for movies like folk-horror All You Need is Death, Cannes debuted Vincent Must Die, the remake of The Toxic Avenger, and so many more.
You can see the full lineup for the 2023 Beyond Fest below, complete with details on the premiere,...
- 9/14/2023
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
The largest genre film festival in the U.S. has some of the biggest names in Hollywood attending its 2023 edition. The Los Angeles-based Beyond Fest announced the slate of films and special screenings for the 11th edition, running September 26 through October 10.
This year’s Beyond Fest boasts 55 films across 15 days, including a special screening of “The Abyss” with director James Cameron, Michael Mann in attendance for a “Manhunter” screening, “Pacific Rim” with Guillermo del Toro, Gregg Araki for “Nowhere,” and a panel discussion between Roger Corman and collaborators Ron Howard, Jon Davison, Amy Holden Jones, Joe Dante, and Allan Arkush following the release of new 35mm prints of Corman’s “Rock ‘n Roll High School,” “Piranha,” “Grand Theft Auto,” and “The Raven.”
A special screening of “Caligula: The Ultimate Cut” will feature actor Malcolm McDowell in conversation with archivist/author Thomas Negovan, moderated by critic Stephen Farber. “You Must Remember...
This year’s Beyond Fest boasts 55 films across 15 days, including a special screening of “The Abyss” with director James Cameron, Michael Mann in attendance for a “Manhunter” screening, “Pacific Rim” with Guillermo del Toro, Gregg Araki for “Nowhere,” and a panel discussion between Roger Corman and collaborators Ron Howard, Jon Davison, Amy Holden Jones, Joe Dante, and Allan Arkush following the release of new 35mm prints of Corman’s “Rock ‘n Roll High School,” “Piranha,” “Grand Theft Auto,” and “The Raven.”
A special screening of “Caligula: The Ultimate Cut” will feature actor Malcolm McDowell in conversation with archivist/author Thomas Negovan, moderated by critic Stephen Farber. “You Must Remember...
- 9/14/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Beyond Fest announced today its absolutely insane slate of 2023 programming consisting of 55 features, including 5 world premieres, 3 North American Premieres, 7 US premieres, and 18 West Coast Premieres for its eleventh edition.
The fest returns to Los Angeles from September 26 through October 10. Built in partnership with the American Cinematheque and presented exclusively by Neon, Beyond Fest will screen at the Aero Theatre, Los Feliz 3 and Regency Village Theatre with all ticket sales going to the 501c3 non-profit film institution.
The press release that went out this morning highlights a slew of rare treats and world premieres. Tyler Macintyre decks the halls with bloody holly for the World Premiere of the Michael Kennedy-scripted It’S A Wonderful Knife, from Legendary Entertainment, Macon Blair’s The Toxic Avenger delivers an outrageous new take on the Troma classic with the highly anticipated return of the mop-wielding cinema icon, V/H/S/85 reunites Beyond Fest alum David Bruckner and Scott Derrickson,...
The fest returns to Los Angeles from September 26 through October 10. Built in partnership with the American Cinematheque and presented exclusively by Neon, Beyond Fest will screen at the Aero Theatre, Los Feliz 3 and Regency Village Theatre with all ticket sales going to the 501c3 non-profit film institution.
The press release that went out this morning highlights a slew of rare treats and world premieres. Tyler Macintyre decks the halls with bloody holly for the World Premiere of the Michael Kennedy-scripted It’S A Wonderful Knife, from Legendary Entertainment, Macon Blair’s The Toxic Avenger delivers an outrageous new take on the Troma classic with the highly anticipated return of the mop-wielding cinema icon, V/H/S/85 reunites Beyond Fest alum David Bruckner and Scott Derrickson,...
- 9/14/2023
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
The 2023 Beyond Fest lineup is set. America’s biggest genre-focused festival is returning this month with a 55-film slate that includes a Roger Corman career celebration, special screening of The Abyss with James Cameron, the world premiere of Rlje Films/Shudder’s It’s a Wonderful Knife and much more.
The 11th edition of the fest runs from September 26-October 10 in at the Los Feliz 3 in Los Angeles, the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica and Regency Village Theatre in Westwood. See the full lineup below.
Beyond Fest 2023 will open with Gareth Edwards’ sci-fi epic The Creator from 20th Century Studios and close with Kristoffer Borgli’s A24 pic Dream Scenario, starring Nicolas Cage. It also will feature the world premieres of It’s a Wonderful Knife, Welcome Space Brothers, History of Evil and the 4K restorations of Cemetery Man (1994) and The Church (1989).
Other highlights include Legendary’s new remake of Troma classic The Toxic Avenger,...
The 11th edition of the fest runs from September 26-October 10 in at the Los Feliz 3 in Los Angeles, the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica and Regency Village Theatre in Westwood. See the full lineup below.
Beyond Fest 2023 will open with Gareth Edwards’ sci-fi epic The Creator from 20th Century Studios and close with Kristoffer Borgli’s A24 pic Dream Scenario, starring Nicolas Cage. It also will feature the world premieres of It’s a Wonderful Knife, Welcome Space Brothers, History of Evil and the 4K restorations of Cemetery Man (1994) and The Church (1989).
Other highlights include Legendary’s new remake of Troma classic The Toxic Avenger,...
- 9/14/2023
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Beyond Fest is one of the greatest, most unsung movie events of the year in Los Angeles. Happening over 15 days this year (from Sept. 26 to Oct. 9), it is a go-for-broke celebration of genre cinema – smartly programmed, lovingly assembled and genuinely thrilling.
And this year is no different, with highlights being a screening of the special edition of “The Abyss” (the wave lives!) with an appearance by director James Cameron; a screening of “Manhunter,” with director Michael Mann in attendance; a robust Roger Corman retrospective (including a screening of “Piranha” with director Joe Dante) and the West Coast premiere of new movies like Macon Blair’s “The Toxic Avenger” and Nicolas Cage in A24’s “Dream Scenario.”
There are also retrospective screenings of “The Iron Giant” (with Brad Bird), “Pacific Rim” (with Guillermo del Toro) and a presentation of the new 4K restoration of “The Raid,” among many, many other things.
And this year is no different, with highlights being a screening of the special edition of “The Abyss” (the wave lives!) with an appearance by director James Cameron; a screening of “Manhunter,” with director Michael Mann in attendance; a robust Roger Corman retrospective (including a screening of “Piranha” with director Joe Dante) and the West Coast premiere of new movies like Macon Blair’s “The Toxic Avenger” and Nicolas Cage in A24’s “Dream Scenario.”
There are also retrospective screenings of “The Iron Giant” (with Brad Bird), “Pacific Rim” (with Guillermo del Toro) and a presentation of the new 4K restoration of “The Raid,” among many, many other things.
- 9/14/2023
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
Malcolm McDowell as Caligula. Thomas Negovan: 'What Malcolm did would be the equivalent of watching someone who had to prepare for any eventuality' The convoluted story surrounding the notorious cinema production of the sword and sandals epic Caligula some 40 or so years ago is as intriguing as the tale of the infamous Roman emperor himself. At only 24 years old he ruled for just four years until he was brutally slain alongside his wife and daughter by a group of guardsmen and dumped into a shallow grave.
Producer Thomas Negovan has unearthed more than 90 hours of original camera negatives and audio to make a new edit for Caligula: The Ultimate Cut which was unveiled at the Cannes Film Festival in its Classics strand. He believes that new footage of the likes of Malcolm McDowell as the emperor, Helen Mirren, Peter O’Toole and John Gielgud now has some resemblance to the...
Producer Thomas Negovan has unearthed more than 90 hours of original camera negatives and audio to make a new edit for Caligula: The Ultimate Cut which was unveiled at the Cannes Film Festival in its Classics strand. He believes that new footage of the likes of Malcolm McDowell as the emperor, Helen Mirren, Peter O’Toole and John Gielgud now has some resemblance to the...
- 5/27/2023
- by Richard Mowe
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Described by its screenwriter, Gore Vidal, as ‘easily one of the worst films ever made’, Caligula has been re-edited by Thomas Negovan and received its premiere this week. Here, he explains his decision to revisit the swords-and-sandals shockfest
As quixotic quests go, it’s a doozy: take 96 hours of raw footage filmed during one of the craziest and most tumultuous shoots in movie history and attempt to create a new version of the film described by Variety on release in 1979 as “a moral Holocaust”.
Step forward Thomas Negovan: the man who rescued Caligula. “There were definitely a lot of points in the last three years where I thought I was crazy,” he says. “I thought: ‘Is anyone going to care about this?’” But, in fact one of the most important entities in the industry, the Cannes film festival, cared very much, booking the new-and-possibly-improved version a premiere in its prestigious Cannes Classics strand,...
As quixotic quests go, it’s a doozy: take 96 hours of raw footage filmed during one of the craziest and most tumultuous shoots in movie history and attempt to create a new version of the film described by Variety on release in 1979 as “a moral Holocaust”.
Step forward Thomas Negovan: the man who rescued Caligula. “There were definitely a lot of points in the last three years where I thought I was crazy,” he says. “I thought: ‘Is anyone going to care about this?’” But, in fact one of the most important entities in the industry, the Cannes film festival, cared very much, booking the new-and-possibly-improved version a premiere in its prestigious Cannes Classics strand,...
- 5/19/2023
- by Catherine Bray
- The Guardian - Film News
More than 40 years after his bitter battle with Bob Guccione over cult classic “Caligula,” Italian director Tinto Brass is still fighting.
Just as Penthouse Films International has unveiled a new cut of the raunchy 1980 epic about the fall of the Roman ruler titled “Caligula: The Ultimate Cut” – that screened on Wed. in the Cannes Classics section with Helen Mirren on hand – Brass has issued a statement distancing himself from this new version of the film and announced that he is taking unspecified legal action.
“After numerous and fruitless negotiations that have followed over the years, first with the Penthouse and then with other unclear individuals, to edit the material that I shot and which had been found in the Penthouse archives, a version has been created on which I did not take part and which I am convinced will not reflect my artistic vision,” Brass, who is 90, said in the statement.
Just as Penthouse Films International has unveiled a new cut of the raunchy 1980 epic about the fall of the Roman ruler titled “Caligula: The Ultimate Cut” – that screened on Wed. in the Cannes Classics section with Helen Mirren on hand – Brass has issued a statement distancing himself from this new version of the film and announced that he is taking unspecified legal action.
“After numerous and fruitless negotiations that have followed over the years, first with the Penthouse and then with other unclear individuals, to edit the material that I shot and which had been found in the Penthouse archives, a version has been created on which I did not take part and which I am convinced will not reflect my artistic vision,” Brass, who is 90, said in the statement.
- 5/18/2023
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Good news for families at Cannes who couldn’t score tickets to “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” or “Elemental”: Producer Thomas Negovan is bringing “Caligula” to Paris!
“Caligula: The Ultimate Cut” will make its debut at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. The entirely new edit, created from scratch using over 90 hours of original camera negatives and audio recorded on-location, will feature copious never-before-seen footage featuring Helen Mirren, Malcolm McDowell and Peter O’Toole. This cut — running 157 minutes — will presumably hew closer to what the audience was supposed to see, and what the actors believed they were making, forty years ago.
Negovan will work in partnership with Kirkendoll Management, LLC and will offer this new cut of what was back in 1980 the most expensive independent film in history. The $17.5 million flick, self-financed by Penthouse founder Bob Guccione, was intended to be a “new kind of film,” according to Guccione,...
“Caligula: The Ultimate Cut” will make its debut at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. The entirely new edit, created from scratch using over 90 hours of original camera negatives and audio recorded on-location, will feature copious never-before-seen footage featuring Helen Mirren, Malcolm McDowell and Peter O’Toole. This cut — running 157 minutes — will presumably hew closer to what the audience was supposed to see, and what the actors believed they were making, forty years ago.
Negovan will work in partnership with Kirkendoll Management, LLC and will offer this new cut of what was back in 1980 the most expensive independent film in history. The $17.5 million flick, self-financed by Penthouse founder Bob Guccione, was intended to be a “new kind of film,” according to Guccione,...
- 5/16/2023
- by Scott Mendelson
- The Wrap
It was late into the evening of Valentine’s Day, a detail that would not go unnoticed later on. Dr. Amie Harwick, 38, had just gotten home from attending a burlesque performance, and she was texting with her best friend Robert Coshland about an upcoming trip to the U.K. He sent her the website for a restaurant in Edinburgh that had been recommended to him. At 1:01 a.m. she replied to say the restaurant looked cool.
Fifteen minutes later, at 1:16 a.m., police officers responded to a report...
Fifteen minutes later, at 1:16 a.m., police officers responded to a report...
- 3/10/2020
- by EJ Dickson
- Rollingstone.com
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