Caligola: La storia mai raccontata

Caligula 2: The Untold Story (1982)

* 1/2 (out of 4)

Another notorious film from director Joe D'Amato, this one a cheap rip off of Caligula, although this one is actually a lot better. I watched the uncut, hardcore 125-minute version and this here featured over thirty minutes worth of additional scenes that aren't in the R-rated American cut. All of these scenes are dialogue driven stuff but this here actually slows the film down a lot. There's also a 20+ minute Roman orgy, which is where this film gets its notorious label. Everything from midgets to horses is on display here but this too slows down the action. The cast, including D'Amato regular Laura Gemser, is pretty good as are the sets and costume design. I doubt I'll bother tracking down any of the alternate versions but my guess is that they'd be a bit more entertaining than this longer cut.

I bought Caligula -Untold story, because I'm huge D'amato-fan, and I've seen couple of other "sequels" to Cuccione's Caligula, like Caligula and Messalina and so on. However, this one wasn't quite what I was hoping for. I had read from many different sources about this D'amato flick, and I got the picture that it would be sleazy same way as Emanuelle in America or even Porho holocaust were. I can't say I'm disappointed of lack of hard core sex scenes in the movie, but it could have been better with them. Even thought, there are many sequences that someone may consider disturbing. Still, I prefer D'amato-flicks like whole Emanuelle-series, Buio omega, Porno holocaust and Erotic nights of the living dead. Even Gemser don't bring the glory in this one (although I must say I'm huge Gemser-fan too). Still Caligula -untold story is far more enjoyable and better all ways than other Caligula sequels.

**½ out of 5 as a movie, *** out of 5 in D'amato-o-meter

A fact I would never admit to people I want to like me, I am a fan of Joe D'amato flicks. Here he is up to his old tricks; offering over the top blood shed, pointless plotting and (depending on which version you have) some X-rated sex scenes.

If you know anything about history, then there is no point in going through the plot. For those unaware, Caligula was a Ceaser and emperor of Rome. He was also generally regarded as the most brutal, demented ruler the empire ever had.

Joe D'amato strings together a lose revenge tale around his favorite leading lady, 'Black Emmanuel' Laura Gamser (funny, she's Asian). Her friend is killed by the diabolical Emperor in a botched rape attempt and she goes undercover into the place to get vengeance. Along the way we see three-ways, four-ways, prostitute training, a man impaled on a spike, the list just goes on. The coup de grace is a party scene in which we are treated to gladiators killing each other, a horse (yes, I said horse) hand job, and a long (if you have the real unedited version, which to my knowledge is out of print) orgy with all the X-rated trimmings.

D'amato flicks are most certainly an acquired taste. Most will find this to be filth, but if you have the mind for it, then this is one of the sleaze master's best.

6/10

I am a history buff, and have done quite a bit of research on late republic--early empire Rome. The funny thing about the film is that the only part that is really historically accurate (aside from Caligula being emperor) is the starting Narration, when an unseen narrator describes Caligula as a "Pervert, glutton, Paranoid, insomniac--this is his story!" After that, fiction takes over, making the movie (and the music) very third rate. Some parts are very disturbing, but gives you a view of the mental capacity of Romans before Christianity took hold of Italy. The acting was second rate. Most of the main players couldn't even speak English, and the 'voice in's' were horribly sequenced. But I must give two thumbs up for David Brandon (Caligula). He played the part so convincingly, with his arrogant, cruel, sadistic actions, that in my opinion, made the movie. <<by the way, does anyone know what David Brandon is up too these days?>> Since it's obvious that the film contains nudity, and many violent scenes, I thought I would focus on the merits (though few and far between). And I must say that the intimate scenes between Laura Gemser (Mariam) and DB are very enticing.

The director of this film is a favorite of eurotrash and an advance in the fact of presenting perfect films for the most universal male palate. In this sense, we have a work about one of the most popular Roman emperors with the support of a production superior to the rest of the work of Aristide Massaccesi and a cast that with great care makes us immerse ourselves in the thickest exploitation based on extreme trends. Of Caligula. The film is not suitable for all audiences but it is shorter than that of Tinto Brass and has less pretense, which makes it in a certain sense a little more tolerable. It is not a great film but for every fan of the director it is a must.