Caligula: 'La véritable histoire'

I'm probably one of the few people in the world who don't automatically categorize Joe D'Amato's film as 'worthless' or 'sleazy junk'. No, I actually support the opinion that he's a filmmaker with vision. With films like 'Buried Alive', 'Death Smiles at Murder' and 'Emanuelle and the Last Cannibals' he proved that he's capable of combining gruesome horror images and gore with a compelling script. This film, however, completely takes the edge off the above stated opinion. Caligula: The Untold Story is a very ugly and mediocre film about history's most notorious figure. Following Tinto Brass' controversial cult-epic, D'Amato focuses on the cruel and inhuman reign of the Roman emperor. This film particularly handles about a personal vendetta between a Moor-woman (whose friend got brutally killed) and the Emperor. She's torn between her personal feelings and her urge to take vengeance bla bla bla…

Caligula is a non-stop series of uninteresting sleaze, lame gore, terrible acting skills and inferior production values. The film starts out well enough, with a great cameo from Michele Soavi (later the director of masterpieces like 'Dellamorte Dellamore') trying to kill Caligula but, after this, it all goes downhill. David Cain is an incredibly bad actor and even the gorgeous Laura 'Black Emanuelle' Gemser doesn't look sensual enough to keep you watching. This film reminded me a lot about history lessons in school. The substance is fascinating enough, but it's brought in such a tedious and dull way. You're way better of watching Brass' epic staring Malcolm McDowell.

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

The fact is that Joe D'Amato pictures just aren't made for everyone's taste... once you accept this idea and IF you like italian exploitation flicks you won't be disappointed. Well, this film has been severely censored, but if you can get hold of an uncut copy you will see that the hype, for once, is absolutely true. Lots of graphic violence and hardcore sex (plus one scene with a horse...) make the uncut version of Tinto Brass' Caligola look like a tame R film. Truly disturbing, but D'Amato knows how to deliver the goods (and the performance of David Brandon is really good). Well, I'm not suggesting that anyone of you should go out and rent this film (if you can find it...), just those of you that are not easily offended by good bad taste. With Emanuelle in America one of the best D'Amatos ever! Rest in peace, Joe.

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

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.