Caligula – financed with 10 million dollars from Penthouse this movie splits film fans all over the world. Some criticise the weird cutting, arbitrary camera movement, exorbitantly shot porn scenes and vast excesses of Caligula. Others admire the acting, for example McDowell, the deep going characterization of Caligula and the brilliant sets.

The development of the movie was delayed through various fights between scriptwriter Gore Vidal and director Tinto Brass with Bob Guccione and dissociated with the production (as many actors also did). Guccione took care of the final cut and included about 5 minutes of additional hardcore material. Only few countries allowed a theatrical audition in this form and the cut versions had not that much success. So movie was considered a financial disaster.

This censorship report show the comparison between the R-rated and the uncut version. In 1981 the movie has been cut to a R-rating and was later published on video and laserdisc in the same version. This version was extremely cut but substituted problematic scenes with alternative material.

At the end of the 90s a DVD release has been announced. A new R-rated version has been created and oriented in its cut on the version of 1981. One difference: there was no alternative material left anymore. For example scenes with dialogues between Tiberius and Caligula, where the uncut version showed enormous nudity, were edit massively. This has an effect to the logical procedure enormously. The R-rated version shows a ‘Caligula-light’ version were almost everything was cut what made the movie so scandalous. The changes are even visible for newcomers to the Caligula theme.

In 2008 a Imperial Edition was developed in England and combined three versions of the movie: an official uncut version, an alternative version which only showed softcore instead of hardcore and a Theatrical version which can be considered as the r-rated version. The last one was rated 18 by the BBFC and so did the whole edition.

So there is the comparison between the R-rated DVD version (BBFC 18) and the uncut version (Unrated/BBFC 18.

Runtime R-rated: 1:41:47 min
Runtime Uncut: 2:35:58 min

There are 53 minutes and 59 seconds missing. The runtime in this censorship report represents the uncut version.

01:09
The sheeps can be seen a bit longer. The camera goes over to Caligula and Drusilla who are lying under a tree. The R-rated continues when both raise.
21 sec

02:45
When Caligula kisses Drusilla´s bosom, the r-rated shows the sheeps which were missing in the scene before.
No time difference

03:19
Both are kissing each other slightly longer and lay down again.
14 sec

06:00
Caligula and Drusilla spend some time in their bed and kiss each other. Macro is coming near. The r-rated continues when Drusilla jumps up because she doesn’t want to be seen by him.
30 sec

06:32
The order of scenes has been changed: A shot of Macro was chosen to be shown earlier and Drusillas escape has been cut between the scenes.
No time difference

09:55
When Caligula enters Tiberius bath for the first time the camera zooms out and one can see more naked slaves. One can recognise a sound cut while a baby is crying.
4 sec

10:53
One shot is missing where Caligula kneels at the bathtub and tells Tiberius he has forgotten his childhood’s dance.
2 sec

11:24
The ‚fishies’ jump in the water on Tiberius’ order. A close-up has been shortened.
3 sec

11:36
A shot of a naked musician is missing.
3 sec

12:01
There are some shots of the ‚fishies’ missing which didn’t jump in the water. Caligula continues his dance and one can see more ‘fishies’ while having a bath (explicit content).
12 sec

12:30
When Tiberius leaves the bathtub the r-rated shows how Caligula goes to him. A scene is missing where the emperor raises and two slaves come out of the water.
6 sec

12:43
When Tiberius sits down one can see the penis of one of his slaves. The r-rated replaces that with a reaction shot of Nerva.
No time difference

12:54
The r-rated version shows some of the ‚fishies’ who are coming out of the bathtub.
4 sec cut, 2 sec time difference

13:03
While Tiberius continues talking to Caligula the r-rated shows an unimportant shots of Macro and Nerva while the uncut version shows a scene where a naked servant can be seen in the background.
No time difference

13:31
A camera panning is missing where one can see the genitals of some ‚fishies’. When Tiberius releases the ‘fishies’ the r-rated continues.
13 sec

14:03
A long shot has been substituted by a shot of Caligulas reaction which seen again later on.
No time difference

14:43
A shot of Caligula is missing. Later on a sequence is missing where Nerva leaves the bathtub.
5 sec

14:49
When Tiberius demanded silence the r-rated shows Nervas leaving. A short part of a dialogue is missing.
6 sec cut, 2 sec time difference

14:55
Tiberius gets dressed by one of his naked slaves. The r-rated repeats shots of Caligulas reactions and of the women with their babies.
No time difference

15:30
Again the r-rated shows harmless scenes which are replacing scenes with nudity.
5 sec

15:49
Tiberius asks Caligula to give him a hug. The scene has been cut to avoid views on the naked slaves.
3 sec

16:05
Tiberius leaves, his naked slaves are following him. The r-rated simply shows a shortened shot of Macro.
5 sec

16:21
A shot is missing where Tiberius and Caligula are going upstairs and a shot where the grotto can be seen fort he first time. This scene is re-inserted later to transport a specific dialogue.
11 sec

16:50
After Tiberius’ order to make the Guardian drunken a shot is missing where Caligula and the emperor are going towards the rocks.
5 sec

17:09
The R-rated shows Macro who grabs in direction to the guardians underwear. It is missing how he drops his underwear and binds a rope around the guardians’ penis. Some bored ladies are looking at the spectacle. The r-rated shows a different part of the scene from a former cut and how the guardian is drinking more wine. The reason for the rope around his penis is uncertain.
27 sec

17:36
Tiberius and Caligula are going to the first floor of the grotto. They’re passing some naked slaves and talk about Roma. The r-rated also contains the dialogue but with different scenes which cause considerable continuity errors.
No time difference

17:58
Both are going along various slaves.
17 sec

18:24
A woman on a swing, one can have a short glimpse on her vagina. The r-rated shows a bizarre shot of horns of a bull behind a curtain.
No time difference

18:36
While Tiberius and Caligula are talking about the Roman empire one can see a woman who leads a snake towards her genital area. The r-rated repeats a long shot of the grotto.
No time difference

18:42
Tiberius orders more devotion of his slaves. The order is followed by various softcore (sc) and hardcore (HC) scenes.
58 sec

20:01
Another part of the dialogue is missing.
15 sec

20:42
Zoom on Tiberius who goes down with an elevator to his love grotto. Sexual details have been cut.
5 sec

20:56
Caligula keeps on walking down the stairs towards Tiberius’ elevator.
3 sec

20:18
A shot of a deformed man is missing.
7 sec

21:27
Two women with their together grown heads are visible. The r-rated shows the same long shot where Tiberius and Caligula are walking around the upper floor of the grotto for the ‘nth’ time.
No time difference

21:41
Some creatures (hard to define) can be seen behind some bars.
No time difference

22:02
When Tiberius slices the guardians belly, the upcoming scenes are missing where a flush of blood and wine appears from his inside. The r-rated continues with a shot on the guardians head when he is already deceased.
7 sec

22:16
Instead of a shot of the guardians bloody abdomen the r-rated repeats a part of the scene where Tiberius enters the room to stab him.
No time difference

22:24
A shot on the dead guardian has been cut and his penis can’t be seen anymore.
2 sec

26:21
The fading from the grotto to Caligulas sleeping place as well as the upcoming scene is missing: Caligula awakes from a nightmare and stammers that Tiberius is going to kill him. Drusilla tries to calm him down. They continue talking about their love. When a black bird appears on the curtain, Caligula cries horrified. This scene is the actual initial scene of the movie and seems to be completely misplaced in the context.
120 sec

33:13
A tortured women is being untied and some naked men are waking up.
12 sec

33:44
Some women are cleaning their genital area.
6 sec

33:56
A camera panning to a naked man, tied to a pole, is missing.
4 sec

34:13
Some men are showering in some kind of red mud and are talking about Nervas death and its consequences to Tiberius. They recognize Caligula who stares at them with a psychopathic gaze. Some torturing scenes are following where women get whipped, molested with thorns are impaled by jousts. These torturing scenes are actually meant to be at a completely different place in the movie.
Caligula blinks - he is standing in Tiberius´ grotto. He talks to the personal doctor of Tiberius, afterwards he administers an oath to Macro.

167 sec

45:03
When Caligula crows himself the noblemen dislike this fact. The r-rated lacks a scene where Drusilla uses onions to produce tears.
43 sec

50:09
Caligula finds two gay lovers behind a wall. The HC scenes of Guccione are missing in the r-rated.
10 sec

53:48
A complete block of scenes is missing. Caligula and Drusilla have some fun at their rooms but are interrupted by Caerea: the emperor has to solve a quarrel between two senators but Caligula disallows them to speak and decides by the weight of the documents.

The following scene continues in the rooms of Ennia who is laying on a bed, surrounded by love slaves who collect their semen in some bowls. Longinus and Caerea enter the room and say that the Senate has sentenced Macro to death. Caligula decides to promote Caerea to the head of the praetorian guards. Ennia is enraged and begs to Caligula to reprieve her husband, Caligula acts arrogant and she spits in his face. Ennia is banished to Gaul.

312 sec

1:01:34
The sex party of the priestesses is heavily cut.
20 sec

1:02:14
Different shots of masturbating priestesses are missing,
31 sec

1:03:31
The r-rated fades away from the party when Caligula declares Caesonia to be perfect. The next scene shows Caligula in a little room when Drusilla leads Caesonia into the room. He cuts some wounds into her neck and licks her blood. She moves towards an altar and lays down while he penetrates her from behind.
200 sec

1:08:22
Surprisingly the r-rated shows some beheadings of the killing maschine. Macro´s decapitation was cut, though, along with shots of the giggling Caligula.
7 sec

1:09:17
Longinus and Caligula keep on laughing. A fading to the wedding party is missing and so are the first shots of the orgy.
9 sec

1:09:56
Livia licks on the pubic hair of a giant dildo. Even the r-rated shows the dildo and the vagina (which are both made of cake) on several occasions.
3 sec

1:12:49
One of the most repulsive scenes is missing: Caligula’s wedding present to Proculus. Caligula takes his bride and asks him if she is really still a virgin. He keeps on controlling her vagina. He forces Proculus to see all the action and deflowers Livia. All the audience of the wedding can hear her scream of pain and Drusilla leaves the room in rage. Then he forces Proculus to get undressed as well, smears some crème onto his back and puts his fist with the ring of the emperor into him.
238 sec

1:18:18
An additional shot of Caligula performing his famous child´s dance is missing in the r-rated.
5 sec

1:18:42
Another repulsive scene is missing Caligula, Drusilla and Caesonia are laying on a bed and start kissing each other. Behind a wall two ‘Penthouse pets’ are looking at the scenery and start to have a good time (with explicit details).
313 sec

1:30:00
While Caesonia is dancing another part of the scene is missing where a man is touching one of the ‚Penthouse pets’.
12 sec

1:30:44
Caligula cuddles with his horse and then starts vomitting.
69 sec

1:32:08
Another block of scenes is missing: Caligula is laying in his bed with fever while his horse is stands beside him. He strokes his horse and thinks of Drusilla. When Drusilla arrives he tells her to bequest his title. Meanwhile, Caesonia notices that Longinus, Caerea and other noblemen are standing on the terrace and are already discussing the time after Caligulaｴs possible death. Inside, Drusilla lays down next to Caligula and hugs him. When one of the noblemen offers his life in order to save the Emperor, Caligula regains strength and sentences him to death. The doctor states that the fever is dropping.

Caligula meets Longinus to sign the latest law documents. When he realizes that he has to say his imperial verse for each and any of the documents, he tries to speed things up und hammers like a madman at the papers. Then he regains consciousness and runs off laughing.

Caligula arrives at the torture place of Proculus. He orders a guardian to kill him very slowly but he starts to harsh and Proculus dies to early. One of the girls is peeing on his body and Caligula orders to cut of Proculus penis. He feeds the dogs with it.

Caligula is playing with a rat tied to a tiny racing car. Once more a black bird is caught in the curtain, and Caligula reacts horrified.

664 sec

1:43:39
Caesonias vagina can be seen shortly.
0,5 sec

1:43:44
Again her vagina and the announcement of the doctor that the head of the baby is visible.
1 sec

1:44:51
When Drusilla, weakend by fever, recognizes that the baby is a girl ashort dialogue is missing.
8 sec

1:50:16
Drusillas dying-scene is cut: Caligula is talking to the Isis-statue. Then he smashes it onto the cupboard. The r-rated ties in abruptly when he does this for the second time.
30 sec

1:51:12
The next cut can be heard. Caligula bends over the dead Drusilla and starts to lick and kiss her body. The r-rated inserts a shot of the forest scene in order to avoid a jump cut. More shots of the forest scene are shown later on in the uncut version as well.
57 sec, Zeitunterschied 54 sec

1:54:37
Caligula walks through Roma (incognito) and arrives at a wall where some people are urinating on.
23 sec

1:59:07
Caesonia enters a study to meet Longinus. They discuss the possible whereabouts of the missing Emperor. Then a cut to a brig: a guy is touching a woman’s genitals.
64 sec

2:00:26
Again a man tries to touch a woman. Several folks are arriving via the shute.
16 sec

2:01:15
A barbarian shows his coin trick. He lifts one up, grabs into the vagina of a woman and now has got two coins.
31 sec

2:07:25
Imperial Bordello: A galley with sexslaves, nymphs, sartyrs and the wifes of the senators who are prostituting themselves. A lot of explicit sexscenes have been cut in the r-rated version.
17 sec

2:07:46
The r-rated just shows a short glimpse on a naked man’s breast. The camera moves down and shows how this man receives fellatio.
12 sec

2:09:03
Another shot of fellatio.
6 sec

2:09:11
A woman is masturbated off-screen. The r-rated continues when a dwarf and the woman are visible.
3 sec

2:09:18
The sex scene between the woman and the dwarf is missing, so are several softcore shots of the Pets.
44 sec

2:10:18
Some sc and HC scenes are missing (including kissing, fellatio, cunnilingus and penetration).
115 sec

2:12:17
Caesea and Longinus are talking about Caligula slightly longer.
14 sec

2:13:26
Some HC scenes are missing.
12 sec

2:13:40
Another HC scene.
9 sec

2:13:54
A gay couple while having sex.
3 sec

2:14:12
Camera panning over the orgy is missing.
5 sec

2:14:22
Another shot fellatio shot.
17 sec

2:15:35
Instead of a fellatio scene the r-rated repreats some harmless scenes.
No time difference.

2:15:54
Same procedure.
No time difference

2:16:17
The r-rated shows some scenes of the Penthouse pets which have been cut at 2:09:18 instead of fellatio.
No time difference

2:16:28
Again fellatio.
No time difference

2:16:34
While the fellatio scene seems to end the r-rated shows some former scenes again.
No time difference

2:16:40
The r-rated says goodbye to the Imperial Bordello scene. Some soldiers are marching along the ship and one man has his orgasm.
40 sec

2:17:52
Redundant cut: Caerea moves on the Caligla who gives the order for an invasion. Caerea asks where Britain is and Caligula just points to the sea.
57 sec

2:18:59
In order to avoid too much male nudity, the first shot of the naked soldiers is shortened, the next one is missing completely.
6 sec

2:19:50
Caligula listens to the sound of a shell and starts laughing hysterically. Additional shots of the battle.
13 sec

2:21:48
At the victory party some loot is presented, for example a pearl which is placed on the pubic area of a woman.
38 sec

2:22:51
Caligula wacthes the scenery in disgust. Cut to the orgy where almost everyone is touching each other.
7 sec

2:23:02
Another shot shot of the orgy.
2 sec

2:24:29
When Caligula ordered to eat he gazes the audience in an evil manner. Caesonia warns her husband against Caerea, who might plan to murder him. Caligula then asks Longinus if there is a conspiracy going on. Taken by surprise, the nobleman speaks of a „plot“.
56 sec

2:31:15
The head of Caligulas bodyguard is rolling down the stairs.
1 sec

2:31:25
The torturer smashes the head of Caligula’s daughter on the stairs.
1 sec

2:32:19
The soldiers keep on stabbing Caligula.
2 sec