Needlework Pictures Presents Francesco Vezzoli in Gore Vidal's 'Caligula'

I actually bought the idea that "Caligula" (1979) has been remade and I somehow managed not to know anything about it. The mock trailer begins with Gore Vidal introducing the remake and answering the question, "who would need a new "Caligula"? with the words, "everyone does". Well, there is not going to be a remake but the trailer is five minutes of sheer fun, class, perversity, humor, and Art and is very interesting and unique by itself. I was happy to recognize some familiar faces: Helen Mirren made an appearance as Tiberia (she was mocking Peter O'Toole performance and played Caligula's grandmother and she was as sexy and provocative as ever. Adriana Asti replays her role as Ennia once again using a special face-cream, fresh and warm manually prepared for her to make her skin look young and radiant. Green-eyed model/actress/singer, Milla Jovovich is Caligula's beloved sister Druscilla; Karen Black - Agrippina (another Caligula's sister, the future mother of Nero and Claudius' wife), Michelle Phillips (a member of the pop group, "The Mamas and the Papas") is Messalina, Claudius' first wife who was called the most depraved woman ever. The biggest surprise was Courtney Love as the mad Emperor Caligula but who knows - maybe it was not such a big stretch for her.

Very funny, classy, and stylish 9/10

I recently watched this trailer on YouTube, which has consequently taken it down... For a trailer of a faux movie, this didn't feel very budget and I'm absolutely amazed they have the cast cameos of Helen Mirren, Benicio Del Toro, Milla Jovovich, Karen Black, Gerard Butler; as well as countless naked extras! From what I understand the costumes were designed by D.Versace as well. Having lived the semi-disappointing original 'Caligula' this was just a joy to watch!

(Though I didn't personally feel Courtney Love's monologue did much to add to it... she would have been better utilized with a single punchline or dramatic entrance)

Should you get your hands on it, sit back and enjoy 3 minutes of campy naked bliss!

All I can say is that this is awesome!

I only wish it could have been made into a full-length movie and not just a teaser. The only downer was Milla Jovovich's performance, she was sort of hammy but the others treated that short film with the same deference of a true full-length epic.

I've seen the original, got it on DVD. For its time period, it was really very good. However, it didn't truly represent even an allusion to the incredible decadent sexuality that permeated the Roman Caesar's rulership let alone the mind-numbing violence that still echoes through histories of the time to today. This short at least attempted it, if only for a few short minutes.

If you can't find it to see for yourselves, take a trip to YouTube. Well worth the few minutes of your time - if you fully understand what depravity to expect anything bearing the name Caligula. Not works safe, not kid safe and not prude safe by along shot.

A conceptual film from Italian artist Francesco Vezzoli, first shown at the 2005 Venice Biennale and later traveling to the Whitney Museum of American Art. The work is conceived as a trailer for an imaginary remake of the infamous Tinto Brass/Bob Guccioni sexploitation fiasco that was 'Caligola'. Instead of shooting in the ruins of Rome, however, his location is a tacky Roman-lite villa in Hollywood. Instead of striving for historically accurate costumes, he has Donatella Versace design him some glamorous togas. And like Matthew Barney, he's able to talk a whole host of known (and unknown) actors to star in a an artwork that will rarely, if ever, be seen outside of a gallery (or online). The casual viewer can choose to read it all as a comment on the timeless nature of gluttony and excess or simply laugh out loud at Courtney Love's full-bodied reading of Gore Vidal's overwrought language - "I have existed from the morning of the world and I shall exist until the last star falls from the night" - egomania as fitting for a Hollywood star as it for a Wall Street executive or an insane Emperor. Which, or course, is the point.

This finally showed up on Mr. Butler's list of films. I just wanted to clarify something for fans collecting his films or looking to see all his films.

This is not a full length film or even a prospectus for a film length film. I know it looks like a trailer for a movie being made but it is NOT. I doubt you will be able to find this on any DVD anywhere or even in a festival.

This was an art short done in the form of a movie trailer. A kind of short parody of the original film. the director/writer is known for his short art video's. THERE WILL BE NO FULL LENGTH FILM TO FIND. The Whittney (a museum dedicated to film) selected this as part of the film short collection and it is showcases as art in a collection of art video's.

Mr. Butler has some friends in the Italian film industry and I am sure this was done as just a favor for art's sake.

On a side note, the reason for the parody, the original film that it was based on was a hot of bed of controversy at the time it was made. The author Gore Vidal even had his name removed from the movie tie in book because he was so disappointed in what he called the soft porn