Caligula and Messalina

Made to cash in on the notoriety of Tinto Brass's 1979 movie 'Caligula', Italian trashmeister Bruno Mattei's 'Caligula and Messalina' is packed to the gills with depravity. Despite lacking the hardcore action and graphic gore to be found in Brass's movie, Mattei's production (available on German DVD in an uncut 108 minute version) is still fairly entertaining stuff.

John Turner stars as nutty Roman Emperor Caligula, who commits incest with his sisters, makes his horse a member of the Senate, and executes the innocent on a whim.

Messalina (played by gorgeous Betty Roland) is a power-hungry nymphomaniac who will stop at nothing to become Empress of Rome. She brings herself to the attention of Caligula by battling in the gladiator arena and it is not long before she achieves her goal, upsetting the Emperor's youngest sister Agrippina, who hopes that her son Nero will eventually become ruler of Rome.

Agrippina successfully plots Caligula's downfall, but Messalina rains on her parade by immediately jumping into the sack with his successor, Claudius. But naughty old Messalina can't commit herself to one man, and shags everyone in sight, including a grotesque, but well-endowed, frequenter of brothels, a randy midget, her eunuch(!?!?) and an ex-lover. When she ends up pregnant, and it is obvious that the father is not Claudius (since he has been away fighting in foreign lands), Agrippina finally sees her opportunity to be rid of her nemesis once and for all.

Chock full of graphic sleaze (nudity, simulated sex, Bacchanalian orgies, rape and buggery), this movie is definitely not one for the easily offended. And if none of that bothers you, then the graphic scenes of horses and donkeys getting jiggy will probably do the trick. Surprisingly, in contrast, the violence is pretty low-key, with most of it happening off screen.

Mattei, obviously working with a low budget, resorts to padding his movie with footage from other films, particularly for crowd scenes requiring many extras, but to be fair it all works pretty well. 'Caligula and Messalina' is fun slice of schlock entertainment and is worth a viewing for fans of historical exploitation, but those hoping for the polished look and excesses of its more famous predecessor may be disappointed.

I just saw this movie, and I cannot believe how poor it was even for an exploitation film. I am not familiar with the accurate history of the real Caligula but it could not have been anything like in this movie. Of course, that's not necessary in an exploitation film but in this case it is just too stupid. Their seems to have been absolutely no research into the actual life in Rome at that time. Moreover, the sex scenes are really poor. Maybe with one or two erotic moments, and with one or two attractive females. The torture scenes are just terrible and depressing. At least a movie like "Hostel" portrays torture in a more interesting fashion - there is something about the early exploitation films that make you want to scream out in boredom at the stupid torture scenes. All things considered, this is a horrible movie which should never have been made. I feel the same about movies about torture in the Holocaust. Movies like that are simply dangerous to the mind, and a complete waste of time and life. It is difficult to prove that movies like that are actually damaging to the mind, and I don't mean it in any moral sense, but we all know that movies like that are absolute trash, and that we would be better off watching something interesting. I bought Caligula because I thought it might be good but it wasn't. I think, the Druuna comic book series is excellent. But this Caligula film doesn't deliver anything other than negative and stupid stuff.

I like Tinto Brass' Caligula a lot - it's a daring piece and a visually fine crafted one. Two years later, in 1981, Caligula et Messaline was published - this flick is something like the pulp/trash version of Caligula: like in the work of Brass you get a lot of nudity and some violence, but everything is heavily tainted by schlock and the smell of cheese. Most of those scenes of softporn and violence are not shocking or erotic but rather funny. Anyway, Caligula et Messaline is to a certain degree entertaining - if you like that sword and sandal genre in general, this one spiced up with some wannabe (sex)ploitation. Final words: one of those movies who you can rightly claim guilt pleasure if you are able to enjoy the trip from start to end.

This film does a terrible job of introducing you to the characters. Unless you've watched previous related media or know your history, you wouldn't have much of a clue who anyone is and how they relate to each other.

Locations are not clearly defined and you can't tell if characters that are seen to be travelling are either coming or going.

The nudity was satisfactory when combined with what should have been a plot but the sex scenes were disappointing when comparing it to the 1979 version.

To me, a lot of it seemed irrelevant to the story until I realised that the film was basically showing us that Messalina likes to increase her mileage no matter what.

When the pool scene took place I assumed they would be caught and someone would be killed... no, next bedfellow please!

There is a scene with two donkeys and then another with two horses soon afterwards. Both scenes are real thus more x-rated than anything that the humans do in this.

The simulated sex is everywhere in this and rather boring. They couldn't quite find a balance between genitals being far apart during the act or touching but not actually doing the act. Either way, it wasn't appealing.

The only thing that really interested me was one of the actresses that is always at Caligula's or Messalina's side. The woman with the tanned skin who was clearly a dancer by profession. She looked familiar as though I have seen her in modern films; although in reality she would be about 60 years old by now.

Overall, not really worth watching unless you are like me and you can't help but keep going down 'rabbit holes'.

"Caligula and Messalina" (1981), directed by Bruno Mattei and Antonio Passalia, is a film that attempts to delve into the debauchery, political intrigue, and power struggles of ancient Rome, specifically during the reign of Emperor Caligula. The movie is a curious amalgamation of historical drama, exploitation, and softcore pornography, which may either intrigue or repel viewers, depending on their tastes.

The film's narrative revolves around the tumultuous relationship between Caligula (played by David Hemmings) and his sister-turned-wife Messalina (played by Lori Wagner). It showcases their hedonistic lifestyle, ruthless methods to maintain power, and the web of betrayals that ultimately leads to their downfall. The plot, while not entirely historically accurate, does manage to provide a glimpse into the darker side of Roman society, where excess and vice were often celebrated.

One of the film's strongest aspects is its production design. The sets, costumes, and props are meticulously crafted, giving the movie an authentic and immersive feel. The cinematography, too, is commendable, with some beautifully composed shots that capture the grandeur and decadence of Rome.

However, the film's strengths are often overshadowed by its weaknesses. The acting, for instance, is uneven and often veers into the realm of melodrama. David Hemmings's portrayal of Caligula, while adequately menacing, lacks the depth and complexity that the character deserves. Lori Wagner, on the other hand, delivers a more nuanced performance as Messalina but is often let down by the script's tendency to reduce her to a one-dimensional femme fatale.

The film's pacing is another issue. The narrative meanders at times, with scenes of gratuitous nudity and violence that feel more like filler than an integral part of the story. This, coupled with the movie's nearly two-hour runtime, can make for a somewhat tedious viewing experience. 🍷🎭💥