Caligula: The Official Story of the Film

The official retrospective book on the controversial erotic historical film Caligula, adapted from an original screenplay by Gore Vidal and with principal photography by Tinto Brass. It traces the troubled production as well as the various cuts — from the 1979 version overseen by Penthouse publisher and producer Bob Guccione to the "Ultimate Cut" at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.

Conceived by screenwriter Gore Vidal as a depiction of absolute power that corrupts absolutely, Caligula depicts the rise to emperor and subsequent reign of Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, known as Caligula, one of the most infamous rulers of ancient Rome in 37 AD. Shot as an erotic historical drama by Tinto Brass, the version released in theaters in 1980 was infamously altered in post-production by producer and Penthouse publisher Bob Guccione, who added separately shot hardcore scenes featuring Penthouse Pets.

Written by Aaron Shaps, editor of the 2023 "Ultimate Cut," Caligula: The Official Story of the Film follows the film's creation — from the original concept by Roberto Rossellini through the difficult production, the theatrical release, and the resulting legal battles over the film's classification as non-obscene, so that it could be shown in regular theaters. The narrative continues to the present day, covers the various international cuts of the following decades, and closes with the screening and release of the "Ultimate Cut" at Cannes 2023.

Illustrated with stills from the original version and the 2023 version, the book also contains previously unpublished behind-the-scenes photos from the shoot, drawn from the Penthouse archives.