Caligula: The Ultimate Cut (2023) with Aaron Shaps

Arkadin Cinema & Bar is screening Caligula: The Ultimate Cut on Saturday, November 7, with editor Aaron Shaps on hand to introduce the film and stick around for a discussion and Q&A afterward. The screening runs from 7 PM to 10:30 PM, and tickets are $9.

To understand why this particular cut matters, you have to know the history of the original. Caligula came out in 1980 as a massive, notorious spectacle starring Malcolm McDowell as the Roman emperor, with Peter O'Toole and Helen Mirren in the supporting cast, tracing his descent into madness. It was one of the most expensive erotic productions ever made, financed largely by Penthouse founder Bob Guccione. After production wrapped, Guccione pushed to insert hardcore sex scenes into the film—changes that alienated director Tinto Brass, writer Gore Vidal, and McDowell himself.

The Ultimate Cut is a 2023 reconstruction built entirely from archival footage left on the cutting room floor. It strips away Guccione's additions and restores the film to its original status as a masterwork. Aaron Shaps edited this version and also wrote Caligula: The Official Story of the Film, so he's coming in with a deep knowledge of how the movie was made and why this cut differs from what most people know. He'll introduce the film and then stay for a conversation and Q&A, with copies of his books available to buy.

It's a long night—the screening and the discussion run from 7 PM to 10:30 PM at Arkadin, 5228 Gravois Ave, and tickets are $9.