Now, 43 years after the 1980 release of historical epic CALIGULA, producer and 
re-constructionist Thomas Negovan has 
realized the creators’ original vision with CALIGULA: THE ULTIMATE CUT, a version comprised of entirely never-before-seen footage shot in 1976. Shadowed by the murder of his entire family, the young, wary Caligula (Malcolm McDowell) eliminates his devious adoptive grandfather (Peter O’Toole) and seizes control of the declining Roman Empire, descending into a spiral of depravity, destruction, and madness. A treatise on the corrupting influence of power, this extensive 
reconstruction of the notorious 1980 spectacle, CALIGULA: THE ULTIMATE CUT restores the complete performances of Malcolm McDowell and Helen Mirren, as the promiscuous ‘Caesonia’, from an unprecedented amount of never before 
seen footage. Sumptuous set designs by two-time Oscar winner Danilo Donati. CALIGULA: THE ULTIMATE CUT aligns closely to Vidal’s original script, especially with the addition of a prologue that illustrates one of Vidal’s missing scenes, created by noted graphic artist Dave McKean (Grant Morrison’s Arkham Asylum, Neil Gaiman’s Sandman). Nearly 100 hours of original footage was discovered by the film’s re-constructionist, film historian Thomas Negovan, in the Penthouse archive, which showcases astounding performances from the film’s cast, fully realizing McDowell’s complex, charismatic ‘Caligula’ and resurrecting Mirren’s layered character arc, 
which now cements the film’s final hour. Producer & Re-constructionist Thomas Negovan joins us to talk about his own daunting journey of reviewing the hundreds of hours of footage, his decision to use an enormous amount of never before seen footage in this final cut, seeking out many the surviving cast and crew, provide an artistic context to McDowell’s performance and to give the film a chance to be seen as flawed, but wildly ambitious cinematic journey into the heart of a darkness at the rotting core of the Roman Empire.
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The notorious history of CALIGULA: Initially Released in 1980, CALIGULA was the most expensive independent film in cinema history but had a tumultuous journey to the screen. Written by the esteemed Gore Vidal and headed by the stellar cast of Malcolm McDowell, Dame Helen Mirren, Peter O’Toole and Sir John Gielgud, CALIGULA was meant to be an epic showcase of the generation’s finest talent, addressing the corrupting influence of power amid the rampant sexuality of the Roman court.However, Penthouse founder (and the film’s financier) Bob Guccione seized control of the negative, randomly inserting graphic scenes of unsimulated sex and gratuitous violence. The cast and film team disavowed what had become a blatant desecration of Vidal’s themes, who sued to have his name removed from the project. The extensive coverage of behind-the-scenes notoriety also had an unexpected effect: the film was a box office success.
About the filmmaker – Thomas Negovan was born in Chicago and is the author of numerous art history books documenting rare work from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He has curated exhibitions and collections of rare and important Art Nouveau, Symbolist, and Expressionist artworks, lectured on the Vienna Secession and German cabaret during the Weimar Republic, and written the definitive monographs on artists Gail Potocki, Clive Barker, David Mack, and Michael Hussar. As a photographer, his work has been published in Condé Nast travel publications, and in the field of music worked as orchestra director for R. Kelly and recorded an entirely analog album on wax cylinder in 2011. In that year, Negovan gave a TEDx talk “By Popular Demand” on his experience in creating the first music recorded and released without the use of electricity in over a century. Aurora (2018) was his first film.
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“A surprisingly spellbinding reimagining of one of cinema’s most infamous disasters, “Caligula – The Ultimate Cut” is a stunning achievement.” – Stephanie Malone, Morbidly Beautiful
“It belongs on the big screen, to a world of cinematic sensation beyond lightweight blockbusters and under-financed independents.” – Jennie Kermode, Eye for Film
“…this restored version of Caligula is the only one that counts, popping the rating from a one star to a five overnight, and The Ultimate Cut is a remarkable vindication for Malcolm McDowell that finally reveals arguably his best performance…” – Eddie Harrison, film-authority.com
“This is three hours I’ll never get back and nor would I wish to. A masterpiece, no, but as the most crackpot piece of filmmaking you ever did see? This rocks.” – Deborah Ross, The Spectator
“Caligula: The Ultimate Cut is an imposing, masterful restoration that breathes new life into what is known as the most notorious film of the 1970s.” – Hector A. Gonzalez, Loud and Clear Reviews