Caligula: The Mario Tursi Photos

Mountains of boxes, covered in dust, untouched for over a generation. Believed destroyed for nearly half a century, this breathtaking discovery was the long-lost Penthouse collection of original materials from which the 1980 film Caligula was created: a treasure trove of 35mm film, original camera negatives, and papers including 10,733 black-and-white photographs- the majority of which had never been seen outside of the Penthouse offices since they were taken on the set of Caligula in 1976.

With a budget twice that of Star Wars, Caligula contained historically accurate events from Roman texts–shocking scenes of grotesque, lurid violence– and powerhouse performances by magnificent actors flanked by orgies of unsimulated sexual acts and the first unapologetic homosexual imagery in mainstream cinema history. Forty years after its release, Caligula remains one of the most unforgettable and notorious films in cinema history.

Now, in conjunction with Penthouse magazine, and in advance of a stunning new edit of the film restoring the originally envisioned narrative, deluxe art book publisher Century Guild is sharing over 200 of the most dramatic images in a beautiful hardcover book overflowing with stunning photographs taken on the set of the film by legendary Italian still photographer Mario Tursi, best known for his work with Italian directors Pier Paolo Pasolini and Luchino Visconti as well as his long collaboration with Martin Scorsese on the sets of Gangs of New York and The Last Temptation of Christ. These long-lost photos taken by an icon of historical cinematic photography provide a peek behind the scenes of a legendary cult film, and a voyeuristic gaze into big-budget 1970s filmmaking.

Caligula: The Mario Tursi Photos is available in three stunning editions. Pre-orders are now open, and delivery is estimated for Fall 2023.*

*Please note our previous delivery estimate has been updated to Fall 2023. This is only an estimate; the timeframe is subject to change and actual delivery may occur before or after the stated period. Customers who pre-order the book will be notified of any changes to the delivery estimate.